Blew up my first trans, now what?

Hi, I bought a craftsman with an 18Hp opposed twin and a 6-speed transmission. I immediately swapped the pulleys and went around thrashing it. Long story short the transaxle doesn't do anything now. Now I don't know where to get the parts to rebuild it( hardened gears and gears with a higher ratio) and anything else I need to completely rebuild it. Does anyone know what to do?

Most guys start hunting around for a parts tractor with a good trans in it.

Well hold on now, let's not go assuming it's blown just yet. Usually if a transaxle has an internal failure to the point where it will not turn the wheels it will make a noise like a grinding. If you let the clutch out and literally nothing happens, it might not be the transaxle. I'd start by checking the belt, and then the woodruff key for the pulley in the transaxle pinion shaft. If that key has fallen out the pulley will just spin on the shaft

AllisKidD21 wrote:

Well hold on now, let's not go assuming it's blown just yet. Usually if a transaxle has an internal failure to the point where it will not turn the wheels it will make a noise like a grinding. If you let the clutch out and literally nothing happens, it might not be the transaxle. I'd start by checking the belt, and then the woodruff key for the pulley in the transaxle pinion shaft. If that key has fallen out the pulley will just spin on the shaft

It’s not making a grinding noise, but I can’t get it in a gear, the tractor rolls freely no matter where the shifter is. The pulley, along with the shaft that goes down is rotating but the wheels are not turning. What does that sound like to you?

And the axle is not turning either?  I've broken a wheel key before and it will do the same. You didn't mention if it was locked so another test. Jack up the rear and turn a tire, does the other go the opposite direction?

After all external is in check then it would be time to investigate with a dissection and see what broke.  Good source is EBAY for individual parts.  Sometimes the manufacturer if it isn't too old, but that may cost more.  You will need to figure out what trans you have. I bet it is on the back underneath on a white sticker.

Having blown up or destroyed about 13 trannys myself it's always good to pull the tranny and crack it open. Also depending on the brand it might already be a better option to upgrade it. Since its a craftsman with a oppy in it I would say it has a spicer or Foote 5 or 6 speed transaxle in it, which are grease lubed same as the older pancake peerless trannys. If you run one hard and it cannot cool due to old or nonexsistaint grease it can wreck them fast. I have had them lock up the gear clusters or the shifting pins can break. Find out what model it is or provide in depth pictures of it.

MightyRaze wrote:

And the axle is not turning either?  I've broken a wheel key before and it will do the same.  You didn't mention if it was locked so another test.  Jack up the rear and turn a tire, does the other go the opposite direction?

After all external is in check then it would be time to investigate with a dissection and see what broke.  Good source is EBAY for individual parts.  Sometimes the manufacturer if it isn't too old, but that may cost more.  You will need to figure out what trans you have. I bet it is on the back underneath on a white sticker.

when I push the tractor the pulley spins a little, this makes me think that your key idea may be correct. I will check. IDK if this helps but it broke when I hit the brakes and came to a complete stop. After that, it never moved, even though it made the slight whining noise that being in gear makes.

Sounds to me like a problem I have with my ayp almost weekly, axle key sheared or fell out. I would check that before anything, but thats because Im really used to this issue.

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

Sounds to me like a problem I have with my ayp almost weekly, axle key sheared or fell out.  I would check that before anything, but thats because Im really used to this issue.

When this happens is it just one wheel's key or both?

Most of the time I see just 1 key to cause this.

zlkahn1 wrote:

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

Sounds to me like a problem I have with my ayp almost weekly, axle key sheared or fell out.  I would check that before anything, but thats because Im really used to this issue.

When this happens is it just one wheel's key or both?

Unless the diff is locked, it is most likely just the one.  How I always tested was I let it idle in gear, then I got off and looked at the axles.  If this is the problem, one of them will be spinning inside the rim.