MTD TRANS-MATIC / VARI DRIVE / SHIFT-ON-THE-GO DEMO

I've finally found a video that shows - in detail - how MTD's Variable Speed Pulley setup works.
Any questions or comments, leave a reply.
Sticky?

excellent!   

very interesting!

Stickied. Good find.

Now I just have to fab up an mspaint diagram of the pulley/belt setup. It really is a neat design, and would do wonders if attached to a trans with more than 1 speed. Someone's gotta finish and test a transmatic/peerless combo before I get my hands on an MTD and do it myself!

a couple here HAVE done it.  I'm thinking LMM did but not sure.   

I have an MTD with this transmission, sorry, had this transmission. It was rusted solid when I collected the mower and have since modded the mower. I still have the bits from it and really like the idea of using it as either the 'throttle' or means of accelleration instead of increasing engine speed. Good/new idea?? or maybe trying to fit some paddle shifters like on a supercar which operate the variable pulley.

Good find on the video. Note how the belts work. The mid pulley is what controls the ratios between the engine and transaxle. I built one where I changed the f/n/r transaxle for a 6 speed. It bolted right in and with the right height on the input pulley to the transaxle, even put a 4 inch pulley on the transaxle. The f/n/r transaxles have the same spacing as a regular transaxle and same bolt pattern for mounting also. You can interchange them on a riding mower, I've done it both ways. just remember f/n/r's have a little higher gear ratio in them then a regular gearbox in high gear. Vari-drives are also dependent on having a 5/8 inch wide belt to work right to get the ratios as compared to a gearbox riding mower having a 1/2 inch belt which means they both have their own pulley widths so change the pulleys accordingly.

They work just like a CVT or a go-cart torque converter with a manual control lever to choose the ratios or gears. They also have to be spinning to change the ratios so when you dump the clutch while the shifter is in 6th gear means the belts will go through all the gear ranges or pulley ratios before it gets to 6th gear on the shifter as compared to a gearbox riding mower where you dump the clutch in 6th gear and you start out in 6th gear. But if you modify the tensioner on the second part which is the mid pulley and belt going to the rearend to where it tensions the belt after you release the clutch pedal (normally under tension all the time), you should be able to start in 6th gear, I never done it but should work but I would think the only reason to do this is if you are racing someone.