LT 125 - like to bypass the seat auto shut off

[zm]

Hello,

I have a new JD LT 125 riding lawn mower. I am doing quite a bit of dirt moving with my wagon around the yard and would like to let the machine idle while I shovel dirt on/off. It has the shut off hooked to the seat (whenever you get off the machine, it dies). Is there a way I could bypass that shut offf so it would idle?

thanks for any help.

[Ken Weitzel]

Hi..

If you're sure that there are no youngsters around, you might try one of those short bungee cords that come with a hook on each end to tie the seat down with.

Take care.

Ken

[Srgnt Billko]

Absolutely. If **safety** is not a concern you can disconnect the wires from the switch or bypass it. Some manufacturers do it one way and some do it the other way. I don't think you can hurt anything trying it the wrong way first. I've taken off all the safety switches on my Wheelhorse 520H , and an old Agway 12HP and others - but be aware some dealers won't work on your machine with bypassed safety switches.

[Kyle Boatright]

On my riding mower, it takes a certain amount of weight to compress a switch inside the seat...

A 25 lb bag of shot might do the trick.

[zm]

Thanks everyone,

I should say "duh" to myself. A strong bungy should work or ratchet tie down. I was trying to "oversolve the problem" I am the only one doing this no kids around. I don't mind the safety feature, but its sure a pain for the work I am doing. A bungy sounds like the ticket.

thanks and have a good one.

[Willshak]

My 10 year old Murray tractor came with a pigtail, a short piece (3") of electrical wire with spade plugs on each end. Just take the seat wire connection apart and place the pigtail in the plug going to the tractor, making a complete circuit. I never used it and don't know why they included it.

[Tomes]

Here is what I did. My JD GT262 has the switch inside of the seat (a replacement seat), and a plug that plugs into the seat bottom. The plug anchor clippy thing broke, so the switch always thought that no one was on the seat, as the circuit always was then open. It was buy _another_ seat or never put it into gear or figure out something else.

So the something else that I did was take a couple of inches of bare wire and wrap it around the plug tines, completing the circuit and fooling the machine into thinking that there is always someone on the seat. I then wrapped it all up in tape and left it under the seat, disconnected from the seat, but bridged. Hope this helps, Tomes

[AndyS]

Andy writes:

I have a Craftsman lawn tractor, from Sears, and I simply raised the seat ( it tips up) and saw the seat switch . It has a little plunger thingy that depresses when you sit down. I detached the switch assembly from the holding bracket, and wound several turns of black plastic electrical tape around it , depressing the plunger thingy and keeping it in the "seat depressed" position. Then I just set it in a cranny under the seat where it wouldn't get cracked or messed with and put the seat back.....

If I want to restore it, all I have to do is tip the seat, pull off the plastic tape, and snap the switch back into position...

I agree that the seat is a pain in the ass, especially if I am mowing and see a brick or log in the way......

There is a similar lockout for going into reverse -- the engine will die if the blade is engaged while in reverse. Fortunately the Craftsman mower has an additional key switch position to override this. At least somebody in the lawn tractor factory has had to actually use the product at some time (grin)...

Good luck,

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If all of your neighbors have been invited to the Jerry Springer Xmas reunion show, you might live in Eureka, Texas )

[prothlauf]

I just use a small piece of cardboard folded over to keep the switch from making elec contact on closing (weight off seat). 1/2 sec to remove

AndyS wrote:

[prothlauf]

I just use a small piece of cardboard folded over to keep the switch from making elec contact on closing (weight off seat). 1/2 sec to remove

AndyS wrote:

[Srgnt Billko]

I think you guys are talking about 2 different types of switches.

[Chas Hurst]

Yup, and depending on the model, there could be 2 different types of switches. One switch connects the other breaks. It's not rocket science.

[jwn]

Your mother should take a switch to you if you by-pass this safety feature. It could prevent you from chopping up your feet.

STOVEBOLT approved this message.

[Eggs Zachtly]

[snip]

Your mother should take a switch to you for not knowing how to setup and use a newsreader. You should learn. It could prevent you from borking posts.

WTF? Who cares.

[Steveo]

He's a big boy and feet are over-rated. f/u set.

[glyford]

I think some of the older Murrays have the mower clutch switch mounted on the mower deck, so you need to be able to jumper the deck connection if you want to run without the deck mounted. Their newer ones changed that so the clutch handle (and its switch) stayed on the tractor...

--Glenn Lyford