I was wondering if you could help me out...I have a Sears rider (about 10yrs. old) and the prob. I'm having is...when I go to disengage the blades (when I want to shut off the mower or empty the bins), the handle to release the blade drive won't slide all the way down (to the disengage position) and let the blades shut-off. If I let it sit in that partially disengaged mode, after many minutes...it will then slide to the bottom and the blades will shut off...BUT if I TRY to pull the handle down...no matter how hard I pull or wiggle it, ANYTHING, it stays about halfway up...even with significant force, the handle will not release...and if I shut the mower off without this handle fully disengaged, the mower will not start...This is enough for me to lose my remaining hair!
Is there a spring or a switch that may be hung up...? any ideas would be great...otherwise this mower is still working well... ARGGH!

 

The cable could be sticking or is stretched some..

 

The pivot system underneath on the pulley system where the pulleys engage...al the pivot points were dry...lubed them up and it works like new...now the lever easily and fully disengages!!!!

 

Ahh yes.... doh' glad you got it fixed., for now though, what was it lubed with? graphite? or oil or grease? Oil and grease isn't so great, being that it will attract dirt and dust/grass from mowing..

 

I used a liquid wrench multi-purpose spray lubricant...like wd 40.

 

It might attract a good amount of dust... try and keep it clean... btw, liquid wrench is good, I like it more then wd-40... cheaper and you get more as well.... pbblaster, that seems to stick around much longer.

 

What is graphite? If not oil and grease what then? I have had this similar problem where it would not engage and I had to take it apart and clean it up. I used oil but it did it the next season.

 

Graphite powder, its a dry lube.