Gt 225 stopped moving all of the sudden

[garretttheboi]

Hey guys, last fall i got a non running GT 225 in exchange for cleaning up my grandparents house. My parents had originally owned it, and my grandparents haven't used it much. It sat out in the weather and the tires dry rotted, the carb needed rebuilding and the plastics cracked. I fixed the carb and the tires, and i've been using it all summer, i've probably put 75 hrs on it. The machine has maybe 300 hrs total on it. Yesterday when i was mowing the yard (had been mowing for 3 hrs) it just stopped going all the sudden and started making a horrible grinding noise. It's always been a little noisy, but it got terrible. I've done some borderline abusive things to it (i.e. dragging fields, donuts, drug a few logs, pulled my dads truck). I'm thinking something snapped in the hydrostat, but i was wondering what you guys think. I have access to tools and have basic mechanical knowledge if you think it may be an easy fix, although i'm nearly clueless when it comes to hydrostatics. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Yellowfever440]

Check your hydrostatic oil level. There's usually a dipstick in the rear end or under the seat. I'm not very familiar with that mower. See if there's any metal in there and if so it's probably something in there. If you want a used rear end for it check on ebay, but that may be another one that was abused. Or if you think you can open it up and find your problem go for it. If it's belt drive to the rear end check the belt and see what it looks like aye it came apart and is hitting the fan and you just need a new fan and belt for the topside of the rear end.

 

[UnclePaul]

If it is like the lx178 I had some years ago. The pulley on the top of the rear is aluminum and the teeth in it will strip if abused to hard. Mine also made the grinding noise that you speak of when this happened.