Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive

   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #1  

RNCBME

New member
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
Messages
2
Greetings from a Newbie.

I need to service a Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive Lawn Tractor and am at a loss as to what fluid to use (ATF, HI-Tran,?)?

Any Thoughts?

rnc /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #2  
Most of the hydro drive lawnmowers I've seen have sealed 'non serviceable' drives. If you can't find documentation or other advice, and resort to guessing..( if it were me.. ) I'd use the hytran type UTF. It is pretty much a 20wt oil with lots of addatives anyway. The ATF may be thinner.. but not much.. it will however be high detergent.

The UTF covers such a wide range of uses.. power steering, hydro trans in tractors.. wet brakes, hyd's, manual tranny, final drives / gear reduction units.. etc.. ), that it is at least a decent gamble.

If you find any specific info.. post back. Who makes that machine? MTD toro? etc...

Soundguy
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #3  
I had an early nineties Craftsman hydro that used 10W30 motor oil in the tranny. As Soundguy stated, newer hydros are sealed units.
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #4  
I think manufacturers run the gambit of what to stick in their trannies. We've had some cat heavy equipment from the 70's and 80's that also used motor oil in the tranny.. in this case it was 30w... etc.

Soundguy
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #6  
I've got an old (70's) Simplicity garden tractor that also uses automotive automatic transmission fluid.

My new Craftsman is sealed, so who knows about that one ...
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #7  
I don't know if I like the idea of a sealed unit. Can you check the level? sight glass?? what if it leaks???

They must expect the fluid to outlast the unit.
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #8  
Yep... 'sealed' always makes me wonder what they do about thermal expansion. Is it really sealed and has an air space, and the seals are rated for the expansion pressure? If it were sealed.. I'd guess since the oil can't get contaminated, it may be ok. I've seen some trannies that don't get an oil change till 100k miles.. so I guess a lawnmower tranny can do it on the right oil..A sealed compressor motor comes to mind as well... again.. sealed... however.. is it vented? If vented.. it is going to accumulate moisture, and that is a contaminant.

Either way.. makes ya wonder... if it was designed 'to fail'

Soundguy
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #9  
I have the original service manual for my Eaton hydrostatic transmission it states automatic tranny oil A suffix A was used. But says if drained to replace it with 10-30 SE motor oil.
 
   / Fluid for Montgomery Ward Hydrastatic Drive #10  
I would seriously consider using a fully synthetic motor oil, such as the Tufftorq hydrostatic transmissions use. 5w-50.
 
 
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