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.

 

[fitterski]

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.

I parked mine last fall, had been working more or less OK until then. Every year I get a pro to tune it for the season, oil/filter/blades and all that, another $2500 or so over the years. This year, a week ago $350, delivered, doesn't move when warm. Sent it back, another $110 for a glassy belt and things but still no good. So he called HydroGear or whoever it is that reads him the bible, hey told him it was cylinders pumping into opposed cylinders or whaaaaatever. It cost me $450 to find out it's done for. I'm really not interested in excuses or rationale, I got ripped off big time and I'm not about to repeat the mistake.

 

[Tractorable]

After reading so many posts like this I paid the price and bought a mower with a K72.

 

[mikester]

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.

Sorry but your problems started with "I bought Cub Cadet" not "HST is bad". If you can buy that machine at HomeDeport or any other big box store it's homeowner duty at best and should be considered disposable.

You can't go shopping at the dollar store and complain about poor quality - you get what you pay for.

Even in 2009 a $3,200 mower does not compare to a $10,000 commercial duty mower.

 

[buickanddeere]

Any equipment with the Tuff Torq K-46 is a 200hour disposable machine . A K57 with the optional heat treated steel gears is the absolute minimum transaxle . K57 - Tuff Torq Corporation

 

[crazyal]

Are you handy? If it's not worth anything selling it then go on ebay and look for a better replacement transaxle for it. I wouldn't bother with the bottom of the line versions but with a little leg work you can find the nicer ones for a reasonable price (I don't know about shipping from the states to Canada though).

 

[k0ua]

What no one has told you is that your cheap low end mower transmission is re-buildable. ALL K46 trasmissions are cheap low end transmissions no matter what brand they are put into. I have one in my John Deer. They are considered throw away. But they can be rebuilt. and there is a thread on this forum telling you all about it. Just because you paid $3200, don't EVEN think you bought quality because you did NOT. Neither did I with my JD. Cheap junk transmission, engineered to fail. Not even a way to change its fluid and no strainer/filter or nothing. Not even a drain plug with a magnet. And you wonder why it failed? Admit you were "had" just like every one else, and go on and do something about it.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/164892-tufftorq-k46-repair-guide-pictures.html

 

[prof fate]

I assume the little tractors work like the big ones - KEEP THE REVS UP on the engine ALWAYS. You may think you're overworking it or such but it's necessary for oil flow and cooling.

 

[k0ua]

I assume the little tractors work like the big ones - KEEP THE REVS UP on the engine ALWAYS. You may think you're overworking it or such but it's necessary for oil flow and cooling.

The problem with the K46 transmission is there is no oil filtration and not even any feasible way to change the oil. No drain plug on this non serviceable transmission. So it just chews itself up from its own metal particles.

 

[fitterski]

Sorry but your problems started with "I bought Cub Cadet"[/QUOT]

In part yes, they won't hear from me again.

[QUOT] not "HST is bad". If you can buy that machine at HomeDeport or any other big box store it's homeowner duty at best and should be considered disposable.

You can't go shopping at the dollar store and complain about poor quality - you get what you pay for.

Even in 2009 a $3,200 mower does not compare to a $10,000 commercial duty mower.

If I had been aware that the machine would not last 301 hours I would never have bought it for so much a single dollar. So my initial reaction was to investigate older Ford mowers with manual transmissions but after having spent two days researching those I'm now more interested in a roughly 30-40hp diesel tractor with a 3-point/PTO to handle a finishing mower, a bush-hog, or a hay mower according to need. I might pick up a used little 44" or something to get thsi season done and buy time to set up for the real solution.

 

[fitterski]

What no one has told you is that your cheap low end mower transmission is re-buildable. ALL K46 trasmissions are cheap low end transmissions no matter what brand they are put into. I have one in my John Deer. They are considered throw away. But they can be rebuilt. and there is a thread on this forum telling you all about it. Just because you paid $3200, don't EVEN think you bought quality because you did NOT. Neither did I with my JD. Cheap junk transmission, engineered to fail. Not even a way to change its fluid and no strainer/filter or nothing. Not even a drain plug with a magnet. And you wonder why it failed? Admit you were "had" just like every one else, and go on and do something about it.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/parts-repairs/164892-tufftorq-k46-repair-guide-pictures.html

Hehehe, I "KNOW" I've been had but don't worry I AM doing something about it and avoiding such overpriced junk isn't even the beginning of it

And thanks for the repair link, but I have just toooooo darn many things going on all at once this summer and cannot squeeze out the time to either repaios or even topart out. I've already put it up for sale, best offer takes it.