i have an old chain drive peerless tranny on an old murray. i was riding today and all of a sudden it just locks up. i can roll it around in nuetral with no problem. when i put the tranny in gear and turn the engine by hand it will move forward. but when i start the engine and let the clutch out, it won't go. i don't get what could be wrong???

Stop Look Listen Veiw all that pertains to the drive system,move it by hand if need be,I don't think any thing is seized but your mind, please don't take offence, at age 52 and turning wrench's all my life I still find myself loooking east when I should be looking
at what is in front of me, go have a beer or what ever and ponder slowly the problem the answer it there. Let me know how you make out. If you are still stuck submit pictures. Good Luck Mike

i finally took apart my tranny today and found that my reverse chain was busted and all the links were jammed in the gears. i fixed and cleaned it out but now i have another problem. when i put the top end of the tranny back on, the tighter i tighten the top end, the harder it is to spin the sprocket. is there some kind of gasket that goes between the top end and bottom because it didn't have one when i pulled it apart?

i finally took apart my tranny today and found that my reverse chain was busted and all the links were jammed in the gears. i fixed and cleaned it out but now i have another problem. when i put the top end of the tranny back on, the tighter i tighten the top end, the harder it is to spin the sprocket. is there some kind of gasket that goes between the top end and bottom because it didn't have one when i pulled it apart?

There are small locator's on each bushing on the ends of the shafts that are basically just little angle bars that fit into a depression cut out in the case. If you don't have these lined up, then when you tighten the cases half's together the bushings will bind on the shafts. In the attached page from the service manual, look at the illustration on the lower left, the notches are indicated in the transmission case, this is where the bushings need to be aligned.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/attachment.php?attachmentid=61014&stc=1&d=1213358585
Peerless_Pg19.pdf

You can download a peerless service manual that covers most of their transmissions.
http://www.cpdonline.com/691218.pdf

30 year has it right. Look at all the bronze bushings, they have a small locator on them that when turned correctly will mate with a notch in the casting.

ok thanks i fixed my problem. thankyou!