Lowes Cheapest Riders BIGGEST Fails! How to fix your Craftsman, TroyBilt or Murray Rear Engine Rider
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
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My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We see over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
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Although very informative, these videos are for entertainment purposes. Please use all possible safety precautions when repairing and operating your small engine equipment. - Навчання та стиль
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A friend who is in his 90's has one of these with Cub Cadet on it and it is a cheap rider but it has enabled him to continue caring for his lawn which he loves to do. The yard is small but walking behind a push mower wasn't an option any longer. So, it has been a real blessing for him.
Yes, my neighbor who is 90 yrs. old has one of these he purchased at Lowe's a couple years ago. It's not the greatest, but it's been dependable so far and enables him to get out there and mow his 1/2 acre every week.
@@danieltaylor4819 Yeah if one is not doing a large scale mowing operation those mowers are fine and of course at age ninety if one has the financial means replacing the mower every few years is the wisest way to go. A friend of mine who had his mobile home on the family property would keep the grass cut (roughly and acre and a half). His father had a Snapper riding mower and when the mower started to give trouble his Dad simply ordered a new one to fix the old one. At his age he had the means to do so. And sometimes depending, it is wise to just buy a new one.
I bought the Cub Cadet version two years ago, but it was based on the space available I have to store it. 🤷♂️
Purchased the same unit with the little trailer to haul my cut firewood, I’ve been lubricating the gear and bushing so this problem of the steering rake failing been avoided so far.
That's great! Gotta keep the mind and body busy. I always go above and beyond for my oldest customers who still love to garden and mow.
I just used the Craftsman mower that was given to me for the first time. The steering is completely gone, lol. I'm glad this video is out there.
Troy Bilt used be made near me in Troy NY. You bought direct from them and their stuff was battleship grade. Under new management, they contracted with Lowes to retail their stuff and then the built in obsolecence began in earnest. The company closed and the TB name was transferred to the generic mower/tiller/ etc company (MTD) that assembles a lot of mowers under various names using only the very best parts they can obtain worldwide !
In 1979 I really wanted to take Shop class in high school. I cut grass as my teenage job and I sure did need to know how to repair my mower. 3 meetings with school officials resulted in my not actually being allowed to take Shop class. Your channel, and many other valuable contributors to UA-cam, have nonetheless taught me to repair my mower, change the alternator in my car, fix my 25-year-old gas dryer, and many, many other valuable things. I am very proud of you, from afar, and all the talented girls that build and fix things. Thank you for the time and effort that you spend so that others may benefit from your years of experience and knowledge.
My Troy-Built is 8 yrs old.Have had the steering fix kit for 2 yrs & still haven’t installed it yet. I keep it clean,lube the gear& keep the tires inflated. Routine maintenance goes a LONG way !
Dirt and grease turn into a grinding paste!
@@WayneWerner I use spray grease and just hit it with some more on occasion
My Troy Bilt is only 7 years old and I've never had a problem with it. Routine maintenance goes a long way. And I've never heard of the steering fix kit until I stumbled upon this video. I don't understand the videos "Chicken Little" obsession with the Troy Bilt. Several of my friends own the same Troy Bilt mower and they're with me...never had a problem with it.
Murphy’s Law. Have spare parts, don’t need them. Don’t have spare parts, need them! Cheap insurance. Next I’ll tell you how to wash your car to make it rain!
I have had it since 2013 (11yrs) and it has worked great, change the oil every year, lubricate the steering gear and change battery every few years. I am going to replace the steering rack because there is now a bit too much play. This is the first repair that I have had to do. Maintenance goes a long way!!
I just purchased this mower about a Month ago. I did add an hour meter so i can keep up with proper maintenance and will get this kit when i start having issues. From the looks of that mower the owners are their own worst enemy! I always clean my mower after cutting the lawn. Thanks for sharing!
Had my Troybilt 30” rider for thirteen years and still running great. As others have said regular maintenance goes a long way.
I've had my Troy-Bilt TB30R since 2018 and though it still works fine I've had to replace 3 tires, 2 blades, the safety cutoff switch, and the drive belt, all of which I did myself. Still have much less in it what than I would have spent with a more expensive rider.
I bought a new one back in 2015 from a real Sears store and payed $899. Still have it, runs great and Yes, I've had to change out the rack steering with the kit from Amazon. Fast forward to 2023 and I've bought another the R110. Payed $1899 at Lowe's. The old one has been sent to my daughter's house for use. This time I greased the front rack steering with heavy duty grease. These mowers are great for smaller yards. Keep up with regular maintenance, oil change and lube, keep them clean and dry. The one in the video is nasty.... I'd been embarrassed to drop off the mower looking like that. Good video!
Fascinating video. Although I'm a retired Mechanic who is no longer able to perform repairs, I love living vicariously through your videos and learning things I might otherwise never know. I never know when knowledge might come in handy. Thank you and Rock on!
Great job. Now if you could only fix the price gauging on this stuff.
Man alive! I was at Lowe’s last week and the equivalent of the YT-4000 I bought at Sears about 10 years ago costs about 2.5 times what I paid then. Even with inflation, someone is cashing in selling these mowers. … and then the cost of parts!….
To keep those bolts from taking off up into the never land, loosen the nut down far enough so you tie a simple piece dental floss onto the middle threads of the bolts. When the nut(s) are put back on and are threaded on some then cut the dental floss off. The nut then will prevent the bolt from taking off on you. Works every time and a huge time saver.
I was thinking a couple of keepers with a string on them would also keep the bolts in place, then use the string to pull the keepers off before tightening the nuts all the way.
Where would you finders keepers?
I was thinking of a bread twist tie lol
Even easier just slip an o ring over the threads and it will hold it in place
@@r8edrv4fun65 every mechanic has a few spares in the toolbox.
Can’t believe people bring equipment to you without even taking time to clean it ! Just shows how much care and service they give their stuff.🇺🇸🙏🏽✌🏻😎
Hey there, Chickanic. I love your channel name and your videos. My nickname is Chickie and I was a mechanic years ago in the military, but I do not know much about lawnmowers or 2 stroke engines. I just finished this repair on my little mower and want to thank you for making it simple. By the way, I'm a 62 year old woman, and if I can do this, anyone out there can, too. Thanks again, and Rock on Chicanic!
I have had this machine for 8 years - never had a problem. Perfect for mowing a smaller lawn.
Hi, I am a retired small engine technician. When I did the steering gear on this and was dealing with those carrage bolts that can disappear up the steering housing, I would take a rubber band and loop it around those bolts to hold them in place as I put the gear retainer back on. Once you got the nuts on tighten them up and forget the rubber band. It had done it's job and will break. Then when you do it again in a couple years you can sweep away if it is still there and put a new on for the next time.
You are so right not many people with guts like you to tell the truth about junk on the market keep up the great reviews
Place a dab of RTV at the base of each bolt and allow time for it to cure. This will hold the bolts in place during the installation of your bracket and will not prevent the removal of the bolts in the future
I don't even have a mower like this and still found it fun to watch. Its always fun to watch someone else do the work!
Great info! I just bought a used one...so this is perfect for me!
Here's an idea on the square head risk:
I recommend tying a fishing line with slip loop, on each of the the square head bolts,
then thread the line through the steering shaft cover holes,
then put the steering bushing/etc on,
then hold the line to put the nut on the bolt and
you should be good to go for the remainder of the instructions!
It’s amazing how many people don’t clean their mowers nor check air pressure on the tires, I check my riding mower tires before each use. Many years ago I had a Murray rider that size, it was given to me to mow our acre of land. I wore it out, bought a Craftsman T1800 42” deck & 7000 series Kohler motor.
Those old Murray rear motor riders were tough as airboats. I miss mine. I used to cut mtn bike trails with it.
In a situation like that I wrap a thin electrical wire around the bolts before installing a bracket to keep them in place, better be safe than sorry 😊
Hello, Just a suggestion- had to deal w/ carriage bolts before set like that - forced small O- rings all the way up to hold bolts in place - even if you squeeze them after tighten the nuts it's 👍
Great tip Patrick!!
Brilliant idea, O rings are cheap and plentiful and that saves time. I have used a small wrap of electrical tape in the past to do the same thing, but the o rings are a way better idea.
just tie them with elastic bands
Would a cutout plastic do the same thing? Get a milk carton, cut out a small square peace and put a hole through it. Than screw it through that hole. The plastic will hold it there just like your o-ring. Cheap and plentiful.
@@johnmicheal3547 I think it would work just as well, and milk jugs are free! I may try that too
a neat trick to stop the gear from falling of during istall put a thick grease on the splines of steering shaft
We called that mechanics glue :-) Very useful trick and can't think of a single case where the grease will hurt the metal or plastic parts.
Just a thought for those hidden bolts. Once the cover plate is off, use a hot glue gun to soot a little hot melt up on the shoulder where is passes through the frame to hold it in place. it wont last for long, but long enough not to have to go fishing for the bolts.
Looks like those bolts are in slots to adjust spacing between rack and pinion gears.
Love how accurate &precise your instructions are
I paid 900 for my new Craftsman 247.29000 RER1000 in 2013. Ive mowed a 1/3 acre lawn with in for 10 years. I have replaced Tires, Blade, Broken Ignition Key, steering gear . It has been a fantastic mower for me and still going strong.
I owned the craftsman version of this. I bought it in 2012 and gave it away in 2022. It worked great. It was my only mower. I bought it because it fit between my trees and flower beds well. I never had any issues with it. I changed the oil every year and changed the battery once. It was working when I gave it away. I just wanted a zero turn after moving to a house with a larger yard. I did have to replace both front tires due to the originals dry rotting.
I have this mower. I paid $1500.00 for it. It was from Lowe's and I was able to do 0% financing for 18 months. That was back in 2021. I love this mower and I had heard after I bought it, there was a steering problem as it got older. I try to keep the mower clean after I use it. I blow off all of the grass clippings and make sure everything is dry because I store it outside with a cover over it. Thanks for the video!!! I'll get the parts in case I have a problem with the steering this season!!!
Thank you for this demonstration. Even though I don't own the specific lawnmower, I always learn what the 'Essential Craftsman' calls 'shop skills' on his UA-cam site by watching how you go about your repairs.
Thank you very much for this how=to= do--it-yourself and save video! I was able to change out my worn steering linkage on my Troy-Bilt/MTD 30" rider and you made it easy to understand and do, Chickanic! I appreciate that you would share your experience rather than capitalize on owners!
Not as bad as Briggs putting a plastic lifter on the cam shaft.
I agree ☝️
Bre, you’re the best. Thank you for posting so many informative videos! 🔧
Thanks Bri! I have a regular who has this exact mower. He has a lawn the size of a postage stamp but I'll be sure to check this when it comes in for service in a few weeks!
Thank you so much for this video. None of the local repair shops would touch this. You made it very easy. ✌️
Very good video. I've been repairing engines of all sizes since 1967. Most engines and machines of the last 30 years are designed to throw away. My GTs are from the 60s and 70s. My C-10 is an 85. It is much better to fix up old machines than pay the price for new. When dealing with those little carriage bolts, you can use a plastic clip from a bread bag to hold the bolt until you get a nut started onto it. Then use pliers to pull the clip off and then you can tighten up the nut. Wire tires from bread bags are also very handy. You have a good teaching style. Good Luck, Rick
Nice job. I LOVE having to line up 3 things at once with loose parts as a failed attempt as the consequence!
Those crazy bolts are a real pain. I put a snap ring on both of mine and no longer have the issue of them pushing up through the holes. No interference with tightening them back down during assembly either. Just a tip to save you time and aggravation..
Good ideal, I’ve been tack welding them to deck
Thank you for this. I will definitely be saving this one.
Hi Bre. I have this mower since August 2019. The Craftsmen version. I cut my lawn once a week from March through November. I keep it meticulously maintained. Taking special attention to keep that steering mechanism well lubricated. I never liked the way it felt from day one. I have not had a problem with it yet. After every cut I hose down entire mower then blow it dry with leave blower. Thanks so much for making this video. For 15 bucks I will purchase that kit and keep it for if and when it does fail. I’m am so glad you told us about the possibility of those bolts pushing into the abyss. If you didn’t I’m sure it would have happened to me. Please keep vids coming on this model. Wish the very best for you and your family. Bob. Ps. I have never had a problem with that safety switch on the deck. But if you don’t keep it clean I can see how you can.
Great job 👏 ❤thanks for sharing your work
Mine broke this morning. Your my go to for lawn care info. Thanks.
Another awesome helpful video. THANK YOU so much for putting your awesome skills on display
did mine last year. you hit all the main points. I also saw the mower at a big box store yesterday for $1995.00. Oh my gosh. I paid $950.00 two years ago. Would never pay today's price.
Yeah with those prices might as well buy the cheapest zero turn mower.
@@leegraves8878 Too bad the $2000 Zero turns are now $4000....
Lets go Brandon!!
The dollar has degraded by at least half since then
look for an overstock store in your area and you can get these for 1100-1200
@@jchavins they go for 3000 at Blowes
Bre, it might be in "Park". But, I'd like to see you chock the rear tires when on the jack stands.
Safety First!
Thanks for video! Very well done and to the point.
I just love everything about your channel! Keep it up 👍🏻
I"ve watched several different videos today , and yours was by far the best .
What a great channel! I'm learning so much! Thank you!!
Excellent video! Thanks!
Nice job on the repairs, thanks for the show, you due good work, take care.
Your assesment is right on and good imfo
You’re not bad at that. Thank you for sharing you knowledge.
Another great video Bre keep up the great work
Thanks for your help and time
nice of the owner cleaning the mower off for you. love your videos , you have saved me a lot of time and money.
This lady knows her stuff…keep up the excellent work!
Hey, thanks a ton! I bought a R1000 in September, 2017 for $899 plus the bagger attachment and the mulcher plate from Sears. I collect the grass and fall leaves for garden compost. Two years later had to replace the rack. Brother helped me and I Amazoned the parts and pieces. We literally took the entire front end, metal and plastic bits apart fixing it. And it worked. Made a bit of a pop last year and only now started mowing so I'm not sure what the rack condition is. It won't last forever but the fix has lasted twice as long as OEM. I'm getting the kit now. For later. Thanks for the link. This year, for the first time I got down and looked at the fine print on those front tires. I think it's 24 pounds. Put it right on it. 14 in the rear. I like the R1000 for the bagger and we had a Monkey Ward one similar to it in the late 60s so it was like a teen memory. However, everyone has a zero turn around here. I know they laugh at my dinky mower and the 30" cut. But I'm man enough to take it! I paid cash, they make payments!
I enjoy watching your posts. Have learned what to do, and what not to do sometimes. I am a retired carpenter. I never have used Fix a flat, but my riding mower has the green stuff in all four tires. I did this to the last mower and had good service out of them. Keep up with your posts, you have taught me a lot about chainsaws. I hope that using the green stuff doesn't cause me trouble later. Wear the bikini more often!
Great method for changing out the steering gear! Really enjoy the channel. Using a couple internal teeth keeper washers on those carriage bolts would prevent them getting bumped back through the bottom plate 👍
I have this exact mower. The steering didn't make it through 2 mowing seasons.
I wish I had seen this video before replacing my steering rack. This was the best video with the best explanation I've seen. I totally agree that Amazon is the place to get the repair kit. It's probably not a bad idea to keep a spare on hand.
The junk out there is just shocking and everyone is scared to buy a new mower, price is ridiculous and not worth it
Fix what you have folks
yep, time to go back to using a scythe or a manual reel mower. unfortunately, even the manual reel mowers have doubled in price during the past 3 years.
Thank you for the video! Just did the steering sector replacement today. However, there were no carriage bolts - they were regular bolts with a hex head. This necessitated access to get a wrench on them. It actually was quite simple - remove the phillips screw on the steering column's top cowling and lift it upwards. Next, remove the four 10mm bolts at the top of the lower cowling. Raise the lower cowling upward, turn 90 degrees so it holds itself up, and there's plenty of access! Entire job took 25 min...
Thank you!! Very useful! ❤️
This is a great video, thank you!! Just got one of these tractors
This is the best teaching video . Thank you for explaining things so detailed . I subbed and added this in my liked videos for future reference .
Thanks for sharing this information you know your stuff.
Great video. Thanks
I got my Troy Bilt from Lowes in 2018 for around $900, works great for my small yard. Never had an issue with the mulch cover / switch. Steering getting a little sloppy, thanks for the link to the gear kit.
i have an 18 too, but i installed the weight option on the front. im a maintenance freak...never have had a failure, if the steering fails the video is nice and the amazon price really good news
You have helped me twice so far. My mulch cover was damaged so I taped the safety. It works fine now have to order another mulch cover Thanks
Thanks for always posting great videos! It's about to be the crazy season for us too.
Thanks for the video, it was very informative. I put a little hot melt glue on the shoulder bolts to keep them from pushing through the holes when I put the assembly together.
Yes thank you for this video . I’m also a chick mechanic . Not a pro but def know my stuff . We’ll got my rider about 2 months ago and low and behold my dang idler guide rod fell off because of a vibration issue . But went to lowes for some more screws and nuts and had it going again in 30 mins . I’m just thankful this mower is fairly easy to work on .
❤ love your channel look forward to seeing more great videos. Thanks for sharing with us.
Just excellent. Clear explanation and proper set up of video recording so you can clearly see what is going on and what you need to be careful about. Do you have a video on carbureator cleaning or replacement for this mower as I have one. It seems to be a real ordeal to get at the carbureator to service it. I think one of the jets is clogged….thanks to ethanol fuel.
How easy was that. Brilliant.
I bought that mower in 2019. Only rider that would fit on the side of the garage and let us get the cars in. I clean the mower after each use, keep it lubricated and change the oil. Haven’t had a problem so far but have saved this video when I need to repair the steering. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for this video. I have this exact machine and steering is a battle! I have no doubt this is the issue. If I had the proper tools I’d fix this myself.
Thanks for this video I was about to buy one of these Craftsman lawn mowers now I know the problem before I buy one I am also from Arkansas around Jonesboro thanks for all you do on these videos it helps a lot keep them coming and God bless
You’re the best Bre very informative thanks
What a lovely, clever and cool Chickanic❤❤❤
Thanks for this video…I bought this mower this year…with my vet discount knocked price down under $1800. Being proactive…I took your advice and ordered the gear kit off Amazon for $16….for future use if needed. I have a half acre yard and…so far…no issues.
Enjoy watching your repairs. my father told people that I could take a lawnmower motor apart when I was 7yr old I,m 76 now and still have the old mower with a clinton motor on it. It is missing the carb but still their. A freind brought me a craftsman r11o rider with you guessed it bad steering. I took it off and saw the problem .Then that evening I saw this segment on this model mower. Watching it really helped.You mentioned the two bolts that can get pushed up and out of thei holes and having to take the steering covers off to replace them. In the past on other projects I have used a rubber band that will keep a little pressure on them . I remove the rubber band when I get the nuts started. Just and idea that may help you or others
i must say you do a great job ...on the steering fix on the 30 inch rider mines a troy bilt ! ...and here in southwest florida we do a lot!! of mowing in the summer months{rainey season} so my mower is going on its 3rd season and the steering is bout shot! so thanks for your most informotive video!...godbless! ...Dave Ft Myers Florida
Nice video now I know didn’t have that problem yet
Thank you for the video
Great Review!
Thank You Very Much!
Nice job thank you for showing how to take care of that front in good job
Love your channel Chickanic!.love that you read peoples comments..some UA-camrs just dont give a rip..you're AWESOME! ALOHA and Happy Easter!..👍🤙🏾🤙🏻
Thanks!
They're making things cheaper and cheaper these days, almost to the point of being disposable. The only mower I ever bought from a big box store lasted about two years and failed, it had a Kohler Courage and the stupid plastic cam gear failed. I gave it away to someone willing to fix it and got a smoking deal on a used Cub Cadet Commercial M48 Tank ZTR, it cost me but it has definitely been worth the expense.
I have the Craftsman version with the 420cc engine that I bought back in 2013. I haven’t had any issues with it. I runs like a champ and haven’t had any steering issues. Now I do take care of it. I clean it regularly and lubricate anything that needs it.
LOL. I didn’t think that I had OCD, but just watching that repair made me so nervous. Great Job. 👍
ordered kit before video ended....thanks👽
Great video. I don't have this mower but I like watching anyway.. Keep up the great posts.
I always recommend the small Rear engine riders from Snapper. They made them up until 2020 but you can always find a very nice running 25-30" cut unit for around 5-$600 here in the midwest. Most of the time they are maintained well and need nothing except for general maintenance for decades of service. They are absolutely Built like tanks and parts are readily available and affordable. I would for sure recommend buying a decent used model Snapper rear engine rider before buying one of these.
thank you for this video
If MTD had just gone to the trouble of putting a couple of those little securing washers that are used in some applications to keep carriage bolts retained in the deck for deflector brackets, there wouldn't be a problem.
I'm sorry, a couple tenths of a cent to make things easier to repair? Are we in the depression or something? 🙃
@@WayneWerner Its a factory - multiply those fractions of a cent by the number of units and assembly line time , it adds up to a savings that would pay some production engineer's annual bonus. They don't care who has to fix it later as long as it is quick and cheap to put together.
It's built to try and compete with the rear engine rider market in Europe and the UK. Technically this machine isn't that bad when you see the ones coming from one of the major European mower manufacturers.
Nice job!