While mowing after sunset, nearly dark, I stupidly hit a freshly cut stump about three inches in diameter. Crank shaft bent, mower ruined. I was about 14 years old, cutting lawns for pocket money. It was my Dad’s only mower and he was not happy. Dad tossed it, got another mower and I kept mowing lawns for pocket money. (Dad’s pocket for quite some time.) Lesson learned, about 45 years ago. RIP Dad. I miss you.
I am endlessly amazed at how many mowers get discarded due to minor problems. Most that have come my way have been fixed for under $10, and many for free. The biggest score was a Cub Cadet riding mower that my son was given. Engine seized, starter jammed, and no drive. I had it running in under two hours, and driving again the next day. My total cost of repair was $1.50, for a lug connector and a self-tapping screw, to repair the electric clutch that had a wire torn out of it (probably due to not reinstalling a bracket after a belt change). But I have to say, that Toro of yours was a gem. I would love to find a "dead" one like that. Cheers from Canada.
Thank you!!! The self-propel function stopped working on my Toro mower recently, and now I know how to fix it! Great video, extremely well explained, A+!!!
I found a Honda HRX 217 on the side of the road for free. The pervious owner said it was well maintained and it seemed to have been, until he couldn’t get it running. I got it home, changed the air filter and it fired right up and everything worked perfectly. This is now the main push mower for my small lawn care company as it starts first pull every time! It even has the blade-stop feature!!
Nice fix: I got a Craftsman 23hp riding mower from someone down the street for free. I installed a new mower deck spindle, new belt, complete tune up, and a new tie rod on the right side of the tractor. Runs great, and don't know if I will sell it, give it to my daughter or use it myself. I have about $ 100 dollars in it. Thanks for the video's.
You have such a great channel. I enjoy the content especially the mowers. Up until I started watching you tube videos I had no clue how to work on mowers. Over the years my ignorance cost me 2 or 3 mowers due to poor maintenance. Not any more. I will take my mower into my local dealer if the repair is above my pay grade. Otherwise I do simple maintenance myself. Thank you for taking time to make these videos.
I use to put old mowers by the curb because I figured the cost to fix would be to much. Now I would give it a try to fix them. Thank you TH-cam fixit channels. Found TH-cam videos to fix our dryer also.
Terrific - there is enough complexity to find this fantastic video of your Home Garage - it's a problem that doesn't get better with time - just the opposite! Self propel feature is a life-saver too on the hot humid summer days so it's worth it to make sure it's working as it should! Thanks for the video!
Yes, buy a new spring, it's worth it. That's always a "FUN" job. I've sold a few mowers I didn't have any interest in fixing because of time mostly. Having parts with a shipping time of ten days or more, clears out my shop. You know, happy wife happy life...
Great video and info .......... i pick up every mower i see on the side of the road and most of the time i can get them running in about 45 min and those are the mowers i lend out when someone want's to borrow my mower lol
Thank you for the video. It was just what I was looking for. I always attempt to fix any of my tools when possible myself. At least give it an honest effort. The issues I have found that spare parts are hard to find for older equipment. Now people just trash the equipment and buy a new one
I have given a lawn tractor after changing drive & deck belts, repacking deck bearings, painting the deck & carb cleaning. It looked great. I did not even try to recover for my time & some minor parts. My pay was how happy the new owner was when he received it. Oh plus I got a few videos out of it LOL. Just about anything can be repaired but like you said cost of parts & time does not justify the repair. When I get a mower or rider in that state I keep them for parts or some project build. Stay well, Joe Z
I think I did give away a couple of old mowers when we moved from one state to another. Mowers not worth the shipping charge. That mower looks like it will be a good one once you get it all fixed up. Good find. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe
Thank you for this video! My Toro self propel just quit and I was thinking I dont need to spend another $450 right now. I found my model and serial number and am going to head to the local small engine Toro dealer this morning to get some parts and get it back up and running.
Great that you got ‘er going again! You don’t need to order a new spring, you can unwind it one turn, cut off the excess and re-bend the dogleg on the end of that spring so it will fit into the hole in the handle (done it plenty of times but you can only do it once per mower). Only time I part out a decent mower is if the deck is rotted or cracked.
Yes I’ve been there a few times I’ve done work for people and had too tell them it just not worth putting the money into them sometimes your videos are great enjoy watching them
Absolutely classic. Idiots shouldn’t be allowed to own equipment. Treating a battery pack like that should be a crime. Takes 30 seconds to blow a machine down after each use.
Thank you. The old belt went out a year ago. "New" wasn't exactly new. Recent would have been a better word. I fiddled with it again today and think my cable is too long. Actually, I think my local dealer sent me out with the wrong cable because they had one "almost" the same. RE: The square bit: Me too. One time only, on my Toro.
I have not put anything curbside. I normally curb side shop since various people do what you said. Not worth the effort to fix them, Don't know how, and easier to just park them curbside due to costs of parts and repairs with time as an issue also. So I take them fix them and use them. Thanks for this video it helps me revisit some things that go wrong with the Toro personal pace mower.
Good video. Helped me to understand how to disasemble my Toro. I wouldn't recommend doing work like this on grass though. Too easy to lose small parts!
This was really helpful as I have almost the identical Toro mower (Model 20372) that you found and repaired. I’m not handy,however, so all the steps that you have shown are possible but I don’t have the tools or savvy to repair it. if I take it to my local hardware store where they can repair it, I’m sure I will spend half the cost of a new mower.
it makes money sense to just buy a new mower, but there other option would be to find a "wrench" like me to work on it. an ad on FB marketplace might be a good idea.
I've never given one away, simply because I've worked on them for over thirty years . I can see since I've never worked on one of theses Toro's that they are time consuming too work on . I know why people give them or just throw them away , the labor cost here is or was $60.00 an hour . I usually charge $20.00 to $25.00 an hour . So usually people are happy with my labor cost since I'm retired , thanks for the video ..
This is very helpful. I have a personal pace self-propelled Toro very much like this. Over the past two years, self-propel has degraded. I imagine it's the belt.
The battery is in wrong spot but you got that mower back in too shape I nevt gave a mower because it was so expensive to fix later young man glad you are doing well on fixing the yard equipment people are tried of broke down
Thank you Robert Mailhos for the comment. I've already shot the next installment and theres a battery tray that's missing that also blocks the compartment from getting filled with grass. I'll have that video out soon.
Yes, I learned how to clean the carburetor on a lawn mower i bought for 35.00. Got tired of doing that so put it out on the curb for free and it was gone within the day! lol Now, I have Toro that its self-propeller does not work anymore and it smokes up. My daughter said she fixed their mower replacing the self-propeller cable. I'm almost 70, love to tinker ... but getting a little tired of it now. This is my last resort to try and fix my mower before taking it to a service place.
@@HomeGaragechannel well that was interesting the store sold me the same belts on two different occasions but I did not figure that one out until an hour later it was the front belts so not long enough for the rear . What should have taken 40 mins ended up being 2.5 hours with 2 trips to the mower suppliers but got it done in the end 👍
Unfortunately I scraped a mower a few years ago because parts were unavailable and the local machine shop wanted thousands to make a couple gears. A lathe, mill, od grinder, id grinder, surface grinder, and some tooling is becoming a necessity for everyone to own as parts seem to disappear almost immediately after a product is sold! I can’t even get parts for a newer washing machine anymore it was built in 2005! Parts are all discontinued for it already! I’m definitely looking for a good deal on some machine tools without them one just can’t function these days.
I haven't pushed a mower to the curb in about 12 years, and that was before I learned how to work on them. After that point, any mower I got is either still running to this day with a few inexpensive repairs here and there or was stripped down and thrown into the scrap pile.
Just today, I took in an AYP-made 2011 Craftsman 22" self-propelled mower in trade (the previous owner pretty much asked me to dispose of it for him) that had a ventilated block and 4 very worn wheels. A spare engine/blade/blade adapter/4 wheels later, it's ready for sale.
I'm with Mick on this one. I just strip em and keep the parts for spares. It's like having your own Amazon when you work on another mower and need a part that you salvaged. Great video bro.
I have an old 22" Toro Recycler and although the self propel works, It just doesn't seem to have the "get up and go" that it had when new. I've replaced the belt, the wheels and cable a number of times over the years and found that if I adjust the cable any more tighter than I have it, for the propel, it will snap at the handle. So I'm always careful not to over tighten it. That said though, I can't figure out why it just doesn't work as well as when it was new.
I just picked up a free Toro, no start. Cleaned the carb, fresh gas, runs great. Personal pace does not engage the wheels. It appears the gears on the wheels are worn. The tires are almost bald, so this mower has had some use. .Have you seen where the gear on the wheels is worn so much that the axel cannot spin the wheel? Feels like it just skips.
I have a 28 year old Lawnboy Gold series made by Toro where the entire belt is on the top of the deck . The belt and the 3 speed transmission have never failed in all that time and I cut a 1/4 acre once a week. Why can't they make them like that anymore? Planed obsolescence ? Except for cleaning and greasing the small drive gears so they will slip when going backwards and replacing the wheels when they wore out and split the drive train has been trouble free. What recently failed the blower housing from metal fatigue where it bolted to the engine from so many pull starts and I replaced the pull cord itself once.
i bought one of these mowers only recently being told that it needed a new gear box and wheels Turns out it only needs wheels :) replaced gear oil with new as was in there anyway now just need the wheels ideally the older style with the metal gear not the newer plastic ones parts are hard to come by here in Aus though
Nice detail, great video quality and overdub. The only question - and perhaps I'll figure this out when I try on my mower - is why do you need to remove the wheels?
First time I followed this tut, replaced belt and worked. 2nd day it was just stuck grass, cleaned it and got it working. Today nothing worked. Took wheels apart, the teeth are ok. Belt is running, but mower is not self propelling.
Those Toro made engines are not too bad. Mine needs a carb, but at $45, I will settle for the leaks. I have cleaned it several times and tried to seal it, nothing works. Yours is a lot prettier than mine though
Great info, thanks! Swapped the cable out no problem but it doesnt engage when I push the pace bar forward…however, if I pull the pace bar all the way back it does engage forward! Any ideas?
are you saying the the self propel doesn't work when pushing on the bar? But it works in the "up" position? Sounds like the someone installed the self propel cable incorrect
I just did the same thing you are doing with a mower I bought for my daughter. I used the mower for about 2 hrs. Then the self propelled quit mowing. I noticed there was no key in the shaft after I took the guard off. I didn’t see one in this video either. Should there be one on the shaft? I’m thinking so. It was making a growling sound from the left wheel before it quit. I will check that next. It looks the belt is ok but I don’t have the belt cover off completely. Thanks.
I bought this mower 2 years ago. The first year the belt broke. The 2nd year the cable broke and now still in the 2nd year it won't move forward again. Belt is intact. Cable was just replaced. So either the cable is too loose and not creating enough tension, the wheels are worn, or the transmission is not working
@@HomeGaragechannel when I turned the mower blade by hand (with the spark plug disconnected so it won't accidentally start) the wheels were moving slowly
Yes I have. I gave away a $200 Tecumseh piece of crap after it got left outside. The cables wouldn't work and it wouldn't run. I couldn't figure out how to fix it so I just let a friend have it
This is a great video. I just replaced the belt on my mower, but now it will not diesngage the self propel. When fidgeting with it, it looks like the transmission doesnt have enough room to guve the belt slack. Any tips on fixing this?
I have a rear self propelled Toro that the self propelled isn't working at times. It will work when you start it and hold up the rear wheels, but when you put it down on the ground the self propelled won't move the mower. It does sound like the gears are having a rough times. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.
since you didn't give me a model number I'll have to make a guess. There should be a bolt that holds the self propel cable to the left side of the handle bar. Loosen the nut and move the self propel cable down 2 or 3 notches and then tighten the nut. This will put more tension on the drive belt
I replaced my gears on the self propelled on my toro.Running straight is fine but turning to the left has a grinding noise.Can you help my please. Thank you for sharing your video's and tips.
I have the exact same mower, a curb find. The bushing on the drive wheel is shot. How do I go about getting a owners manual with part number and diagram of assembly
Why are you working on the grass? Lose many screws and nuts? Replacing the drive belt can be done without removing as much as you did. I’ve done it. Wonder if the design engineer at Toro received a bonus for his design?
Filming in the garage looks like I'm working in prison. Yes I've lost a few, but most times the magnets pick up 99% of them. and thanks for letting me know about the belt.
I just bought this from a friend that guaranteed the self propelled worked, well 3 mows later it is a push mower. The rear wheels attempt to move but it’s like pushing a standard push mower. Any tips would be cool thx man. It engages, it starts nicely, everything appears to be in good condition.
I have this mower and the rear wheels spin like crazy when I lift up the rear end. However, with only a slight power (cutting) load on the mower blade, the drive or propel assistance just seems to go away. The drive belt is nearly new. Is it possible it's just not tight enough?
@@HomeGaragechannel Model: 20373, SN# 312007228. The old belt is long gone. I've maxed out on the available cable adjustment, so I'm guessing either my cable is too long, or my belt is too large. Thanks for taking an interest!
the blade was installed upside down for testing purposes till the new blade comes in for the next installment. Thanks for pointing it out it means you were paying attention.
Just paid in parts 160.00 for a Honda hrr216...was it worth it? I wanted to put a trannie in for expierence. Runs great now...those smart drive controllers are tricky...
my self propelled Toro never fully disengages making pulling the mower backward very difficult. It's as if the drive wheels are locked when in fact the wheels want to push the mower forward. Is there an adjustment for that? The return spring next to the the belt transmission, has it weakened, needs replacing? tx
Thank you for your video. Our torro has a problem with the self propel making a bring sound and the right wheel adjust lever slips out of place dragging on the ground. Any suggestions?
unfortunately the gears in the transmission are worn to a point that they are not meshing like they should and are grinding. I would tie a wire or a rope between both front adjusters to keep them from jumping out of their locations.
I have not given away any mowers but I have sold for parts at a very low cost. We have received mowers and weed eaters and such from others for free for my son and I to work on. He is 11 and has the small engine itch. We make some videos for youtube but not how to videos. We are not that advanced at this time.
Just found the same mower on the curb in my neighborhood and brought it home was hard to start but got it runs flawlessly.Only issue is belt for self propel is stretched and needed a new filter as it was completely clogged
i hate self propelled mowers with just one speed because i cant keep up with the speedy mower. i like this kind of toro mower it has various speed control so I can keep up and not run with it.
While mowing after sunset, nearly dark, I stupidly hit a freshly cut stump about three inches in diameter. Crank shaft bent, mower ruined. I was about 14 years old, cutting lawns for pocket money. It was my Dad’s only mower and he was not happy. Dad tossed it, got another mower and I kept mowing lawns for pocket money. (Dad’s pocket for quite some time.) Lesson learned, about 45 years ago. RIP Dad. I miss you.
thank you for sharing your experience I appreciate it
Thanks for sharing.
I am endlessly amazed at how many mowers get discarded due to minor problems. Most that have come my way have been fixed for under $10, and many for free. The biggest score was a Cub Cadet riding mower that my son was given. Engine seized, starter jammed, and no drive. I had it running in under two hours, and driving again the next day. My total cost of repair was $1.50, for a lug connector and a self-tapping screw, to repair the electric clutch that had a wire torn out of it (probably due to not reinstalling a bracket after a belt change). But I have to say, that Toro of yours was a gem. I would love to find a "dead" one like that. Cheers from Canada.
wow nice work. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it.
Thank you!!! The self-propel function stopped working on my Toro mower recently, and now I know how to fix it! Great video, extremely well explained, A+!!!
Glad it helped!
straightforward, simple, and visual. Best kind of fix help video out there!
Thank you Shining Sakura
I found a Honda HRX 217 on the side of the road for free. The pervious owner said it was well maintained and it seemed to have been, until he couldn’t get it running. I got it home, changed the air filter and it fired right up and everything worked perfectly. This is now the main push mower for my small lawn care company as it starts first pull every time! It even has the blade-stop feature!!
That's a great mower. Congratulations on your find
Lucky dog 😆
You just saved me $350! Thank you so much for the concise , Straight forward information!
no problem and thank you for your time.
Nice fix: I got a Craftsman 23hp riding mower from someone down the street for free. I installed a new mower deck spindle, new belt, complete tune up, and a new tie rod on the right side of the tractor. Runs great, and don't know if I will sell it, give it to my daughter or use it myself. I have about $ 100 dollars in it. Thanks for the video's.
Nice rider. It should be good for awhile. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it
You have such a great channel. I enjoy the content especially the mowers. Up until I started watching you tube videos I had no clue how to work on mowers. Over the years my ignorance cost me 2 or 3 mowers due to poor maintenance. Not any more. I will take my mower into my local dealer if the repair is above my pay grade. Otherwise I do simple maintenance myself. Thank you for taking time to make these videos.
Thanks for the comment I sharing your experience.
I use to put old mowers by the curb because I figured the cost to fix would be to much. Now I would give it a try to fix them. Thank you TH-cam fixit channels. Found TH-cam videos to fix our dryer also.
good luck with it!
Terrific - there is enough complexity to find this fantastic video of your Home Garage - it's a problem that doesn't get better with time - just the opposite! Self propel feature is a life-saver too on the hot humid summer days so it's worth it to make sure it's working as it should! Thanks for the video!
no problem Bob Squires.
I have watched several demos, this is the best, clear, that I can follow the procedure on my mower! thanks master!
Glad it was helpful!
Yes, buy a new spring, it's worth it.
That's always a "FUN" job.
I've sold a few mowers I didn't have any interest in fixing because of time mostly.
Having parts with a shipping time of ten days or more, clears out my shop.
You know, happy wife happy life...
Very true words.
Great video and info .......... i pick up every mower i see on the side of the road and most of the time i can get them running in about 45 min and those are the mowers i lend out when someone want's to borrow my mower lol
that's pretty cool of you to do
Thank you for the video. It was just what I was looking for.
I always attempt to fix any of my tools when possible myself. At least give it an honest effort. The issues I have found that spare parts are hard to find for older equipment. Now people just trash the equipment and buy a new one
yes you are correct and it's understandable, if not a shame.
I have given a lawn tractor after changing drive & deck belts, repacking deck bearings, painting the deck & carb cleaning. It looked great. I did not even try to recover for my time & some minor parts. My pay was how happy the new owner was when he received it. Oh plus I got a few videos out of it LOL. Just about anything can be repaired but like you said cost of parts & time does not justify the repair. When I get a mower or rider in that state I keep them for parts or some project build.
Stay well, Joe Z
thank you JOE Z.
@@HomeGaragechannel you're welcome
Thank you for your information, I like the step by step is very helpful thanks again.
You're welcome and thank you Felix Valle
Impressive. A bit much for me to dive into. You tube has opened up immediate & easy to use knowledge for D.I.Y.
I completely understand. Thank you Blindmanfinger
I think I did give away a couple of old mowers when we moved from one state to another. Mowers not worth the shipping charge. That mower looks like it will be a good one once you get it all fixed up. Good find. Thanks for sharing. Stay safe
Yes i will. The next video will tidy everything up with the mower
Thank you for this video! My Toro self propel just quit and I was thinking I dont need to spend another $450 right now. I found my model and serial number and am going to head to the local small engine Toro dealer this morning to get some parts and get it back up and running.
very good, you'r doing all the things I would do, to get it back up and running.
Doing your own work you can save a chunk of change keep up the good work nice machine😎
Thank you Terrell Stewart for the comment and yes money is most certainly saved doing the work yourself
Great that you got ‘er going again! You don’t need to order a new spring, you can unwind it one turn, cut off the excess and re-bend the dogleg on the end of that spring so it will fit into the hole in the handle (done it plenty of times but you can only do it once per mower). Only time I part out a decent mower is if the deck is rotted or cracked.
You are absolutely correct that would have saved me some money.
You can actually weld the deck, it won't be pretty, but it will work, I do this with a mig welder all of the time
Great video. You just saved me a lot of headache.
Glad I could help
Yes I’ve been there a few times I’ve done work for people and had too tell them it just not worth putting the money into them sometimes your videos are great enjoy watching them
thank you Jeff Cox for the comment I appreciate it
Thank you boss you just saved me $100 in changing my belt .
no problem and thanks for the comment
Excellent Communication on this Video. Very Impressive! Thanks! 👍👍👍
Thank you Ken S for the comment
Absolutely classic. Idiots shouldn’t be allowed to own equipment. Treating a battery pack like that should be a crime. Takes 30 seconds to blow a machine down after each use.
You are absolutely correct. In the next videl I discuss more on the grass clippings in the battery compartment.
Thank you. The old belt went out a year ago. "New" wasn't exactly new. Recent would have been a better word. I fiddled with it again today and think my cable is too long. Actually, I think my local dealer sent me out with the wrong cable because they had one "almost" the same. RE: The square bit: Me too. One time only, on my Toro.
thank you for the information Robert Blake. Hopefully you'll get it squared away.
I have not put anything curbside. I normally curb side shop since various people do what you said. Not worth the effort to fix them, Don't know how, and easier to just park them curbside due to costs of parts and repairs with time as an issue also. So I take them fix them and use them. Thanks for this video it helps me revisit some things that go wrong with the Toro personal pace mower.
no problem and thank you for your time.
Good video. Helped me to understand how to disasemble my Toro. I wouldn't recommend doing work like this on grass though. Too easy to lose small parts!
you wouldn't believe how many times I've had to use a magnet to find stuff I've dropped.
This was really helpful as I have almost the identical Toro mower (Model 20372) that you found and repaired. I’m not handy,however, so all the steps that you have shown are possible but I don’t have the tools or savvy to repair it. if I take it to my local hardware store where they can repair it, I’m sure I will spend half the cost of a new mower.
it makes money sense to just buy a new mower, but there other option would be to find a "wrench" like me to work on it. an ad on FB marketplace might be a good idea.
Thanks for taking apart. Very good,
no problem
Exactly what I needed. That you for a very informative video!
no problem
I've never given one away, simply because I've worked on them for over thirty years . I can see since I've never worked on one of theses Toro's that they are time consuming too work on . I know why people give them or just throw them away , the labor cost here is or was $60.00 an hour . I usually charge $20.00 to $25.00 an hour . So usually people are happy with my labor cost since I'm retired , thanks for the video ..
thank you Marshall Border for sharing your experience I really appreciate it
You must loose a lot of screws in the grass… 😂. great vid. Helped me a lot.
LOL!! yes I'm sure I have a few screws, springs, and washers in the grass.
Thanks for the video I have the same mower, needs the cable and that return spring
no problem
It depends, sometimes they go out as a pusher. I've only had one electric start, I fixed it up and kept it. Like I said, just depends.
Great video
You are absolutely correct. Thank you Jim S for the comment I appreciate it
This is very helpful. I have a personal pace self-propelled Toro very much like this. Over the past two years, self-propel has degraded. I imagine it's the belt.
thank you and yes I agree the belt might be the issue.
The battery is in wrong spot but you got that mower back in too shape I nevt gave a mower because it was so expensive to fix later young man glad you are doing well on fixing the yard equipment people are tried of broke down
Thank you Robert Mailhos for the comment. I've already shot the next installment and theres a battery tray that's missing that also blocks the compartment from getting filled with grass. I'll have that video out soon.
@@HomeGaragechannel okay glad you be able to keep the battery compartment cleân moh by the way happy forth of July
@@robertmailhos8159 happy 4th of July as well.
@@HomeGaragechannel thank you
Yes, I learned how to clean the carburetor on a lawn mower i bought for 35.00. Got tired of doing that so put it out on the curb for free and it was gone within the day! lol Now, I have Toro that its self-propeller does not work anymore and it smokes up. My daughter said she fixed their mower replacing the self-propeller cable. I'm almost 70, love to tinker ... but getting a little tired of it now. This is my last resort to try and fix my mower before taking it to a service place.
good luck to you.
Great video I’m replacing the belt now 👍🇦🇺
thanks and Good luck!
@@HomeGaragechannel well that was interesting the store sold me the same belts on two different occasions but I did not figure that one out until an hour later it was the front belts so not long enough for the rear .
What should have taken 40 mins ended up being 2.5 hours with 2 trips to the mower suppliers but got it done in the end 👍
mistakes unfortunately happen
Unfortunately I scraped a mower a few years ago because parts were unavailable and the local machine shop wanted thousands to make a couple gears. A lathe, mill, od grinder, id grinder, surface grinder, and some tooling is becoming a necessity for everyone to own as parts seem to disappear almost immediately after a product is sold! I can’t even get parts for a newer washing machine anymore it was built in 2005! Parts are all discontinued for it already! I’m definitely looking for a good deal on some machine tools without them one just can’t function these days.
you got that right, they don't want you to fix them, just buy new ones,
GREAT VIDEO period!!!!!!!!!! 2 the point and less talk. keep more comeing THANK U.
thank you Stuart Candis.
U covered all the bases in this Vid! Thanks
No problem!
I haven't pushed a mower to the curb in about 12 years, and that was before I learned how to work on them. After that point, any mower I got is either still running to this day with a few inexpensive repairs here and there or was stripped down and thrown into the scrap pile.
Very well said. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it
Very well put and easy to follow!
Glad it was helpful!
Just today, I took in an AYP-made 2011 Craftsman 22" self-propelled mower in trade (the previous owner pretty much asked me to dispose of it for him) that had a ventilated block and 4 very worn wheels. A spare engine/blade/blade adapter/4 wheels later, it's ready for sale.
Good work. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it
Nice fix and great score
Yes its a pretty decent mower
If I have enough of a problem with any machine I would just buy a new one, But that was before watching your videos I might try to fix more items now
thanks skater man, it's worth a shot.
Yo yo good video mate I don't give any mower away if need be I strip them out for spares.
hello Mick its great to hear from you. I completely understand your feelings.
I'm with Mick on this one. I just strip em and keep the parts for spares. It's like having your own Amazon when you work on another mower and need a part that you salvaged. Great video bro.
@@ZombieDaveAZ thank you Dave I appreciate your time.
This is our second Toro Personal Pace mower that we found on the curb in a very rich neighboring town. The first one just needed the cable adjusted.
They must have a lot of money to just push it to the carb
I have an old 22" Toro Recycler and although the self propel works, It just doesn't seem to have the "get up and go" that it had when new.
I've replaced the belt, the wheels and cable a number of times over the years and found that if I adjust the cable any more tighter than I have it, for the propel, it will snap at the handle. So I'm always careful not to over tighten it. That said though, I can't figure out why it just doesn't work as well as when it was new.
have you considered replacing the drive pulley?
@@HomeGaragechannel , no I have not.. Do you mean the pully/wheel above the blade that the belt wraps around?
I just picked up a free Toro, no start. Cleaned the carb, fresh gas, runs great. Personal pace does not engage the wheels. It appears the gears on the wheels are worn. The tires are almost bald, so this mower has had some use. .Have you seen where the gear on the wheels is worn so much that the axel cannot spin the wheel? Feels like it just skips.
No I haven't, aren't the gears on the wheels metal?
I had an old Snapper rider that the real axle snapped while mowing and the city came by after I emptied the fluids and took it away!
I'm sure that would have been an expensive repair
Thats a good find=money in the bank.
i totally agree with you
Picked up a Lawnboy from a junk pile, got laughed at but had a great mower after messing with it for less than 1/2 hour.
if it works for you, and it last, I think it's a great mower then
Awesome thanks for the overview of repair. Wish me luck my friend lol
Good luck!
I have a 28 year old Lawnboy Gold series made by Toro where the entire belt is on the top of the deck . The belt and the 3 speed transmission have never failed in all that time and I cut a 1/4 acre once a week. Why can't they make them like that anymore? Planed obsolescence ? Except for cleaning and greasing the small drive gears so they will slip when going backwards and replacing the wheels when they wore out and split the drive train has been trouble free. What recently failed the blower housing from metal fatigue where it bolted to the engine from so many pull starts and I replaced the pull cord itself once.
I think it's an issue of profit, and yes planned obsolescence.
Toro best hands down
i bought one of these mowers only recently being told that it needed a new gear box and wheels
Turns out it only needs wheels :)
replaced gear oil with new as was in there anyway now just need the wheels ideally the older style with the metal gear not the newer plastic ones
parts are hard to come by here in Aus though
good luck with it, hopefully you'll get it running like it should.
Yes, I have… I just got rid of a
riding mower because I didn’t know quite what to do with it or how much it was gonna cost
yes agree and I would have done the same
Thanks for the video. Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Nice detail, great video quality and overdub. The only question - and perhaps I'll figure this out when I try on my mower - is why do you need to remove the wheels?
it thought it was obvious so I'm going to let you find out.
yah I have given away a mower before, but not after I stripped it for parts, and took it to the metal scrapper and sold it for worth in metal.
I've have done that just onece myself. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it
Another banger video 👊
thanks I really do appreciate your comment.
First time I followed this tut, replaced belt and worked. 2nd day it was just stuck grass, cleaned it and got it working. Today nothing worked. Took wheels apart, the teeth are ok. Belt is running, but mower is not self propelling.
is the self propel working if you lift up the drive wheel?
@@HomeGaragechannel thank you for replying. That's what I'm going to try now.
Very helpful. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Have same mower, but without battery. Engine cuts out when self propell is engaged. Cannot figure out why.
If I had to guess, there might be a problem with the self propel gearbox.
Those Toro made engines are not too bad. Mine needs a carb, but at $45, I will settle for the leaks. I have cleaned it several times and tried to seal it, nothing works. Yours is a lot prettier than mine though
Isn't the blade on upside down too? :)
Thank you for the comment I appreciate it
Yes it is on upside-down down for testing purposes till the new blade comes in which is on now and I'm working on the video for it.
Great info, thanks! Swapped the cable out no problem but it doesnt engage when I push the pace bar forward…however, if I pull the pace bar all the way back it does engage forward! Any ideas?
are you saying the the self propel doesn't work when pushing on the bar? But it works in the "up" position? Sounds like the someone installed the self propel cable incorrect
I just did the same thing you are doing with a mower I bought for my daughter. I used the mower for about 2 hrs. Then the self propelled quit mowing. I noticed there was no key in the shaft after I took the guard off. I didn’t see one in this video either. Should there be one on the shaft? I’m thinking so. It was making a growling sound from the left wheel before it quit. I will check that next. It looks the belt is ok but I don’t have the belt cover off completely. Thanks.
the key is built into the blade adaptor
@@HomeGaragechannel thank you. I did see it when I put it all back together.
I sold a bunch of stuff in March . After 47 years of messing with it, I’m getting kinda tired of it.
But I do have my moments.
I completely understand the feeling.
Yep. I gave away a yardman because it burned oil so bad and had a broken muffler.
that would probably be enough for me to give it away too. thanks for the comment I appreciate it
I bought this mower 2 years ago. The first year the belt broke. The 2nd year the cable broke and now still in the 2nd year it won't move forward again. Belt is intact. Cable was just replaced. So either the cable is too loose and not creating enough tension, the wheels are worn, or the transmission is not working
I hate to say it but these transmission are not very strong. Hopefully you can fix yours
@@HomeGaragechannel when I turned the mower blade by hand (with the spark plug disconnected so it won't accidentally start) the wheels were moving slowly
Very helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Yes I have. I gave away a $200 Tecumseh piece of crap after it got left outside. The cables wouldn't work and it wouldn't run. I couldn't figure out how to fix it so I just let a friend have it
Was he able to get it running?
This is a great video. I just replaced the belt on my mower, but now it will not diesngage the self propel. When fidgeting with it, it looks like the transmission doesnt have enough room to guve the belt slack. Any tips on fixing this?
sounds like it, but without know the model and serial number of your mower and the which belt you installed, I'm only guessing
Nice score 😎
Thanks and i appreciate your comment.
You run that mower by the original owner to see a reaction or share your video with them?
that would be an idea
I have a rear self propelled Toro that the self propelled isn't working at times. It will work when you start it and hold up the rear wheels, but when you put it down on the ground the self propelled won't move the mower. It does sound like the gears are having a rough times. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.
since you didn't give me a model number I'll have to make a guess. There should be a bolt that holds the self propel cable to the left side of the handle bar. Loosen the nut and move the self propel cable down 2 or 3 notches and then tighten the nut. This will put more tension on the drive belt
I replaced my gears on the self propelled on my toro.Running straight is fine but turning to the left has a grinding noise.Can you help my please.
Thank you for sharing your video's and tips.
is it a RWD model? If you did you install the gears in the right direction? If yes, it could you mean you need to lubricate the ratchet gear.
Yes to RWD ,which way do you put the gears ,with the righting facing you or the other way ?
Thank you .
You have a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
when looking at the gear, pretend it's a sharks fin, from like a kids book, the tip of the fin should be facing towards the rear of the mower.
Gave away an old Ariens commercial unit that had a failing transmission. The parts were going to be crazy high. I just went and got a new used mower.
that makes sense. thanks for the comment I appreciate it
Home Garage you’re welcome man. Keep up the good work! You have a great informative channel here.
@@AverageJoeHotRodShow thanks man
Wrong blade up side down. Needs alignment wheel gear woren deck cracked by discharge. You don't have to take wheeles off rotate adjuster 90°
Thank you. It was my belt.
no problem
I have the exact same mower, a curb find. The bushing on the drive wheel is shot. How do I go about getting a owners manual with part number and diagram of assembly
Easy. Go to ereplacementparts dot com and enter the model number.
Why are you working on the grass? Lose many screws and nuts? Replacing the drive belt can be done without removing as much as you did. I’ve done it. Wonder if the design engineer at Toro received a bonus for his design?
Filming in the garage looks like I'm working in prison. Yes I've lost a few, but most times the magnets pick up 99% of them. and thanks for letting me know about the belt.
The old style self - propelled mowers like the AMF Homko were gear driven. Seemed to not have as many issues. AMF died out.
thank you for the information
I just bought this from a friend that guaranteed the self propelled worked, well 3 mows later it is a push mower. The rear wheels attempt to move but it’s like pushing a standard push mower. Any tips would be cool thx man. It engages, it starts nicely, everything appears to be in good condition.
sure, I would first check the drive belts condition and make sure its not worn out.
@@HomeGaragechannel I’m gonna make a 1 over on the mower today. I’ll check that first,
I have this mower and the rear wheels spin like crazy when I lift up the rear end. However, with only a slight power (cutting) load on the mower blade, the drive or propel assistance just seems to go away. The drive belt is nearly new. Is it possible it's just not tight enough?
@@Irwhodunit do you have the old belt to compare the new one to? It maybe new, but I need to confirm that it's the right size.
@@HomeGaragechannel Model: 20373, SN# 312007228. The old belt is long gone. I've maxed out on the available cable adjustment, so I'm guessing either my cable is too long, or my belt is too large. Thanks for taking an interest!
Great video! Thanks for uploading :)
thanks for the comment I appreciate it
Great job! The back wheel adjusters are one notch too high in comparison to the front.
thanks for the spot
@@HomeGaragechannel It's breezy and birdsongy in your yard.
@@999thenewman well its getting buzzy and stingy now. Gotta start wearing some bug spray
@@HomeGaragechannel New video up now.
Could it be, that you installed the blade the wrong way arround?
the blade was installed upside down for testing purposes till the new blade comes in for the next installment. Thanks for pointing it out it means you were paying attention.
Just paid in parts 160.00 for a Honda hrr216...was it worth it? I wanted to put a trannie in for expierence. Runs great now...those smart drive controllers are tricky...
I've never had to deal with the smart drive but I could imagine it.
my self propelled Toro never fully disengages making pulling the mower backward very difficult. It's as if the drive wheels are locked when in fact the wheels want to push the mower forward. Is there an adjustment for that? The return spring next to the the belt transmission, has it weakened, needs replacing? tx
I'd need to know more about your mower. Do you have the model number on the white sticker on the side of the mowing deck?
Thank you for your video. Our torro has a problem with the self propel making a bring sound and the right wheel adjust lever slips out of place dragging on the ground. Any suggestions?
Oops...grinding sound
unfortunately the gears in the transmission are worn to a point that they are not meshing like they should and are grinding. I would tie a wire or a rope between both front adjusters to keep them from jumping out of their locations.
I have not given away any mowers but I have sold for parts at a very low cost. We have received mowers and weed eaters and such from others for free for my son and I to work on. He is 11 and has the small engine itch. We make some videos for youtube but not how to videos. We are not that advanced at this time.
I'll have to check out your channel. thanks for the comment I appreciate it
I usually get hand me down self propel mowers and do the carb. work and use it as a push mower. Figure by pushing it I can burn a few extra pounds.
depending on the weight of the mower yeah you'll loose a few pounds definitely. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it.
FIND EM' / Get em' FIX EM' Use em' Give them away sell em'
you got it, easy money.
Thanks for sharing
My pleasure
Just found the same mower on the curb in my neighborhood and brought it home was hard to start but got it runs flawlessly.Only issue is belt for self propel is stretched and needed a new filter as it was completely clogged
nice work. these are actually good engines, just watch the oil levels.
No,I've never had to throw a lawnmower out before !
Great answer i wish could say the same
i hate self propelled mowers with just one speed because i cant keep up with the speedy mower. i like this kind of toro mower it has various speed control so I can keep up and not run with it.
I completely agree with you.