Z Force 48 mower has parking brake issues that also effect the lap bars? help

[flywelder]

As I was mowing, I stopped and tried to go into reverse, but couldn't, because the lap bars were suddenly stiff and would not move in any direction! I eventually discovered that this mower has 3/8 inch metal rods that when the parking brake is applied the rods slide into holes in the lap bars.
After an hr. of attempting to discover what happened and how to correct it I saw that I could rotate a metal plate under the seat and this would move the 3/8 inch rods out of the lap bars thus freeing the lap bars, but to keep the rods out of the lap bars I had to wedge a 2 inch tree limb into the area under the seat! So now I can drive the mower. I can also apply the parking brake and it holds the mower , as it should! ...odd!???
SO my question is: what has happened that caused the 3/8 rods to suddenly lock the lap bars and also why will they now not retract, when the parking brake is released?...like it did when I first bought the mower?

 

[rcbe]

Does the owners manual have anything to say about the subject?

 

[flywelder]

No the owners manual does not discuss this issue.
but I did tear into it and I removed the front heal cover and the cover where the engine throttle is. I looked around and finally saw the problem. A bolt had disappeared that secures a V shaped metal piece and several pieces of linkage, to the frame. it is threw this and several pieces of linkage that actuate to 3/8 inch metal bars into and out of holes drilled into the lap bars. With out this bolt and nut positioning the V shaped piece to the frame and a arced slot cut into the frame of the mower, the 3/8 inch bars will slide into their aligned holes and lock the lap bars. So 2 hrs. later and along with a replacement bolt, metal flat washer, 2 nylon washers, a nut and a 1/4 inch long section of metal tubing for over the bolt and some lock tight, I am back in business and all is well. I have also determined that there is a great deal of moving items located under the seat that meed periodic lubrication and is not covered in the manual. So some drops of oil here and there were also performed.

 

[rcbe]

Thanks for replying with the fix - may help some other poster down the road later. But sounds as if your problem started with "loose" hardware from the mfgr?