I was a bit short on detail in my last post, so I'll try again...
I have just bought a s/h MTD Yardman Lawnflite 14HP ride on mower, a model TA 4140 for which I am seeking a copy of the operator manual - though any information at all would be very welcome as at the moment as I have absolutely none.
Start here:-
I have got a Lawnflite, but not a Yardman version, so I don't know how much (if any) similarity there is. What do you want to know? There was not much of interest in the manual for mine, beyond reams of H&S stuff that you can workout for yourself, and what each control does.
Anything of use here:
I cannot seem to find a manual on either site, it doesn't seem to like the TA 4140 nor an 11 digit number which it asks for, which I found on a label on the unit.
I'm just a bit unsure of how it should be driven - as in I'm stalling it rather a lot. It is a 7 speed + reverse. I come to a stop going forward hold the brake on and move the F/N/R lever to reverse and it stalls and the same when trying to go forward again. If I don't touch the brake, just move the F/N/R lever it doesn't stall, but surely I ought to be able to hold it on the brake?
Engaging and lowering the cutter also seems a bit vicious and almost stalls it unless the throttle is set for full speed.
You nearly always run these things at full speed to get cutter power, and modulate the cut rate with the speed. If its stalling on an unloaded cutter deck, it may need a service. Like getting a decades worth of wound up nettles (approximately as tough as wire rope) from out of the bearings.
I cant remember how my old machine used to work..ISTR that releasing the brake engaged the drive belt.. I've gone hydraulic transmission now.
I do remember to0 rapid an engagement would lift the front wheels off the ground..
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Try downloading some of the others and see if they have similar controls.
Different to mine then which is CVT...
One thing to beware of, is these beasties have copious interlocks to stop you doing various things. Some are obvious - like there must be pressure on the seat for it to run (unless the break is on), but others are less so. For example on mine you can't cut while in reverse, and you can't engage the power take off when there is no grass box on the back.
You should only ever cut on full throttle. Mine has a leaver rather like an indicator stalk on the left, that you engage by pushing forward - its a fairly long travel. You need to engage the PTO gently. You also want to ensure you are not sat on a patch of long grass when you try, else that may also stall it.
In message , Harry Bloomfield writes
No insults intended, Harry, but I'm a bit sensitive to missing manual enquiries for items regularly of interest to the *asset movers*.
I don't know anything about the Lawnflite but I do have a recent ride on mower infested with safety cut outs. Basically if you try to do anything which might be hazardous the engine cuts out!
There is an *under seat* switch which cuts the ignition if you attempt to get off the m/c with the cutter engaged. To reverse with the cutter engaged the ignition switch has to be on the correct setting. You can't dump grass with the cutter engaged, no start without brake on, etc.
regards
Basically on mine the only way to start is with the brake on(=drive disengaged) and cutter disengaged, and that is also the only way to get off the mower and leave it actually running.
There is also supposed to be a cutter brake that engages to spin the blades down quickly.
Part of setting the whole machine up is to adjust all teh cables and levers to make sure that these things happen as intended, anmd aolso with properly inflated tyres., the cutter deck is level in teh lateral plane. Otherwise you get an uneven cut.
Needless to say just about any second hand machine, or any machine after a year bumping into things, is fairly far out of optimal adjustment.
The OP should fiddle and peer around the machine, work out what it all does, preferably drop the deck off and check the blades spin freely, and the cutter brakes work, and, on a level slab, set the deck the drive belts and the brakes up so that everything works as intended.
Oh, and drain all the oil from the engine and replace, and replace the plug too. Check air filters also. And reset any throttle cables and choke mechanisms if they exist.
Id its a non hydraulic transmission, these do engage very fiercely..there is an art to 'letting in the clutch' or whatever it is..
Very little of this is in the owners manual: you are expected to get the thing serviced by a service centre.
Too true. The owners manual for my ride-on consisted mainly of dire warnings about hot, sharp, rotating bits. If you took all the bits about not putting your hand in the blades when they were running, it would have been about 3 sides of A5.
The message from Harry Bloomfield contains these words:
I have a Lawnflite 603. That only has 5 speeds (forward and reverse) but the cutter won't work in reverse. Not sure if that is from a misguided safety POV or whether the whole geartrain is reversed making it impracticable but it sounds as yours will cut when reversing, so is it meant to or has someone been messing with the cut-outs?
Mine is supposed to be like that - but there seems to be time where it does not seem to notice. It might be that if you attempt to engage the PTO while in reverse it stops, but if you engage reverse while the PTO is already on its ok. (I shall explicitly try next time I am on it and see if I can work out the dependencies).
On mine the PTO spindle is completely separate from anything to do with the drive...
The Natural Philosopher formulated on Thursday :
That sounds a likely and from what general information I have managed to find on the MTD site, is seems it is supposed to stall if reverse is selected when the cutter deck is down.
Thanks.
The message from John Rumm contains these words:
I am now on my 4th ride-on. (First 2 were stolen, the 2nd by the same thieves who stole the first). 4 different makes, 2 cut when reversing, 2 didn't. With some awkward corners I find it a bit of a pain to have to disengage the cutter before selecting reverse.
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