Buying Advice Done with hydrostatics

[fitterski]

The hydrostatic tranny on my 2009 cub-cadet with only 300 hours is kaput. This was my second hydrostatic mower, the previous one was a Toro that lasted much longer but it still went too just before I bought this one. No more.

Anybody know off-hand the last year the the ford riding mowers had classic manual transmissions? I'll be looking for a 54" or bigger deck. Or maybe there are current models with standards?

TIA

 

[4570Man]

Just because you had a low end mower doesn’t mean that HSTs are junk. Commercial HST trans are good for thousands of hours which is probably a lifetime of mowing non commercial. My grasshopper zero turn has 2200 hours on it.

 

[JerryK]

Hydro Gear makes about 5 levels of HST rear transmissions. The lowest end Cub Cadets use the lowest grade hydro, just like everyone else. About 4 grand you get their next to best trans, and the top tier Hydro Gear commercial units are in the 7 grand range. Usually better motors/trans as you go up in American dollars... [ Cub Cadet wise ] Hydro Gear used pressed powder gears in their first two grades of trans, with actual machined metal gears higher up.

 

[murph1]

There is a thread on here for the K-46 trans

 

[MESSMAKER]

I have found transmissions to be the weak spot with the lower end mowers. The deck can be problematic as well, but some of them are getting better.

 

[Texasmark]

I have a JD 110 retired from cutting and now my "mini-Gator", 26 Husqvarna conventional rider, DR Pro Z convertible (walk or ride) 52 and a last year acquired a Ferris 61. All are hydros and that is what I use on my place.....all of them for different mowing requirements. Only had one problem with a hydro.....the 110. I came out of a muddy field with turfs, before I went to snow studs for traction, and I was burning mud off doing sideways wheelies.

I tore up a gear and had gear matter all over the engine. Tough Torque sold me the gear and gaskets and gave me a free "gimme cap". That has been at least 20 years ago and still going strong.

Possibly the reason for your problems is viscosity of the drive oil. Seems it has been going up over the years. The Ferris runs on 20w-50. The L110 Tough Torque was originally spec'd at 10w-30 and was upgraded when they sent me my repair parts to 10w-40.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I just purchased a 98 Toro Groundsmaster with a 72" deck with original hydros. The hour meter is not working. I would guess 2000 to 3000 hours and runs like a top. You can buy those for the price of a throw away zero turn. My works at the local golf course. They have 2 with north of 4500 hours on the original hydros and engine.

 

[Turbys_1700]

My son works at the golf course. Darn fingers.

 

[LouNY]

My little lawn mower a JD L110A was giving me some trouble 2 years ago, I pulled the trans out of the tractor and dumped out the old oil and refilled with Mobile One 20W-50 it works almost as good as new now after a few hours continuous use reverse gets a little weak. I hadn't realized how weak the trans was till I upgraded the tires from turf to atv then the tires didn't slip the trans did.

 

[fitterski]

Thanks for all the input, I dished out $3200cdn + 15% tax for this 54" mower, not what I call low end in 2009. Got 300 hours out of it and now I can't even give it away. Dealer says price of HST is more than the mower's worth. I wrote to Hydro-Gear, will see the reply but I don't expect anything other than a canned blurb. Am looking for alternatives like a 1956 B-275 with a bush-hog ..._it_ has been running for only 60 years.