Adding hydraulic fluid to MTD autodrive system

[tucker2]

I have a 8yr old Troybilt 17hp mower built by MTD. It has what they call autodrive, the transaxle is starting to make a noise and I can't find any place to check or add fluid. Lifting up the seat only exposes a battery box, everything else is covered by the large pressed sheet metal that covers everything. Does anyone know if these are sealed transaxles or can fluid be added, I haven't had it on a lift
but from ground level I can't see any place to add fluid.

 

[DT86]

Being a MTD, I bet it is sealed.

 

[RandyT]

It is a sealed unit that contains grease and not oil.

 

[tucker2]

Thanks Randyt, so I guess I should run it till it drops then buy a new mower.

 

[RandyT]

There not hard to repair. there isn't much inside those. An input shaft which turns two gears opposite directions of each other. A sliding collar for forward and reverse, and the differential gear, and axles.

 

[tucker2]

Thanks, I have never had to work on the drive system so I just assumed it was a variable rate hydro transaxle sense it goes faster the more you press the pedal, I guess the pedal must adjust
a variable pulley to change speed rather than the tranaxle doing the speed change.

 

[RandyT]

You got it. You have a forward and reverse lever, and a pedal that works like a gas pedal. it works the same as the older MTD multi speed systems, but now is a total variable speed system.