# Losing power when mowing uphill. What's wrong?



## pennstater2005

My lawn tractor is a 2013 Husqvarna YTH18K46. It has a Kawasaki FR600V engine and K46 transmission. It just started losing power uphill without any warning. Downhill mow speed is normal and flat terrain is slightly limited.

There is no loss of engine power though. I believe it's the drive belt but thought I would post here for insight first before I do anything. It seems like a bit of a daunting job but I think I can do it.


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## Ridgerunner

On the Husqvarnas, between the engine pulley and the engagement idler, the belt goes though a "tunnel".
Grass builds up there and prevents the belt from tightening sufficiently for good engagement. Clean that out. It's a PIA to do as it's close quarters and the grass will be rock hard, but it is often the cause of your problem. It's a known issue.


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## pennstater2005

Ridgerunner said:


> On the Husqvarnas, between the engine pulley and the engagement idler, the belt goes though a "tunnel".
> Grass builds up there and prevents the belt from tightening sufficiently for good engagement. Clean that out. It's a PIA to do as it's close quarters and the grass will be rock hard, but it is often the cause of your problem. It's a known issue.


Thank you! Definitely worth a try before I do anything with the belt. I'll have to remove the mowing deck for that, correct?


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## Ridgerunner

> Thank you! Definitely worth a try before I do anything with the belt. I'll have to remove the mowing deck for that, correct?


I'd say yes.
If you have the manual, the area is called the "steering plate." That may help you locate it and determine if you can get to it w/o removing the deck, I, well my son as he now owns it, removed the deck. He had the slowing issue last year, After the "fix" it's been fine. Hope it works for you.


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## pennstater2005

Ridgerunner said:


> Thank you! Definitely worth a try before I do anything with the belt. I'll have to remove the mowing deck for that, correct?
> 
> 
> 
> I'd say yes.
> If you have the manual, the area is called the "steering plate." That may help you locate it and determine if you can get to it w/o removing the deck, I, well my son as he now owns it, removed the deck. He had the slowing issue last year, After the "fix" it's been fine. Hope it works for you.
Click to expand...

I hope this is it too. Thanks again. I'll start there, hopefully when I get home tonight and report back.


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## Ridgerunner

While you're under there, clean any debris build up around/on all of the belt guides, pulleys and linkages.
FYI, my son stated he needed to make a hook out of a heavy wire coat hanger to pull a lot of it out after using a screw driver to break it loose.


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## MasterMech

Ridgerunner said:


> While you're under there, clean any debris build up around/on all of the belt guides, pulleys and linkages.
> FYI, my son stated he needed to make a hook out of a heavy wire coat hanger to pull a lot of it out after using a screw driver to break it loose.


Wonder if an occasional blast from a long-reach compressed air blow gun would keep it from building up and causing problems?


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## pennstater2005

MasterMech said:


> Ridgerunner said:
> 
> 
> 
> While you're under there, clean any debris build up around/on all of the belt guides, pulleys and linkages.
> FYI, my son stated he needed to make a hook out of a heavy wire coat hanger to pull a lot of it out after using a screw driver to break it loose.
> 
> 
> 
> Wonder if an occasional blast from a long-reach compressed air blow gun would keep it from building up and causing problems?
Click to expand...

I do thoroughly blow everything out after each mow with the leaf blower but not up under into that area that RR mentioned.


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## j4c11

I'm going to throw this out there. Consider getting rid of it while it still runs, especially if your property is hilly. Those TuffTorq hydros are light duty and it's just a matter of time. Keep an eye out for a tractor with a Sundstrand transmission like a JD 318 or a Cub Cadet 1864 - it will last you a lifetime, literally.


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## pennstater2005

j4c11 said:


> I'm going to throw this out there. Consider getting rid of it while it still runs, especially if your property is hilly. Those TuffTorq hydros are light duty and it's just a matter of time. Keep an eye out for a tractor with a Sundstrand transmission like a JD 318 or a Cub Cadet 1864 - it will last you a lifetime, literally.


I've heard that about the TuffTorq's. It's a only a few years old and who would buy it  I'm hoping either RR's method or a drive belt replacement fixes it. My property is on a slight incline but nothing crazy. Fingers crossed!


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## MasterMech

j4c11 said:


> I'm going to throw this out there. Consider getting rid of it while it still runs, especially if your property is hilly. Those TuffTorq hydros are light duty and it's just a matter of time. Keep an eye out for a tractor with a Sundstrand transmission like a JD 318 or a Cub Cadet 1864 - it will last you a lifetime, literally.


Mowing with a 318 is torture by comparison to a more modern lawn tractor. The 425/445/455s are way better and available for nearly the same price.

But tuff-torque transmissions are certainly not junk. Over-worked box store machines give TT the bad rap and I assure you TT makes quite a few bulletproof traction units in addition to the light-duty stuff.

I have one of those "junk" TT K46 transaxles under my LT180. It's 13 years old, still going strong, and has towed carts, pushed a snowblower, and mowed the lawn for well over 500hrs. I really should pull it out and change the trans fluid!


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## pennstater2005

MasterMech said:


> I really should pull it out and change the trans fluid!


I watched a video of this. It doesn't look super easy but if cleaning it out or changing the drive belt don't work I suppose that's next. I only have just a little over 100 hours on the tractor. It's never given me issues before. It literally just started from one mow to the next. Although that last mow was heavy leaf mulching and could've caused some significant build up.

I haven't done it yet as I get home late and it's always dark which just won't work well. So hopefully Thursday afternoon I"ll get to take a look at it. I'd like to get it taken care of before it gets put away for the winter.

Thanks for the replies thus far.


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## MasterMech

pennstater2005 said:


> MasterMech said:
> 
> 
> 
> I really should pull it out and change the trans fluid!
> 
> 
> 
> I watched a video of this. It doesn't look super easy but if cleaning it out or changing the drive belt don't work I suppose that's next. I only have just a little over 100 hours on the tractor. It's never given me issues before. It literally just started from one mow to the next. Although that last mow was heavy leaf mulching and could've caused some significant build up.
> 
> I haven't done it yet as I get home late and it's always dark which just won't work well. So hopefully Thursday afternoon I"ll get to take a look at it. I'd like to get it taken care of before it gets put away for the winter.
> 
> Thanks for the replies thus far.
Click to expand...

I hear ya on getting home late. I can't get home in time to mow in the daylight and I'm not sure my neighbors are ready for my nocturnal mowing strategy yet. The Jake does have a light kit tho I'm ready when they are! 😆

When you change the oil, TT is recommending a synthetic 5W50 oil as the refill. Worse comes to worse, there is a lot of info out there about rebuilding or replacing the wear parts in these units and TT has been known to be very responsive to information requests and advice. Parts are usually available direct from TT unless something has changed in the last 5 years or so.


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## j4c11

MasterMech said:


> Mowing with a 318 is torture by comparison to a more modern lawn tractor. The 425/445/455s are way better and available for nearly the same price.
> 
> But tuff-torque transmissions are certainly not junk. Over-worked box store machines give TT the bad rap and I assure you TT makes quite a few bulletproof traction units in addition to the light-duty stuff.
> 
> I have one of those "junk" TT K46 transaxles under my LT180. It's 13 years old, still going strong, and has towed carts, pushed a snowblower, and mowed the lawn for well over 500hrs. I really should pull it out and change the trans fluid!


Ha! You want to talk about torture, at least the 318 has power steering, I cut my lawn with a Cub Cadet 1450 for a couple of years. But when I pull a core aerator loaded with 300 lbs up a 15 degree incline or pull small trees out of the ground, I sure am glad my Cub didn't come with a K46. There's a reason these machines are still around mowing lawns and plowing gardens 40 years later :thumbup:

I have no doubt TT makes some good transaxles, it's always a matter of getting what you pay for. The 1450 cost $2,935 in 1976, which is the equivalent of about $12,000 in today's money. When you get a tractor for $3,000 in 2017, compromises have to be made somewhere.


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## pennstater2005

Ridgerunner said:


> On the Husqvarnas, between the engine pulley and the engagement idler, the belt goes though a "tunnel".
> Grass builds up there and prevents the belt from tightening sufficiently for good engagement. Clean that out. It's a PIA to do as it's close quarters and the grass will be rock hard, but it is often the cause of your problem. It's a known issue.


This worked!!!!!!! Thanks for saving me the hassle of changing that drive belt. It looks painful. Taking the deck off was easy and I used a screwdriver and coat hanger, as you suggested, to clean out all the belt areas. And a lot of junk came out. Time to mow :thumbup:


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## ericgautier

pennstater2005 said:


> This worked!!!!!!! Thanks for saving me the hassle of changing that drive belt. It looks painful. Taking the deck off was easy and I used a screwdriver and coat hanger, as you suggested, to clean out all the belt areas. And a lot of junk came out. Time to mow :thumbup:


Nice! :thumbup:


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## Ridgerunner

pennstater2005 said:


> Ridgerunner said:
> 
> 
> 
> On the Husqvarnas, between the engine pulley and the engagement idler, the belt goes though a "tunnel".
> Grass builds up there and prevents the belt from tightening sufficiently for good engagement. Clean that out. It's a PIA to do as it's close quarters and the grass will be rock hard, but it is often the cause of your problem. It's a known issue.
> 
> 
> 
> This worked!!!!!!! Thanks for saving me the hassle of changing that drive belt. It looks painful. Taking the deck off was easy and I used a screwdriver and coat hanger, as you suggested, to clean out all the belt areas. And a lot of junk came out. Time to mow :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it. :clapping:


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## pennstater2005

Ridgerunner said:


> pennstater2005 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ridgerunner said:
> 
> 
> 
> On the Husqvarnas, between the engine pulley and the engagement idler, the belt goes though a "tunnel".
> Grass builds up there and prevents the belt from tightening sufficiently for good engagement. Clean that out. It's a PIA to do as it's close quarters and the grass will be rock hard, but it is often the cause of your problem. It's a known issue.
> 
> 
> 
> This worked!!!!!!! Thanks for saving me the hassle of changing that drive belt. It looks painful. Taking the deck off was easy and I used a screwdriver and coat hanger, as you suggested, to clean out all the belt areas. And a lot of junk came out. Time to mow :thumbup:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Glad to hear it. :clapping:
Click to expand...

From now on I'll be using the leaf blower underneath very lightly to just blow everything out. I honestly didn't even know that belt was there when I first started researching this


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