any toro groundsmaster fans on here?

[crazycarl]

Help, have 98 325D that I recently picked up. wont lift mower deck. If I help it with a little lifting it will raise and hold.
When I first got it would lift . Left it in float position all last year and now wont raise with out help?Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Xfaxman]

Power steering has priority over deck lift. Does the power steering work good?

Leaving in float is fine, won't affect anything else.

Have you checked the fluid level in the reservoir?

Have you changed the fluid since you got it?

 

[warleg]

On my older Groundsmaster 72, when my hydraulic pump got weak it wouldn't lift the deck. Still mowed for two years with it before it finally gave up the ghost! I also got a tip from a toro tech that they use tractor universal hydro/trans fluid in them instead of oil for better performance.

 

[crazycarl]

Thanks for the replies, greatly appreciate all .
When I first got it would only lift with full throttle. Also didn't like to stay still, always creeping forward or reverse with foot off pedal.
When I looked at shaft it pulled right out of pump. Surprise it would still go fwd and rev. with broken swash plate pins.
Pulled hydro out and put new pins and trunnion seals only. Drives super strong forward and reverse, easily over powers brakes and brakes are good.
Didn't take charge pump apart, probably should have. Yes full new fluid and filters twice. Charge pump was only putting out 50 psi at full throttle
and 400psi at lift stall. shimmed both bypass while still in mower. Charge went to 90 psi but lift is still 400 psi at full throttle.
pump and motor all looked great inside with minimum wear. I'm thinking charge pump might be worn out? or seal sucking air.
I didn't open charge pump when pump was out. Dont know if I should take it apart first or just order new georotor set? And put in over winter.
Still mows. When I did swash plate pins I added peddle fwd and reverse stops, looked like it would be easy to break pins if pushing or standing on petal !
Didn't want to break again. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks

 

[crazycarl]

And yes power steering is week ,hard to turn at idle, but seems easy enough at full throttle.
And when I was checking charge pressure only had pressure at full rpm. At idle almost 0

 

[warleg]

It's pretty easy to adjust the creeping, I'm assuming you have downloaded the service manual if you have done all the things you've described... If so it tells how to adjust by moving the plate that has the idle stop built in.

 

[crazycarl]

Thanks ,yes have creep adjusted, when I put the swash plate pins in. No problem with that now.
Is it supposed to be able to lift deck at lower Rpm? Have any tips on charge pump. I'm wondering if charge pump pin might be broke in it too , and
turning slower? Yes have the manuals.

 

[warleg]

If pump is working properly you should be able to lift the deck at low rpms. When mine was weak it wouldn't lift it regardless of how fast the engine was running. And when the pump got really bad it would go backwards but not forward. I ended up buying another groundsmaster to take the pump off of. I want to take my old pump apart and rebuild it to either have for a spare or put the other mower back together. If you rebuild yours please share your experience, I could use the help! Or if xfaxman has rebuilt one I would love to pick his brain too!

 

[crazycarl]

Taking the pump out is harder than working on the pump. Only problem hard to get spare parts, and very expensive.
When I had pump apart all pistons and cylinders looked good. I think I'm going to be looking at the charge pump without taking out the whole pump.
Ill let you know what I find.

 

[warleg]

You really think so? It's only like four bolts a couple lines and the link thing to the belt drive. I swapped them out pretty quick. I haven't taken the pump apart because I've been waiting to get a handle on what to look for once I do.