Free MTD, good for me.

So here's my newest ride mower. Got it for free, though if you added up all the work I've done for these people over the years, it's a pretty expensive machine, haha. It's a 98 MTD Yard Machine, 17hp opposed twin, hydro automatic instead of the shift on the fly, 42" deck. I might use this one to actually mow grass with so I posted it in this section. I couldn't get it to run and had to haul it home. I only live 1/4 mile away and originally planned to drive it home. Anyway, I thought it was a low battery, but after using a car battery on it, that's not the problem. I traced it down to the starter, the gear that meshes with the flywheel looked in pretty bad shape, and that gear would jam against the flywheel sometimes when trying to start. I pulled the started off my other opposed twin, which looked just slightly better, and was getting better cranking, not great though. After some starting fluid and choke I got it running. So I jumped on and tried out this automatic. It cuts really nice, nicer than my murray I think. I made one lap around the field and it went dead, like the key had been flipped to off. So it almost has to be electrical. Tomorrow I plan to swap to a known good solenoid and if it still has a problem, I'll start ditching all those stupid safety switches and rewire it direct. Anyway, here's some pics of this filthy pig.

Nice find there's nothing better then getting a lawn mower free

It could be the ign switch - also check the inline fuse from the battery to the ign switch .

Those starter gears are cheep - easy to replace, NAPA has a kit for it for like $10 , gears are around $5 - depending wether its a roll pin or clip holding it on - a vise would be handy for either type - roll pins are fairly easy, just need a punch and soak it with PB blaster to knock it right out - i use a dab of never seize putting the pin back in so it wont rust up.

The clips are a bit harder- its like a spring clip- you have to pry up on it and work it out of the groove- putting it back in is a b*tch tho - it doesnt want to go back in easily.


Its funny how MTD doesnt change anything over the years - both my 95 MTD and 2003 MTD have the same front end style. I cant remember if my 95 has the same style hydro or the 'shift on the go" trans , i think its the latter - it has 2 levers - one on each fender .

Yeah, I took the hood/clip odd and noticed the rest of the frame and body are almost identical to my 85 Wards/MTD. I bet the wards clip would bolt right on if I wanted to for any reason. I checked the fuse yesterday, didn't get a chance to swap solenoids. I wouldn't think the switch would be the problem, but I could just pull the wires off and touch them together to find out. One theory I had was I read that this design won't mow in reverse, which is odd. Well, the plastic piece that the shifter slides in is broke, I wonder if I accidentally got it in reverse with the blades engaged and it killed it? That doesn't explain why it wouldn't restart, but maybe why it suddenly quit. Oh well, I'll work on it as I get the chance next week. Probably while it's raining.

If the switch is bad itll cause a short - the ign switch in my 29 year old dynamark went - it didnt do anything, no cranking - nothing. If the internals of the switch wear out- it can cause a dead short as well.

Theres most likely a sensor somewhere on the shift lever - my 92 White has one when you shift into reverse- itll kill the tractor. Saftey switches are designed to complete a circuit - if the switch is tripped - itll cause the tractor to die.

Finally got it fixed this evening. A new solenoid and removal of a couple safety switches seems to have done the trick, though I haven't tested the deck engaged. If it wasn't raining I would have mowed some grass with it. I'm tempted to use this mower for grass instead of my 97 murray automatic.

Well, mowed all season with it last year and getting ready to start all over again. I rebuilt the carb and fuel pump which it really needed. New fuel line, filter, and cleaned the tank both inside and out. I decided to make it look a little better as well as run better. So this is my first semi-nice paint on a mower, the murray was just a quick spray to cover rust. It turned out fairly nice, though I need to find a headlight cover. I need to give the deck a once over and either sharpen or replace the blades and it'll be ready for the first cut of spring.

I looked at the prices for one on my 95 MTD - guy sed $20 - unless you really want/need lights- id get either a piece of plexi or metal ( cut out the dish part and weld it in) and bend it to fit, or take a piece of foam( as a filler) and bondo( use a metal type bondo) over the thing for a smooth look .


I have to say ive worked on my 90 task force since last year( no time to work on it) - painting/fixing everything - had it stripped down to the bare frame- what a b*tch thats been - ive held off painting the hood till i get decals, but just might paint it anyway - looks so ugly all dull and rusty on the fresh painted body.


The yellow sets it off nice- looks pretty sharp - id either paint the rims or look for chrome caps.

Yeah, the rims are looking a little rough. I was hosing off the chassis before putting the panels back on and spraying the wheels revealed some rust bubbling up underneath the gray paint. I might hold off till I muster up the energy to pull the tires off, or they need pulled, and strip and paint the rims properly. For now I'm happy though, runs like new and looks almost as good as new.

I borrowed Fordboi's idea of painting the rims 2 tone on the task force - the deep part is black and the outer ring is silver - its a sharp look.

The rear wheels might be a headache to take off - i planned on it with the task force - just took too long trying for one wheel to come off ( and not wreck it). Not the best design .

Oh eah, it's got the 2 flats instead of a keyway doesn't it. Yeah, probably leave it right on the mower. The rear tires are almost brand new though, so maybe the one who swapped them had the rims off and used anti-sieze on the shafts. One can always hope, haha.

Yeah i wanted to do my 'axle mod' on the task force - when the wheels are off ( finally) - i ground them down lightly so the wheels slide right on but still work and are held on by the original axle end bolts . I cant see the reason for them being so tight - its literally a press fit.


I herd on another forum that using liquid starch is a cheep alternative to slime/fix a flat - so i tried it on my 85 MTD, took the valve stem out then used a piece of clear tubing and a lucas oil bottle top for a funnel - i managed a few good squirts in the tire, put the stem back in and filled it with air while rotating it ( was raised off the ground) - i checked it a day later and still held air.

That sounds like a really good idea. I might try that on this MTD, one of the fronts usually needs some air every couple weeks.