Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): riding mower smoke from engine, briggs and strattion, hp briggs

Question
Bolen 17.5 hp Briggs and Strattion Riding Mower
I was mowing my lawn when the mower just stopped.
The engine continued to run but the mower would
not move. No belts are broken. Nothing that I can see underneath is broken.  The engine starts evety time, but when I let of the brake or clutch
it will start to smoke, and will not move.

Answer
Hiya Paul
Lower your mower deck fully.
Look very carefully at the long belt that goes from the small pulley under the engine across the top of your mower deck to a large pulley at your tranaxle.  There is also a small intermediate set of pulleys that tension and loosen this drive belt when you depress the clutch pedal.  Sounds like:
a- You have a pulley that is froze up
b- Your belt has jumped off one of the pulleys other than the engine.
c- Its also possible you have a transaxle problem (this a hydrostatic transmission or a manual transmission?)
Lemme know ok?