2008 Toro LX 426

My new yard mule. Any experience on these, quirks, pros, cons, basic maintenance, etc? First on the list is synthetic oil/ filter change, replace drive belts, they look really ratty. Maybe a rear diff fluid change? Any insight would be helpful and appreciated.

Guy I bought it off of replaced the coil, head gasket, spark plug and starter. Runs pretty good. This is strictly going to be my yard dawg to putz around on and pull a cart for yard work. Not for mowing, have another tractor for that. This will strictly be for utility purposes and to play with/modify/tinker.

Moar pics:

Engine:

Profile:

Nice. Honestly, the MTD's aren't all that good. But I guess if you can find your way around them as good as I can a Widebody or LT1000 then you'll probably be pretty happy with it. The Vari-drive is rather, um.... complicated. I don't exactly understand it very well. But if someone spends a bunch of time studying or working on an MTD, then they'll probably be able to fully disassemble it and put it back together in one day. I know I could do that with an LT1000 or Widebody.

Also, just FYI, that transaxle is an FNR, which is, forward, neutral, reverse. They're one speed transaxles. So that's where the Vari-drive comes in. Your variable speed comes from different tensions on those drive belts you wanna replace ( BTW, those drive belts can be a pain to replace sometimes). I don't exactly understand that, but it works I guess. Anyway, that trans is not the strongest. They kinda suck for mods, but if you're just keeping it as a utility build I don't see any potential problems with it.

Also, if you ever try to take the rear wheels off, make sure the bolts aren't super tight. If they are, chances are they're gonna break. So if they are, heat them up first. I was able to pull a busted one out with vice grips once I heated it up. Didn't even have resistance.

Engine looks good! Looks like a standard Briggs Intek. Great engines if you ask me!

Anyway, nice clean tractor ya got there!

Murraymountain wrote:

Nice. Honestly, the MTD's aren't all that good. But I guess if you can find your way around them as good as I can a Widebody or LT1000 then you'll probably be pretty happy with it. The Vari-drive is rather, um.... complicated. I don't exactly understand it very well. But if someone spends a bunch of time studying or working on an MTD, then they'll probably be able to fully disassemble it and put it back together in one day. I know I could do that with an LT1000 or Widebody.

Also, just FYI, that transaxle is an FNR, which is, forward, neutral, reverse. They're one speed transaxles. So that's where the Vari-drive comes in. Your variable speed comes from different tensions on those drive belts you wanna replace ( BTW, those drive belts can be a pain to replace sometimes). I don't exactly understand that, but it works I guess. Anyway, that trans is not the strongest. They kinda suck for mods, but if you're just keeping it as a utility build I don't see any potential problems with it.

Also, if you ever try to take the rear wheels off, make sure the bolts aren't super tight. If they are, chances are they're gonna break. So if they are, heat them up first. I was able to pull a busted one out with vice grips once I heated it up. Didn't even have resistance.

Engine looks good! Looks like a standard Briggs Intek. Great engines if you ask me!

Anyway, nice clean tractor ya got there!

I really do appreciate your response and info. This was not my tractor of choice. I just jumped on it. I hate the varidrive belt drive setup. I'd much prefer a 5 or 6 speed gear driven transaxle. But it is a new challenge I guess. I had to do what I had to do. I am in the process of ordering new drive belts because these are really ragged looking.

I have not been in the loop on lawn tractors for MANY years so it is like I am staring over again. I feel like a kid again!

I REALLY appreciate the heads up on the rear wheel bolts. That is a first for me. I am used to C-clips and such. Are they normal thread or reverse thread?



Engine runs really good. Starves a bit on cold start but runs fine afterwards. Do you know what the proper weight oil I should use?

I would just run 10W30 or SAE 30 engine oil in it, but switch to 5W30 in the colder seasons if you plan to use it during winter.

Also the axle shaft bolts are not reverse thread, but they are fine thread.

Congrats on the new toy by the way!

I'm not sure I recall MTD transaxles having fine thread axle bolts, I think they're just regular course thread.

Well, whatever they are, they're just plain not big enough for crap.

I don't see any service info for the rear axle lube anywhere? I guess that is a sealed unit with no fill or drain plugs?

Yes, it's supposed to be. Sealed with bentonite grease probably. I'd just stick regular grease in it if i were you.

Just an update, Drive belts are replaced. Also replaced the fuel lines, all filters and oil, spark plug. Disassembled and cleaned the carb up. Added a remote choke. She's running really good. Can't get it to idle down all the way, like the governor is keeping it from doing so, still need to check that out, see if there is an adjustment or something in that throttle linkage bracketry setup.

It could be a few things. Yes there is a way to adjust it on the throttle body, but it could also be a carb adjustment issue.

Murraymountain wrote:

It could be a few things. Yes there is a way to adjust it on the throttle body, but it could also be a carb adjustment issue.

It’s definitely the governor not allowing the throttle plate rest on the idle stop screw. But the throttle linkage IS bottoming out in its slot. Hard to explain. I’ll have to shoot a video of it.

governor probably needs adjusted, not a big deal there's how to vids on youtube

I figured it out...

Oh yeah, I've had to do that a few times.

Murraymountain wrote:

Oh yeah, I've had to do that a few times.

Nice to have an easy fix here and there!

Does this have ⅝ spindles? I had a MTD with a cast iron axle, but it had ⅝ spindles so it sort of ruined any benefits of one. I think my dad fixed those things like 5 times, i was young at the time and kept breaking them lol.

RichieRichOverdrive wrote:

Does this have ⅝ spindles? I had a MTD with a cast iron axle, but it had ⅝ spindles so it sort of ruined any benefits of one. I think my dad fixed those things like 5 times, i was young at the time and kept breaking them lol.

Not sure but good to know.