# Safety switch engage



## VStevens (5 mo ago)

Good afternoon. I just found this forum and hoping someone can help. 
I have an MTD Yard Machines lawn tractor 13AC762F729 . 
While mowing this afternoon, I ran against a plastic yard toy with the brake/clutch pedal. It slipped released and all seemed okay until I stopped to move something in the yard. The engine quit - like it thought the blades were engaged. I tried to start it and nothing to the starter motor. I traced the problem to the safety switch that will not start unless the clutch/brake pedal is engaged. I manually pressed the switch and the starter motor immediately engaged. 

However, pressing the pedal does not engage the safety switch - as is intended. The curved plate slides behind the switch. It appears that plate is intentionally curved, as it uniform and no sign of braking. 

I can't tell if something broke or bent. Does anyone have this particular mower and can tell send a pict.

Thank you for your help. 

First pict shows location of the switch
second pict shows clutch unengaged
third pict shows clutch engaged - notice not pressing gray safety swtich.


----------



## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

The simplest thing to do would be to bend the switch arm to engage with the clutch/brake pedal when depressed.


----------



## VStevens (5 mo ago)

BigT said:


> The simplest thing to do would be to bend the switch arm to engage with the clutch/brake pedal when depressed.


I appreciate the suggestion. However, I don't see any loose parts to bend. I'm concerned that if I bend the switch, it will damage it(which is currently functioning properly). The curved bracket does not seem like a simple or easy part to bend. To make matters even worse, there is very little space to work. 

My planned solution is to weld (or somehow attach) a nut to the curved bracket to form a tab to engage the switch. However, I am very curious how the OEM was built and what I may have damaged or broken. I'll post photos once I've fixed it.


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

VStevens said:


> Good afternoon. I just found this forum and hoping someone can help.
> I have an MTD Yard Machines lawn tractor 13AC762F729 .
> While mowing this afternoon, I ran against a plastic yard toy with the brake/clutch pedal. It slipped released and all seemed okay until I stopped to move something in the yard. The engine quit - like it thought the blades were engaged. I tried to start it and nothing to the starter motor. I traced the problem to the safety switch that will not start unless the clutch/brake pedal is engaged. I manually pressed the switch and the starter motor immediately engaged.
> 
> ...


I think Big T means the "U" shaped part that is attached to the Brake / clutch pedal. Perhaps a sharp whack with a hammer will line the tab up with the plastic switch again.
In the disengaged position in the second photo looks as if the "U" shaped tab is bent down.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

VStevens said:


> Good afternoon. I just found this forum and hoping someone can help.
> I have an MTD Yard Machines lawn tractor 13AC762F729 .
> While mowing this afternoon, I ran against a plastic yard toy with the brake/clutch pedal. It slipped released and all seemed okay until I stopped to move something in the yard. The engine quit - like it thought the blades were engaged. I tried to start it and nothing to the starter motor. I traced the problem to the safety switch that will not start unless the clutch/brake pedal is engaged. I manually pressed the switch and the starter motor immediately engaged.
> 
> ...


Looking at the bottom photo, it would seem that the tab that activated the switch has fatigued off of the lever, if you look at the bottom of the curved piece at the bottom, there is a piece missing and the shape shows this to be not square.

You would need to lock the pedal and make yourself a flat tab that you could weld in place to compress the switch, locking the pedal will show what angle you would have to weld the piece on.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

__





MTD 13AC762F729 front-engine lawn tractor parts | Sears PartsDirect


MTD 13AC762F729 front-engine lawn tractor parts - manufacturer-approved parts for a proper fit every time! We also have installation guides, diagrams and manuals to help you along the way!




www.searspartsdirect.com





The above should be the parts breakdown.


----------



## VStevens (5 mo ago)

OP Here. Thank you everyone for your comments. Upon further inspection, there is was a slight bend in the bracket where the arrow points. It wasn't much and wasn't noticeable enough to conclude it wasn't intentional when I first inspected it. We bent it up with a steel pipe just enough to engage the safety button. Works great now.


----------

