Pearless trans on WB..

[mowisme]

Do all of those gear driven mowers that have the 4-5 speed transmission only have 'assist' in reverse? I'm looking for a simular trans but with full power reverse, just as in forward gears..not just assist in reverse? My Scag and my Jacobson you still got to pull to get started in reverse..then help it if a incline..wondering if any years or trans makes have reverse thats direct and positive, not needing help? Thanks

[ed2hess]

I don't think the transmission is slipping in reverse it is the belt drive pulley system. Snapper tried to add a second spring loaded pulley to enhance reverse and that kinda worked but then forward slipped with usage.

[LawnTamer]

I don't think the transmission is slipping in reverse it is the belt drive pulley system. Snapper tried to add a second spring loaded pulley to enhance reverse and that kinda worked but then forward slipped with usage.

Yup, it's not the tranny, it's the belts and pulleys/sheaves. A t-bar by Toro is the only belt driven WB I know of that you can have a true reverse on, and that requires a little modification.

[STIHL GUY]

every WB i have seen has reverse assist

[ricky86]

Ah, the beauty of hydros.

[topsites]

every WB i have seen has reverse assist

Right, but I agree it's not the transmission, it's the side belts which...

It's hard to describe but the problem has to do with the way the controls and the
connecting rods 'push' (or pull as the case may be) on the pulleys on which ride the belts...
So long we're going forward everything works as intended, however for some
dumb reason when the system is reversed there quite simply isn't enough tension
created in that system to take enough slack out of the belt, and so it slips in reverse.
But it's the belts, not the transmission, I believe the gears engage fully so there's no problem there.

[LawnTamer]

If you want true reverse on a belt drive, a Toro T-bar is your only option. I run a couple of them, and I can back up hill on a sulky no problem, you just have to beef up the tension rods.

[pugs]

Just look at the drive system. The idler pulleys are on the correct side of the belt to go forward... Basically the side of the belt away from the tensioning pulley is the one that is being pulled tight and the tensioner is just taking up the slack on the other side.

To get full power in reverse you would need an idler pulley on the other side of the belt so that the top side could be pulled tight and the slack can be taken up on the bottom.

[mowisme]

Thanks folks- You answered my question..I had no Idea it was in the belt/pulley configuration- I was wondering why the 'reverse' in the tranny would be designed to slip anyway. Now on to my project!..convert a WB into a 40" WB snowblower. Keeping the belts dry is a challenge..will need to build cases on each side..might go hydro if too hard. Thanks on info- Geno

[Jay Ray]

- I was wondering why the 'reverse' in the tranny would be designed to slip anyway.

Probably lawyers and survival of the OEMs.

[44DCNF]

If you have your levers and belts adjusted properly it just takes a little downward pressure on the brake/drive levers to make the assist work much better for you. Without pushing down on the levers, the assist is minimal.