"

Will check that out, but don't understand why engine surge is only with mower disengaged? On brake rattle, looking for something loose or off track, but haven't found it yet. Can't find a good picture of how brake linkage is set up, and both ends are pretty inaccessible without dismantling tractor.

It may be that your arm is not fully retracting at the transmission. Sometimes a some carefully place light lubricant can help if that is the case. Or a return spring. Try an ounce of Seafoam in the fuel and run it whilst it is doing well enough and see what happens. Like mentioned before- a touch of condensation could be the culprit. BTW, Those stress cracks are likely breaks. When you tension the belt- it can move the spindle-so essentially two legs are supporting the spindle rather than four.

I purchased a Craftsman lawnmower on 32APR16. It is the 8400 Pro Series with a 54" mowing deck. It did not run as correctly from the beginning. It seemed under-powered and overheated very easily. I chalked it up to "Sears just sells junk now and I have to live with it".

Then a friend of mine, familiar with small engines told me that the Kohler engine was a precision machine and should function better. He said, by the way it functions, it probably has a broken oil ring and burned bearings. Other friends are very happy with their Craftsman Tractors.

It has 7 hours of operation. What are my options?

harrenga, call sears, get new engine or new tractor. It probably had a three year in home warranty.

I had the same problem. The noise was coming from one of the drive belt pulley where the bearings were about to go. It makes the clattering noise when the bearing pulley gets stuck and the belt yanks and releases the tension pulley.

At first it only made the noise when you applied the brakes. Then it got worse and made the clattering noise all the time.

Instead of repairing it, I sold it and will not buy another craftsman. The mower deck doesn't shoot out the grass as easy as the John Deere. The grass gets stuck inside the deck so you can't cut high grass or when the grass is a little wet from the mildew in the morning. The bigger engines does get hot and you can feel the heat coming off the engine when you are wearing short pants. I had the 26hp Kohler.

I buy a bunch of used riding mowers for cheap because people don't know how to fix them and the warranty ran out on them. I needed an engine so I picked up a 2011 craftsman for $75. It was cheap because it didn't have a deck. You have to clean the bottom of the deck or the wet grass that is stuck underneath the deck will rust it out.

Thanks, Tony. I will check the drive belt pulley if I can. Problem is all the dismantling required. Thinking about considering myself ahead and getting something else, as the grass keeps growing! You are so right about the poor discharge qualities of the Craftsman. If the grass gets any growth on it at all (meaning you don't cut it at least every other day), the grass comes out in clumps rather than being distributed smoothly, and your yard looks like a hay field instead of a lawn. I find I have to go over much of it a second or third time with the blade set high to blow the grass around and distribute it better -- not very efficient! Fortunately mine has the blade cleaning connector, that I've always made good use of along with a pressure washer, to get the caked grass and crud off, so my machine looks like the day I bought it, unless you look close at things like the cracked mandrel shaft housing I mentioned in the original.