You’re the man. I do this on the side as a hobby. I really enjoy working on small engines, riders, or anything with an engine. There is nothing more therapeutic than getting something broken and fixing it. I can’t imagine having to go to school again after completing my MBA. Even if it is needed to to be able to have fun fixing machines. While I’d like to think I am pretty good at it there are things that can not be learned without spending too much time on it. Time is money after all. Because of people like you, who are truly talented and smart, good at teaching and selfless enough to teach others, I am able to skip another certification and learn from the professionals out in the field. Many thanks to you sir. Not everyone can teach and be good. You seemed to master that as well. Take care.
Awesome explanation and easy to understand. I'm a Maw Maw trying to learn and teach my grandchildren to keep them off electronics this summer. Thank you!
This is the best video you are likely to ever see that clearly explains how the automatic belt drive system on a riding mower works. I searched a long time before I could find anyone who knew anything about this subject. I would also be interested to know if anyone has any experience mowing on steep hills with this kind of transmission. Do the belts slip or do they power up the hills with no problem?
They work well, you have to remember a light pressure on the throttle keeps you in low gear, great for climbing, and the belts are both always under tension. The main issue is these belts "chafe" or however you spell it, because they're variable speed, they're constantly changing circumference with the center pulley moving. This causes them to wear faster than a hydrostatic transmission with a single drive belt. Thanks for the kind words!
******* FINALLY ******* After going through many UTUBE video solutions that was covering my Troy Bilt drive slippage problem " "BANG" ! !!!!!!!! You have provided the correct , ***** simple solution ******* of my Drive Problem !------ Geeeeeeeeeee other video's that covered my problem , these guys spent alot of time by how to build a Troy Built riding Lawnmower ! So THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for this video. Your explanation on the workings of the variable speed drive helped me trouble shoot my problem. I thought i would share what happened for the benefit of others. I have an old MTD and it has the same variable drive. I had reall bad belts on it and i changed the big one because it stopped going all together. i didnt change the smaller top belt despite it being in terrible condition. i continued using it and suddenly found the speed affected and would only go super slow. i changed the belt but it was still the same. Your explanation of the function of the middle plate made sense. i checked if it was stuck and sure enough it was jammed. strands of the old belt had wound themselves around the pulley locking it in the position of the slow speed. after pulling the strands out it functioned normally again. many thanks
You did an absolute fantastic job with presentation and explaining the system. I need to change drive belt on my Toro LX420 that is similar to the machine that you showed so it will be very helpful. Keep up the good work.
I was wondering what made that pulley move up and down. Thanks for explaining. I bought my first used riding mower a few days ago and the bearings went on day one (my guess) so I started some research. Let me tell you. tall grass with a 1 inch cut, that thing's an animal, can't wait to fix it.
How to adjust the transmission linkage? I replaced the transmission with used one, I noticed that the transmission is not engaging and the belt smokes.
i just put on the long pulley and now when i drive forward i find a lot of play in the pedal and not very fast, but in reverse , its fast. do i have to adjust the foot pedal, if so , would like to see a video on how that is done . Great videos !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you! The pedal operates the idler pulleys down below, so adjusting that is easy, as you only need to adjust the rod going from those idlers to the pedal. It should be threaded and have a double nut on it. A CVT drive should drive at the same speed in both Forward, and reverse, when the pedal is fully depressed. If you are driving slower than normal, I suggest lubricating the Variable Speed Pulley.
Thank you great video & explanation of how MTD Vari- Drive system works ! I was wondering if anybody reading who has one of these "7 speed shift on the go" MTD models with this 2 belt CVT system would pls tell me: How well is it holding up ? Does it tolerate moderate towing ? How frequent are belt changes needed ? Can you compare to Hydrostatic or other CVT lawn tractor Transmission systems? Thanks a ton for any input. I'm deciding which tractor & drive system to buy now.
CVT's are great, probably the best IMO. As for towing, they definitely can't hold up to as much, as the belt is always changing length due to the fact that the pulley is changing height. Because of this, there is some "chaffing" when the pulleys get slightly rusted. Usually that's what wears them down even faster. But I have a customer who owns one and it has CVT and he plows with it, no issues over the past 4yrs...
When you call the foot pedal a THROTTLE, it really has Nothing to do with the throttle, it only ADJUSTS tension on the belt which varies the pulley size ratio, correct?
Great vids,,,I noticed when you mentioned the lower drive belt #265-101 you said the dimensions were "5/8 x 95", every thing I could find on this part # says 5/8 x 91 or 90 1/2. The reason I am asking is I installed two new belts on my Troy Bilt Bronco upper 5/8 x 41 and lower 5/8x91 and the mower will pull even when the petal is not depressed. Could the lower drive belt be to short?? Thank you
My Husqvarna made Murray Select 42" employs a lever on the right above the rear wheel (just like the opposite side grass height adjustment lever) which you push to go foward...or pull backwards to go in reverse - the harder you push or pull, the faster. There is no spring tension I can feel that brings back the lever to slower and neutral.....which isn't a bad thing as opposed to fighting against a spring for whatever speed I want to go at. I like this part of the system in that I can slow it down to barely a crawl when mowing close to fences/obstacles. Five years and besides replacing one axle seal, the only other problem is that when I pull the rear rod to try and freewheel, it doesn't freewheel. Seems like it's been doing this since almost new. I wind up having to manhandle and push against the gearing. Anyone know what the problem could be?
Thank you for your video Eliminator. I have a question: I recently changed the drive belt and I don't know if that will be the cause of my problem, I have a Troy bilt pony (2011), now I can only control the speed with the throttle lever, even when I put it in rabbit mode the motor goes at high rpm, but the ground speed is about half the normal speed; the (yellow on mine) speed control lever doesn’t work, it goes up and down without locking the notches, offers no resistance and does nothing. (however, the engaging of the parking brake action works fine). I opened up the mower and saw the yellow speed control lever attached to a connecting rod which is attached down there to the cupped metal piece in the correct position as the new Troy Bilt Pony I saw yesterday at Home Depot, but besides allowing to be put in in park position, I don’t see it attached to anything else, is it right? How does it regulate the speed if it is not connected to anything else? Thank you in advance.
I have a Bolens that has a F-N-R shifter that looks like that one but it has a speed control on a lever (1-6) on the top left of console. I changed the main top drive belt in the back and now the speed lever no longer changes and it goes at about a 1 or 2 speed only regardless of the speed change lever position. Do you know what happened to this? When I replaced the belt it was really tight (tension spring was off and I had to use all my strength to get the spring back on) but was the same number as the old belt. I can't tell what that speed lever is attached to at all or how it even works with the variable drive.
Have new belts mine still works just getting slow and also need to press quite hard, will grease the variable pulley when i do that and check bearings thanks
Mine's doing the exact same thing, it seems to be getting slower over time. Do you have any tips on how to fix it? I haven't replaced the belts yet but was thinking about it. I have a huskee supreme SLT 4600... Wasn't 100% sure if it's a hydrostatic transmission or this CVT transmission
Check your tension springs that tighten the long belt. Often the spring stretches over time and doesnt apply tension as it should. These aren't a bad design, but they're kinda unique. Theres a few videos on youtube,just search cub cadet/mtd slow speed fixes.
@@Seriouslydave Mine was kinda jerky and would speed up and slow down down. It was aggrevating,especially mowing around things. The belts needed changed anyway so I lubed everything good that I couldn't normally get too. My spring wasnt weak,but the pivoting part was a little rusty and was catching as it moved.Its not a bad system,just different than what I'm used too with hydrostatic trannies. After new belts and a good living it was running like new.
@@EliminatorPerformance wow ! thank you , i tried to change it to what it has been for the last several years which is ' BUGDEN " but it keeps showing what i had chose way in the beginning years ago and somehow cant change it ? thanks though for the info ,,,,old timer here old school habits LOL
Got a Troy bilt having the same behavior after replacing both drive belts, I see they have the whole variable pulley system listed as a pricey one piece replacement, any possibility of a rebuild with new bearings instead?
Yes you can purchase the bearings, there's different designs, some with bigger and some with smaller bearings. My best advice would be to google "mtd variable speed pulley bearings" and see videos and parts that match yours
I have an older craftsman rider that has a 5 speed transmission. Can I convert it to the constant variable type drive? I already have the variable pulley from an old tiller. Thanks
What doo you do to fix a slipping TD VARIABLE SPEED 7 SPEED SHIFT ON THE GO. Replaced upper and lower (drive belt) seemed a little long!, tried to adjust with clutch rod but rod was too short. Middle pulley moves fine. But the dang thing WILL NOT PULL ITSELF IN THE LOWER 3-GEARS, NOT EVEN DOWN HILL. This is becoming increasingly aggravating. I I'm 3 weeks behind on 2 1/2 acers of grass. What do I need to adjust? All help appreciated.
As for the drive itself, not bad, the bearings go on the main pulley at the back and if left you need to replace the entire variable drive pulley. The transmissions I've never had too many issues with, other than sometimes not going into neutral as easy as it should.
On mine when i push all the way down it goes fast till i go up hill. then it stops. But it works when i hold it half way down and i go right up the hill. I have new belts What do you think?
i have a 2013 cub cadet ltx 1040 with a CVT tranny in it.. i was having issues with it not going into forward and reverse until the engine is warmed up. i changed both belts but it still does it...i have had it suggested its low on fluid but this CVT doesnt have anywhere to check or add... any idea what it could be ? the belts were in bad shape and i did purchase cheap belts. both was under 25.00
If the belts are moving and the cvt is spinning, it could be a case of the transmission not shifting into Forward or reverse. So it could be getting stuck in neutral. I'd start at determining if it's shifting out of neutral 1st
@@EliminatorPerformance i took it out yesterday, the belts are moving . if i push the pedal down half way it moves along but is slow, the more i push the pedal down the slower it gets and wont move on a grade... i went to local tractor repair and he said it has to be the belts, i put cheap generic ones on in sept. he said theres nothing else that would do that...is he right ?
You’re the man. I do this on the side as a hobby. I really enjoy working on small engines, riders, or anything with an engine. There is nothing more therapeutic than getting something broken and fixing it.
I can’t imagine having to go to school again after completing my MBA. Even if it is needed to to be able to have fun fixing machines. While I’d like to think I am pretty good at it there are things that can not be learned without spending too much time on it. Time is money after all.
Because of people like you, who are truly talented and smart, good at teaching and selfless enough to teach others, I am able to skip another certification and learn from the professionals out in the field. Many thanks to you sir. Not everyone can teach and be good. You seemed to master that as well. Take care.
Thanks for the kind words, I've got lots of videos on a variety of topics, so you should find lots to watch!
Thanks for the excellent explanation of the CVT setup!
Awesome explanation and easy to understand. I'm a Maw Maw trying to learn and teach my grandchildren to keep them off electronics this summer. Thank you!
This just helped me a BUNCH on diagnosing what was going wrong with my tractor and found the problem. Thanks for the breakdown!!!
This is the best video you are likely to ever see that clearly explains how the automatic belt drive system on a riding mower works. I searched a long time before I could find anyone who knew anything about this subject. I would also be interested to know if anyone has any experience mowing on steep hills with this kind of transmission. Do the belts slip or do they power up the hills with no problem?
They work well, you have to remember a light pressure on the throttle keeps you in low gear, great for climbing, and the belts are both always under tension. The main issue is these belts "chafe" or however you spell it, because they're variable speed, they're constantly changing circumference with the center pulley moving. This causes them to wear faster than a hydrostatic transmission with a single drive belt. Thanks for the kind words!
@@EliminatorPerformance Thanks so much. You have my utmost respect. You are a straight shooter and a true professional.
Finally I now know how the variable speed pulley works! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
******* FINALLY ******* After going through many UTUBE video solutions that was covering my Troy Bilt drive slippage problem " "BANG" ! !!!!!!!! You have provided the correct , ***** simple solution ******* of my Drive Problem !------ Geeeeeeeeeee other video's that covered my problem , these guys spent alot of time by how to build a Troy Built riding Lawnmower ! So THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good explanation of the variable speed drive pulley lucky you were able to free it up and lubrication worked since these pulleys are not cheap.
Thanks!
She needs belts but it’s cheap when you look at hydro units
I love these simple and low cost repairs and parts
Thank you for this video. Your explanation on the workings of the variable speed drive helped me trouble shoot my problem. I thought i would share what happened for the benefit of others. I have an old MTD and it has the same variable drive. I had reall bad belts on it and i changed the big one because it stopped going all together. i didnt change the smaller top belt despite it being in terrible condition. i continued using it and suddenly found the speed affected and would only go super slow. i changed the belt but it was still the same. Your explanation of the function of the middle plate made sense. i checked if it was stuck and sure enough it was jammed. strands of the old belt had wound themselves around the pulley locking it in the position of the slow speed. after pulling the strands out it functioned normally again. many thanks
Thanks for watching, glad it helped!
@@EliminatorPerformance very much. Thanks once again
You did an absolute fantastic job with presentation and explaining the system. I need to change drive belt on my Toro LX420 that is similar to the machine that you showed so it will be very helpful. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching!
I was wondering what made that pulley move up and down. Thanks for explaining. I bought my first used riding mower a few days ago and the bearings went on day one (my guess) so I started some research. Let me tell you. tall grass with a 1 inch cut, that thing's an animal, can't wait to fix it.
Thanks for your help explaining
Thanks from France. I'll have a look at mine tomorrow.
Thanks for watching!
Great explanation and thanks for the information. Blessings
Thanks for watching!
I preshate it man! I finally learned a little somethin on my tractor from youtube!
Thanks for watching!
How to adjust the transmission linkage? I replaced the transmission with used one, I noticed that the transmission is not engaging and the belt smokes.
i just put on the long pulley and now when i drive forward i find a lot of play in the pedal and not very fast, but in reverse , its fast. do i have to adjust the foot pedal, if so , would like to see a video on how that is done . Great videos !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
The pedal operates the idler pulleys down below, so adjusting that is easy, as you only need to adjust the rod going from those idlers to the pedal. It should be threaded and have a double nut on it.
A CVT drive should drive at the same speed in both Forward, and reverse, when the pedal is fully depressed.
If you are driving slower than normal, I suggest lubricating the Variable Speed Pulley.
My troy bilt riding lawnmower doesn't like to go up small hills, but if I hit brake then gas it goes. Idk
Thank you great video & explanation of how MTD Vari- Drive system works !
I was wondering if anybody reading who has one of these "7 speed shift on the go" MTD models with this 2 belt CVT system would pls tell me:
How well is it holding up ?
Does it tolerate moderate towing ?
How frequent are belt changes needed ?
Can you compare to Hydrostatic or other CVT lawn tractor Transmission systems?
Thanks a ton for any input.
I'm deciding which tractor & drive system to buy now.
CVT's are great, probably the best IMO.
As for towing, they definitely can't hold up to as much, as the belt is always changing length due to the fact that the pulley is changing height.
Because of this, there is some "chaffing" when the pulleys get slightly rusted.
Usually that's what wears them down even faster.
But I have a customer who owns one and it has CVT and he plows with it, no issues over the past 4yrs...
When you call the foot pedal a THROTTLE, it really has Nothing to do with the throttle, it only ADJUSTS tension on the belt which varies the pulley size ratio, correct?
Correct, I just called it a throttle pedal because it's similar to that of a car, the more you press, the faster you go.
Great vids,,,I noticed when you mentioned the lower drive belt #265-101 you said the dimensions were "5/8 x 95", every thing I could find on this part # says 5/8 x 91 or 90 1/2. The reason I am asking is I installed two new belts on my Troy Bilt Bronco upper 5/8 x 41 and lower 5/8x91 and the mower will pull even when the petal is not depressed. Could the lower drive belt be to short?? Thank you
Good work air
My Husqvarna made Murray Select 42" employs a lever on the right above the rear wheel (just like the opposite side grass height adjustment lever) which you push to go foward...or pull backwards to go in reverse - the harder you push or pull, the faster.
There is no spring tension I can feel that brings back the lever to slower and neutral.....which isn't a bad thing as opposed to fighting against a spring for whatever speed I want to go at.
I like this part of the system in that I can slow it down to barely a crawl when mowing close to fences/obstacles.
Five years and besides replacing one axle seal, the only other problem is that when I pull the rear rod to try and freewheel, it doesn't freewheel. Seems like it's been doing this since almost new.
I wind up having to manhandle and push against the gearing.
Anyone know what the problem could be?
Thank you for your video Eliminator. I have a question:
I recently changed the drive belt and I don't know if that will be the cause of my problem, I have a Troy bilt pony (2011), now I can only control the speed with the throttle lever, even when I put it in rabbit mode the motor goes at high rpm, but the ground speed is about half the normal speed; the (yellow on mine) speed control lever doesn’t work, it goes up and down without locking the notches, offers no resistance and does nothing. (however, the engaging of the parking brake action works fine).
I opened up the mower and saw the yellow speed control lever attached to a connecting rod which is attached down there to the cupped metal piece in the correct position as the new Troy Bilt Pony I saw yesterday at Home Depot, but besides allowing to be put in in park position, I don’t see it attached to anything else, is it right? How does it regulate the speed if it is not connected to anything else?
Thank you in advance.
I have a Bolens that has a F-N-R shifter that looks like that one but it has a speed control on a lever (1-6) on the top left of console. I changed the main top drive belt in the back and now the speed lever no longer changes and it goes at about a 1 or 2 speed only regardless of the speed change lever position. Do you know what happened to this? When I replaced the belt it was really tight (tension spring was off and I had to use all my strength to get the spring back on) but was the same number as the old belt. I can't tell what that speed lever is attached to at all or how it even works with the variable drive.
Have new belts mine still works just getting slow and also need to press quite hard, will grease the variable pulley when i do that and check bearings thanks
Mine's doing the exact same thing, it seems to be getting slower over time. Do you have any tips on how to fix it? I haven't replaced the belts yet but was thinking about it. I have a huskee supreme SLT 4600... Wasn't 100% sure if it's a hydrostatic transmission or this CVT transmission
Check your tension springs that tighten the long belt. Often the spring stretches over time and doesnt apply tension as it should. These aren't a bad design, but they're kinda unique. Theres a few videos on youtube,just search cub cadet/mtd slow speed fixes.
@@ciphercode2298 im not too bothered because i try to cut slow anyway but man full throttle is weak when you are driving around not kowing lol
@@Seriouslydave Mine was kinda jerky and would speed up and slow down down. It was aggrevating,especially mowing around things. The belts needed changed anyway so I lubed everything good that I couldn't normally get too. My spring wasnt weak,but the pivoting part was a little rusty and was catching as it moved.Its not a bad system,just different than what I'm used too with hydrostatic trannies. After new belts and a good living it was running like new.
why is utube changing our screen names that we choose to show ?
They're trying to be more like Twitter with "handles" as they're called. I'm keeping mine the same @Eliminator Performance
@@EliminatorPerformance wow ! thank you , i tried to change it to what it has been for the last several years which is ' BUGDEN " but it keeps showing what i had chose way in the beginning years ago and somehow cant change it ? thanks though for the info ,,,,old timer here old school habits LOL
Got a Troy bilt having the same behavior after replacing both drive belts, I see they have the whole variable pulley system listed as a pricey one piece replacement, any possibility of a rebuild with new bearings instead?
Yes you can purchase the bearings, there's different designs, some with bigger and some with smaller bearings. My best advice would be to google "mtd variable speed pulley bearings" and see videos and parts that match yours
I have an older craftsman rider that has a 5 speed transmission. Can I convert it to the constant variable type drive? I already have the variable pulley from an old tiller. Thanks
Would be difficult to figure out belt lengths, I wouldn't want to attempt that!
What doo you do to fix a slipping TD VARIABLE SPEED 7 SPEED SHIFT ON THE GO. Replaced upper and lower (drive belt) seemed a little long!, tried to adjust with clutch rod but rod was too short. Middle pulley moves fine. But the dang thing WILL NOT PULL ITSELF IN THE LOWER 3-GEARS, NOT EVEN DOWN HILL. This is becoming increasingly aggravating. I I'm 3 weeks behind on 2 1/2 acers of grass. What do I need to adjust?
All help appreciated.
I'd start with making sure you have a proper lower drive belt length!
@@EliminatorPerformance yes, both top and bottom. How about the speed selector rod?
How durable are these transmissions compared to a hydrostatic
As for the drive itself, not bad, the bearings go on the main pulley at the back and if left you need to replace the entire variable drive pulley.
The transmissions I've never had too many issues with, other than sometimes not going into neutral as easy as it should.
@@EliminatorPerformance Aha! Precisely my problem......not freewheeling when I pull the rod.....
There best and very cheap to replace
On mine when i push all the way down it goes fast till i go up hill. then it stops. But it works when i hold it half way down and i go right up the hill. I have new belts What do you think?
No idea, that's strange indeed, as tension should increase the further you push the pedal.
@@EliminatorPerformance Do belts on this system wear out faster? I replaced them 2 mouths ago.
Not if they're the correct length.
@@EliminatorPerformance If i figure it out I'll let ya know. I'm thinking the top belt spring might be weak. I'm going to tie it tight to see.
i have a 2013 cub cadet ltx 1040 with a CVT tranny in it.. i was having issues with it not going into forward and reverse until the engine is warmed up. i changed both belts but it still does it...i have had it suggested its low on fluid but this CVT doesnt have anywhere to check or add... any idea what it could be ? the belts were in bad shape and i did purchase cheap belts. both was under 25.00
If the belts are moving and the cvt is spinning, it could be a case of the transmission not shifting into Forward or reverse. So it could be getting stuck in neutral. I'd start at determining if it's shifting out of neutral 1st
@@EliminatorPerformance i took it out yesterday, the belts are moving . if i push the pedal down half way it moves along but is slow, the more i push the pedal down the slower it gets and wont move on a grade... i went to local tractor repair and he said it has to be the belts, i put cheap generic ones on in sept. he said theres nothing else that would do that...is he right ?
can the variable drive pulley wear out?
The bearings can,but they can be replaced separately I think
Are you located in St Louis I like for you to look at mine
Just keep them out of the weather and you’ll only have belts ware out
Replace the drive pully
Don’t leave them out in the weather or it will rust badly
love your work, but you sound like a robot
Hope they dont go to shit like the cvt trans in cars ill never buy a car with a cvt