John Deere LT160 lawn tractor - fuel line access ?

Guttery_Gipe · Apr 16, 2014

The fuel line on my John Deere LT160 lawn tractor has perished and needs to be replaced.
Anyone out there know the best way to access the tank end of the fuel line (~2002 model) ?
It looks like the fuel line connection is clipped on top of the fuel tank, but cant find an easy way to access it without pulling apart the whole rear end of the tractor.

Thanks.

mechanic327 · Apr 17, 2014

Easiest way I've found, is to pull left rear tire. Don't forget to put key back in when reinstalling. Remove bolt and bracket holding up fuel tank behind the left tire. Next remove the two bolts on rear of tank. The tank will now be able to drop down enough to get needlenose pliers in to remove clamp. Then you can slip line off. Good luck.

Guttery_Gipe · Apr 17, 2014

Thank you.
Hopefully removing the left rear wheel will be easier on the LT160 than I have seen, where the wheel is siezed onto the axle.
Will give a try tomorrow.

k0ua · Apr 17, 2014

Guttery_Gipe said:
Thank you.
Hopefully removing the left rear wheel will be easier on the LT160 than I have seen, where the wheel is siezed onto the axle.
Will give a try tomorrow.

Well no offense, but on any lawn tractor you should grease the axle at least once a year as you do your spring prep. Because I can tell you from
first hand experience, it is no fun getting those wheels off when that has not been done.

Guttery_Gipe · Apr 19, 2014

Instructions from mechanic327 were spot on. Worked like a charm. Many Thanks.

grm61 · Apr 19, 2014

The fuel line on my John deere LT160 lawn tractor has perished and needs to be replaced.

Gotta love that gas with ethanol, I battle with the rubber fuel lines on my 79 CJ5 as I'm not always where I can get ethanol free gas, the lawn and garden stuff, I do run ethanol free gas that I can get locally and don't have any problems, I have a LT160 also

mrlmd · Jul 10, 2015

I just had the same problem, all of the rubber fuel lines on my 2003 LT160 were dried out and rotten and flaking on the inside, plugging up my fuel filter and my carb numerous times with little black specks (of rubber) 'till I figured out it was coming from the inside of the fuel lines. I was able to drop my tank and replace the main line without taking off the left rear wheel - not hard at all. The only difficult part is getting a wrench on the nut inside the frame for the left sided bolt on the lower edge of the tank. You can just drop the tank (after removing the fuel filler cap) to reach the fuel line on the top, no reason to try and remove the tank.

And also thanks to mechanic327 for the advice - the internet and the forum rocks.