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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

craftsman riding mower will not go foward or reverse?

Check the wheel key.---------
It sounds to me like you have lost your wheel key. The axle has a small groove machined in it that a small square piece of steel (key) goes into. This key also goes into a matching groove inside the whell hub. The key holds the wheel to the axle. Without this key, the axle is actually turning, but the wheel isn't. Hopefully you will find the key still sitting under your mower. You will probably have to take the wheel back off to install the key, but you MIGHT be able to install it simply by removed the lock clip and larger washer, and turning the wheel until the slots line up.
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If you took the wheel off the axle you may have lost the key that goes between the wheel and the axle. Without it the axle will just spin in the wheel. Should be a square key about 1-2" long and a 1/4" or so square.
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