Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission

   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #1  

RICKYMARK

New member
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
11
Location
Central Alabama
Tractor
Z-Force 50
This summer at 1.5 years of age and 6 months before the end of Cub Warranty and 2.5 years before the end of the Tractor Supply warranty. my cub began running for about 30 to 40 minutes then suddenly while moving the left transmission will stop working, causing the mower to spin counterclockwise, hitting anything that happens to be there. Now here is the BIG RUB. It is now in the shop for the second time for this issue. The first time, they could not replicate the problem so cub would not let them do anything. The second time (now) it went in the beginning of Aug 09 and as of Sept 3 09 is still there torn down with the following issues: The cylinder is pitted extenisvly, the service center says it is from "water in the oil" from condensation, since it is water in the oil, cub, mtd, and TSC warranty refuse to cover it, (it rolled from Cub warranty to TSC extended while sitting in the shop) I spoke to the Alabama Regional MTD rep today and he simply refered me back to Cub. I'm not going to take this one sitting down. The hydro fluid on a cub is "supposed" to be designed to absorb this type of moisture - at least I assume so from the old years with IH and the hyrdo farm tractors we used - sad thing is I mow a nearly perfectly flat roughly 2 acres and keep the mower in a shed so it's not abused in any way. I'm normally a very easy going guy, but this has got me a little riled up and I think it's time for cub owners to make Cub Cadet ante up and cover our losses, this is obviously a common problem according to several service centers, mostly with the left transmission, it will work for awhile then suddenly stop while moving along, (also see the RZT Transmission Thread in this forum) I've had several quite dangerous occurences from it. So far I've contacted the local Fox Affiliate to start a Fox On Your Side investigation on behalf of Cub Cadet owners, tomorrow, I'll be speaking with an attorney re. the merits of class action.
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #2  
Do you rinse down this machine regularly with water?? There is no way in heck you could have condensation build-up in these hydros given their small oil holding capacity, the fact they heat up very quickly and it's hot in Alabama. Any minute amount of condensation would vaporize out in short order. You also might want to get with Hydro-Gear on this (makers of the hydrostatic drives). I'm sure they'd be interested to hear of your issues: 1-877-728-7410 Hydro-Gear ? ZT Series

Joel
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #3  
Sorry to hear about your troubles, I hope it all works out for you. This just reaffirms that I am very glad I buy all my equipment from an independent Cub dealer. My dealer is the only reason I stuck with Cub after an underwhelming performance from my 5234D.
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission
  • Thread Starter
#4  
No regular rinsing, An occasional "light" rinse but pretty infrequent. Although it isn't always hot in Alabama when we have to mow, we get a lot of wild onions and weeds that have be cut several times a year during the winter months, I've actually cut sometimes when it's as low as 30 degrees. As to rinsing it off, even if I did it regularly, why would that even matter, they store these things outside in the rain all time at the stores, and I've shed kept mine since new.
 
Last edited:
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Just talked to hydro-gear as suggested and now I'm REALLY frustrated. They told me that these transmissions are designed to be sealed and if you mow with any dew on the grass, or if they are even sealed like they are supposed to be at the factory, they will indeed build up moisture in them, therefore they will have some condensation build up in them and that yes, if I have a failed transmission due to this condition that my service center is correct, it is NOT covered under warranty. So the logic is, build a transmission designed to be sealed that builds up condensation that causes failure specifcially excluded from warranty so the consumer buys a new one. Now there's a racket that would get the average person put in jail. How in the name of sense are they getting by with this, I've now been refered back to my service center by Hyrdo Gear. Next call is to Tractor Supply, then to the local Fox Affilitate to proceed with the consumer advocay investigation then to the state attorney general then to the attorneys.
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #6  
I'd still want to see (and have analyzed) a sample of this so called condensation laden hydrostatic oil. I gotta still call foul here. In the years I've been involved with these boards I've never heard of this, nor have I personally seen it in ~25yrs of tinkering with this stuff. Yes I've seen water in large old school garden tractor differentials (gear oil). Never in hydrostatic oil. It gets warm enough to eliminate it.

Joel
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #7  
Which caps do you have on the transmission vents? The reason I ask is that on my 2006 Z-Force 50 the original caps where a full umbrella that covered the vent very well but when I serviced the transmissions awhile back I broke one of the caps and ordered new ones. The new ones had just tiny little caps that didn't look like to me they would keep anything out and I was right because the next mowing season I had milky oil in both sides. I had to change the oil again and this time I used vent caps that go on hydraulic tanks that have a filter and full protection from stray moisture. In the picture you see the original vent on the left, the new MTD replacement vent center and my current setup right.
DSCF0585.jpg
 
Last edited:
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission
  • Thread Starter
#8  
JTKub:
I'd agree with you on the oil, but can't speak to it, the shop has the mower torn down and probably has discarded the fluid. I can't do any of my own service work anymore due to a bad back. You are right, hydro oil should handle any condensate, that's why they make it and why it's so pricy, if it truly was milky, then it was filled incorrectly from the factory with incorrect fluid because I've never done anything with the transmissions. Right after I bought it, I ordered a quart of hydro-oil to have on hand in case I ever needed it, but it's still in the shed unopened. So you got me there. I can only go on the cub service center's word.

Oldmachinist:
I don't have a clue which of those two I have, I've never looked and since the mower is at the shop, can't run out the shed and look, I bought near the end of 2007 if that helps.

I have heard of quite a few folks in a three county area here locally who have had similar issues, quite a few folk in the area bought these things that summer of 2007 and have since replaced them with other brands.
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Which caps do you have on the transmission vents? The reason I ask is that on my 2006 Z-Force 50 the original caps where a full umbrella that covered the vent very well but when I serviced the transmissions awhile back I broke one of the caps and ordered new ones. The new ones had just tiny little caps that didn't look like to me they would keep anything out and I was right because the next mowing season I had milky oil in both sides. I had to change the oil again and this time I used vent caps that go on hydraulic tanks that have a filter and full protection from stray moisture. In the picture you see the original vent on the left, the new MTD replacement vent center and my current setup right.
DSCF0585.jpg
Where are those things located, since I can't do much anymore because of my back, I've never even really crawled under this thing to look at the trans. (sad day ain't it) Anyway, I'll try to swing by the service center in the am and see if I can get in the back and look at it up on the rack than let you know.
 
   / Cub Cadet Z-Force 50 Hydrostatic Transmission #10  
You said you bought it in 2007 so it depends on your serial number the 2006 models had these one on each side of the engine but somewhere after that(2007-2008) they changed to having the vent tubes run up to a small tank.
 
 
Top