2005 44 inch zforce right side hydrostatic slow

[Jhicks427]

Left side works fine forward and backward. Right side is very slow both directions. Adjusted the linkage but still the same issue. Any suggestions?

[Jhicks427]

Any help?

[GBHRPS]

Jhicks427,

Since you readjusted the lap lever first (which is what I would have done) and it made no difference, I would check for leaking seals on that drive. If you discover same, the drive requires a refill, at the least, and perhaps new seals and gaskets.

Next would be a tear apart of the drive to see what the internals look like. I have read that small metallic particles can plug various fluid valves in the open position, lowering the speed and power of that drive. A simple clean out was all that was required for a fix.

All of that said, you can find your drive make and type (Hydro Gear, etc.) and serial numbers on the body of the drive. A search online should find the correct repair manual in pdf format or as a zipfile. I was able to find the drive manual for my ZForce 48 back 6 months or so ago.

Some drives are rebuildable, if you have the tools, the shop, the time, and are a reasonably skilled backyard mechanic. Some drives are simply throw away's, as in many RZT's. You won't know which you have, until you find the drive specifics (model and serial #'s) and do some searching. If you are a DIYer is the next answer. After all, it doesn't work now, so nothing's lost from trying and not being successful.

Short of that, your next step is eBay, parts suppliers, other independent small engine shops who scavenge old units for parts (as many makes use the same drives), etc., or going new from Cub Cadet.
Good Luck!

[LeftTurn]

Good chance the hydro drive is done.

Search this forum for numerous similar stories. I, like many others, had the hydros fail at about 200 hours. My dealer confirmed this as common with the RZT. They are not rebuildable - throw away. The cost of replacements is over half the price of a new machine. Cub had no sympathy, despite the failures being well documented on web sites like this one.

My experience was with a machine from a few years back, about the same timeframe as yours. One would hope that Cub corrected the design flaw since.

[7254t]

did you check your belt?

[OldMachinist]

Check the belt and that the spring loaded idler moves freely.

[gladiater]

i do believe that unit uses tranny filters ,check it to see, try draining oil (pretty hard changing filter without loosing oil. on a 05 might need changing (make sure you know how to bleed tranny after your done) i had a customer with a enforcer with same symptom's seemed to fix problems

[therock]

Its been a while but am interested in how it went?

I also need a fellow Z Force owner to help me out with a picture of a wiring connection behind the seat.
Mine is a 44" with the Briggs and Stratton 18HP Intek. I am in the process replacing it with a 23 HP Intek.
I have an issue with what was connected to the termination under the big red wire in the pic below.
The color of the wire(s) A Cell phone pic would be great. Its right behind the seat.

[OldMachinist]

The wiring diagram in the operator's manual says its for lights.

Operator's Manuals

[therock]

Thanks!

Very good stuff.

I am trying to figure out where the double red wire termination goes. I am migrating a 23HP B&S into the 18HP's place and the wiring termination is different. The new motor is a 445577-6187 G5.
I figured the gray is the furl cutoff. The black is ground or motor cutoff?

It looks like I tie all the reds to the new motors red side. But the double red wire has me perplexed. I think it for the oil cutoff 98db speaker I hooked up but shame on me for not documenting better at disassembly. I'm going to be very careful with it.

Any help with the wiring would be great.



Work In Progress




Much better air filtration then the old 18HP that lost a cylinder.






A Before Pic / I added the Right side tank when I purchased it. Its the first year they came out with the Z Force.