# GT6000 brake rod contacting idler pulley



## ScottB (Aug 7, 2014)

I own a Craftsman GT6000, model 917.288611. The drive belt has been slipping off the idler pulley. When I further inspected the problem, I discovered that a rod that runs from the brake pedal assembly to the rear of the tractor (it attaches to some spring tension mount on the hydrostatic transmission) has been making contact with the bottom of the idler pulley and has filed it down to nothing! Obviously, this is why the drive belt is slipping off. I could replace the idler pulley, but this rod would just file it down again. Why are these two parts making contact?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

It sounds as if the belts were worn/stretched and let the tensioner over travel.
There are 2 holes i the tensioner plate,and it could have the clutch rod in the wrong one.
Either way,before taking it apart, TAKE A PICTURE of it. It will help you to remember how it fits together.


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## txsteve (Dec 4, 2011)

I just noticed that on mine as I was checking everything on her 300 hour check up. But its slightly touching. 
Mainly I got her clean n check-up to fix the forward, reverse rod that I bent when I stucked the deck on a mound. So transaxle oil change while im at it.
Also I noticed im missing 2 bolts that holds the front of the transaxle.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Is that pulley,in the pic, the v-groove idler,or the flat idler?
It looks ...odd,the way the belt is contacting it.


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## txsteve (Dec 4, 2011)

Flat pulley with side guides


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Yes, I see,now it is the back of the belt that is riding on it. It looked,at first,as if it was the inside of the belt .


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## txsteve (Dec 4, 2011)

Wow, That brake rod is a bad design big time. It's like there no way to keep the rod away from touching the tension pulley. 
When I noticed it was slightly touching and the ridge on the pulley looked ok. So I removed the rod out and bingo.
It was touching for a while. The pulley took a good notch off the rod.
Anyways. I did a MacGyver move and got the brake rod setup so the rod is 1/4" away from the pulley and never contact both again..never. 
I'll post pictures how I did it.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Glad for that.


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## txsteve (Dec 4, 2011)

brake rod contacting idler pulley.. Fixed


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Let us know how this works out.


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## ScottB (Aug 7, 2014)

Hmmmm....so I don't need a new drive belt, huh? Obviously I need a new idler pulley - easy enough to replace. I'm still confused by what txsteve (MacGyver) did to fix the problem. Any other help?


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## txsteve (Dec 4, 2011)

So why is the brake rod touching the tension pulley?
Answer, Bad Design .
Will a new brake rod stay away of the pulley? Yes. 
How long will it stay away? My testing is about 10 times stepping on the brake pedal and after that, it's touching. 

How did I come out with the testing. 

I rarely use the brake pedal. My switches been disable when brand new 3 yrs ago. I know of 6 times I use the brake or parking brake. 2 times to start it when brand new. 2 times parking brake on the trailer. 2 times parking brake when removing the towable backhoe on a hill.
So figure 4 more times I didn't even think about why.

So with all the hours I have on it , it might just started touching maybe say two months ago tops. Thats about 20 hours. Just going by the wear notch on the rod but the plastic pulley is ok in a way. Not so much wear to change pulley. 

3 days ago I just messed up by buried the deck under the frame on a mound. It bent the rod from the go pedal to the trany. Had no reverse. 
I fixed the go pedal by removing the rod and re-bending.
That's when I noticed the brake rod touching the pulley. 
I removed the brake rod out and then I seen the wear notch and that didn't happen in 5 minutes running time after I messed up burying the deck.

So I mark the angle on cardboard and bend it more. (front bend by the pulley).
Installed and it need a hair more bend. Mark it on cardboard again, bend it and installed. Great , no more touching. 
Hit the pedal some times and put it in parking brake ,,I should swear it's rebending. Took a ride and hit the brake some and looked at the rod.
It was touching again. 
Removed the rod and laid in on the mark on the cardboard and it matched to the first mark I started with.

So I bent it again and install but now working on adjusting the brake caliper lever so the spring have no pulling on the rod. Now no stopping on the slopes. Many adjustments and hitting the pedal till my leg was quitting. But the rod didn't bend or touching the pulley. 
When I got the brake adjustment right to stop and hold . The stupid rod bent again right to the same angle. 

Now after 4 hours trying to fix a bad enginnered design. Coffee time and study this stupid rod design.
The biggest problem is with the slot on the pedal lever where the rod is in (front by steering shaft)
What holds the rod into the top of the slot is the right rod angle and the bottom of the rod by the bend sitting on the frame cross section. (rod needs a welded gusset on the bending angle) and a spring holding the rod up into the top of the slot.
Once you start losing the angle, gravity and vibration lets the rod move down the slot and start touching the pulley.
Then you also have the spring on the caliper lever pulling the rod back.

So my MacGyver gadget stops to rod from going back n down in the brake pedal lever slot.


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## ScottB (Aug 7, 2014)

I replaced the idler pulley. Obviously, that didn't fix the problem. But I wanted to see how quickly the pulley gets chewed up, because if it chews it up slowly, I wanted to mow because I have grass getting taller and taller! I ran the tractor for about 30 seconds. The pulley already has strips of plastic getting chewed off. I'm not going to start that again! I'm kinda at the end of my rope with this one. I called and set up a Sears repair job. They are going to charge me $96 to come out. The good news is, they guarantee the job will be fixed for 90 days. If that brake rod touches that idler pulley again before the 90 days is up (which I imagine it will), I'll have them out again. I'm not sure I can manage the fix you suggested. I'm handy, but not quite MacGuyver. Any other thoughts anyone?


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## ScottB (Aug 7, 2014)

Okay, you can all laugh at me for asking this question. I'm still a novice at fixing the tractor. What does the brake rod actually do? It is attached to a spring and a mechanism on the transaxle/transmission. Obviously, when the brake pedal is pressed, the brake rod pulls this mechanism. Why? What is the purpose? The only time I ever use the brake pedal is when I'm starting the tractor. I NEVER use it while driving it - the tractor stops when you depress the gas pedal. What would happen if I removed the brake rod? Again, laugh all you want!


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

When you're on a downhill,and it starts rolling faster than it should,OR when you have to stop quickly,....you'll know why it's there.
It also helps set the parking brake .
I fixed one,like this by welding a 3/16" piece of plate to the rod,to brace it. No more troubles with it,and that was 2 years ago.


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## Mickeyhoots (8 mo ago)

jhngardner367 said:


> When you're on a downhill,and it starts rolling faster than it should,OR when you have to stop quickly,....you'll know why it's there.
> It also helps set the parking brake .
> I fixed one,like this by welding a 3/16" piece of plate to the rod,to brace it. No more troubles with it,and that was 2 years ago.


I know this is old but very informative of the situation i am having on my Sears GT5000.
Can you please give more detail of the weld fix or pictures. Thank you for anything you can do to help me.


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