1533 Hydro Power

[JPA]

Just picked up my 1533 hydro this weekend. I took it out to play a little and found that it seems to be lacking power for some reason. Just going up a hill in my driveway completely bogged it down in high and almost in the mid-range and that's just the tractor. I can't imagine pulling anything if I have to use the lowest setting to simply get up my driveway. Am I expecting too much or is something wrong? My previous tractor was a JD 755 and it zoomed along anywhere. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

[JerryG]

Forgive me if you already know this. With a hydro, you have to set the engine speed with the lever on the dash. Then use the pedal like a gearshift instead of a gas pedal. The farther you press the pedal down the higher the gear (so to speak) the tractor will be in. The higher the pedal the lower the gear.

 

[JPA]

Thanks for your reply, Jerry. So, to climb the hill, which I have plenty of in my pastures, I'd want the engine speed higher and just go easier on the pedal?

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue"> I'd want the engine speed higher and just go easier on the pedal? </font>
That's right. It's a mistake made by many, many new hydro owners. We all try to use the pedal for the gas and it doesn't work that way. You have to have the pedal down a small amount for it to work, but as the engine starts to slow down going up your hill, ease up on the pedal.

Congratulations on the new tractor and welcome to the forum.

 

[JPA]

So how would I go about maintaining a constant speed up and down the hills? Sorry for my ignorance, but as I said, this is much more tractor than I've had before and I want to work it in the right way. Thanks!

 

[Nasty135]

JPA ,In addition to what Jerry has said,

If it is a significant hill you need to think of it as being a standard trans sort of, Too much hill = lower gear required...or range in your case.

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue"> So how would I go about maintaining a constant speed up and down the hills? </font>
You have to try to keep the pedal at a equalized location relative to the ground speed and the RPMs. That is all you can do and it is far from perfect. That is one of many reasons that I personally don't like hydros.

 

[btownacres]

Congrats JPA! You chose a nice machine! Get some pics posted soon! I also eyeballed that machine, but went with the 1531 hydro, delivered last friday, same engine and power just a size down. That 1533 was sweet, but a bit bigger in size than I needed. But I did drool over it!
Good luck with it!

 

[JPA]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate all of the help. I really like the tractor, it's just taking some getting used to. The smaller tractor I had worked more like a hydro lawnmower, just press the gas and go. With this bigger tractor, engine, transmission, horsepower, etc, it's taking some getting used to. I'm sure the more I work with it, the more I'll get it all figured out. It's already getting good use. I'll try and post pictures soon. Again, thanks for everyone's help.

 

[JerryG]

There is a learning curve with anything. Read your manual and ask questions here. Make sure that you get those pictures. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif