Husqvarna, seems to be slipping

[Mike(NEOhio)]

New in 2019 and and just hitting 400 hours. 24 HP Kohler and 48 inch deck. A couple of pretty good slopes in the yard and it always climbed them good. Now it just can't quite make it to the top even with the deck lifted. Wondering if the transaxle is going or just the drive belt slipping. I put a new belt on last year. How can I tell if it's the belt or axle? Can't really run it and watch because of the "safety features".

Late last season and this spring it felt like the frame was flexing when moving forward and reverse. I thought the trans mounts were loose but that wasn't it. I found two broken welds where the frame rail met the rear plate at the sides. The welds on the two oval slots in the plate had insufficient penetration to the rail. I drilled four 3/8 holes at the ends of the slots and put bolts in. Happened to mention this to the dealer later. "Yeah, that's how we fix them. There's a kit fo that."

 

[T.R.K.]

It is a real common problem for the front transmission mount to either strip/pull the bolts out of the top of the transmission or break the bolts off. Then, if it is driven much, the flanges on the frame that bolt to the axles crack and eventually break off.
Like your dealer said, there is a Husqvarna kit for that. There is at least one video on Youtube on how to fix it too. (Taryl Fixes All) Actually there are two kits, one for a vertical rear frame and another if the rear frame slopes upward toward the front.

I usually just remove the transmission bolts that hold the transmission case halves together and drill all the way through and use 5/16 diameter bolts with nuts and washers to hold the front transmission bracket on. If you do this, be sure to seal both ends of the bolt with RTV. One transmission I did that was not sealed with RTV leaked.

I have also seen the left frame rail break in two just ahead of the front transmission mount bracket. Somebody on the internet also offers a plate to fix that too. (I think there is also a Taryl video for that, too.)

Since you say it has been doing this for a while, A new drive belt may also be required and be sure to check all the idler pulleys for dry, noisy, or rough bearings. A bearing going bad in an idler will ruin the new belt quickly.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

It is a real common problem for the front transmission mount to either strip/pull the bolts out of the top of the transmission or break the bolts off. Then, if it is driven much, the flanges on the frame that bolt to the axles crack and eventually break off.
Like your dealer said, there is a Husqvarna kit for that. There is at least one video on Youtube on how to fix it too. (Taryl Fixes All) Actually there are two kits, one for a vertical rear frame and another if the rear frame slopes upward toward the front.

I usually just remove the transmission bolts that hold the transmission case halves together and drill all the way through and use 5/16 diameter bolts with nuts and washers to hold the front transmission bracket on. If you do this, be sure to seal both ends of the bolt with RTV. One transmission I did that was not sealed with RTV leaked.

I have also seen the left frame rail break in two just ahead of the front transmission mount bracket. Somebody on the internet also offers a plate to fix that too. (I think there is also a Taryl video for that, too.)

Since you say it has been doing this for a while, A new drive belt may also be required and be sure to check all the idler pulleys for dry, noisy, or rough bearings. A bearing going bad in an idler will ruin the new belt quickly.

This is just inside the right rear wheel. You can see that the weld never penetrated the side rail. Thanks for the tip on the front mount. It seems the front end tries to roll to one side when I apply the forward pedal. I don't see how it could do that since all the rotating shafts are vertical. I will check that tomorrow.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Just got into mowing for this year last week. Frame seems to twisting some when I apply power. I thought maybe the welds broke other side. Took the wheel off and the welds are OK. I forgot I had posted this last year. Thanks to TRK for the info. I watched Tharyl's video about the cracked frame, it's a different place than mine and I didn't notice it when I had the wheel off. Going to look again.

 

[T.R.K.]

One other thing to check if the frame and transmission mounts seem o.k.:

The clutch pedal stop hits the plate above the steering sector gear when the clutch pedal is released. If grass packs up on top of that plate, it can keep the pedal from coming back far enough to completely tighten the belt. That stop I am talking about is about 3" or so inside the left frame rail and above the sector plate. You may have to take the deck off to see it.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Thanks, I'll check that too. I've had this thing six seasons now and it needs a good cleaning and going over at 500+ hours. I want to pull the engine off and give it a good go with the pressure washer but that will probably have to wait till July when the grass doesn't need weekly mowing. Physical limitations make it hard for me to get on the ground to work on it. Wish I had some kind of ramp to drive it up on a table. Got to change their lame oil drain valve. Last year it came loose and I lost half the oil before I noticed it.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

TRK, man, you called it. I looked this morning and the frame is broken on the left side as in Taryl's video. I'm not sure what you meant by the clutch pedal. Mine is a hydrostat and I changed the drive belt a year or so back.