When I engage the blade there is a loud bang, like something is stuck, and the mower shakes and stalls.

SOURCE: Stalls when engage blades in forward, but cuts fine in reverse

Did you try to disengage the safety feature that should shut the tractor off when the blades are engaged and the tractor is placed in reverse? I believe that it is located under the shift leaver

SOURCE: Knocking in mower deck or belt clutch when engaging blades, motor bogs / slows down

YOU MAY HAVE A BENT BLADE OR EXESSEIVE BUILD UP UNDER THE DECK

Wade Mobley

• 513 Answers
• Posted on Jun 28, 2009

SOURCE: I have a Sears 26 hp garden tractor that stalls

does it run off of a pto system or is it a lver type if its a lever type there is a switch under the lever also you might have something caught in the deck causeing it not to engage blades if i can further help e-mail me wade at [email protected]

SOURCE: When I engage the mower blades, the tractor tries to stall

Besides the reverse switch, the seat switch will also cause this.

SOURCE: Craftsman riding mower noise when blades engaged

With blades on and engine off reach under and wiggle each blade up and down. If you have excess play you will need bearings.