Husqvarna 322T AWD

[Gem99ultra]

Great write-up DHD! Sounds like you gave it a good test. I'm impressed!

I found 5W-50 Mobil 1 at Napa Auto Parts, if you have those up your way. Harley shops also carry 5W-50, but they want that H-D price for it On the other hand, in my ignorance, I've always just put straight 30W oil in my TorqTuff46. hmmm - I'm scared to change over now.

I'm wondering about the wheel weights - the wheel weights I bought from Husqvarna for my GHT26V52LS tractor type mower have bolts that go trough the wheels. My Rider has solid rims like those on your R322T, so I really don't know how they'd mount the weights.

Even with the wheel weights on the GHT AND water filled rears, it still has traction occasional problems with the dam banks that I'm mowing. I even built an 'out-rigger' for the Rider to keep from tipping over on the dam banks. It does work (sort of), but spouse put a stop to that - she's tired of washing my jeans with brown seats No doubt the 4WD on your R322T makes the difference - much, much better. I'd sure like to swap my GHT for a R322T.

I measured the angle on my dam banks with an 8' 2x4 with a digital level on top. Granted, that may not be accurate but it does look from the pictures to be a little more steep than your slope. Whether it's 20 degrees or 25 degrees, it's too steep for my Rider or my Kubota L3400. The GHT does handle it okay going north & south only. Sideways? It'd be rolling down to the bottom.

I think you'll be satisfied with the quality build on the Husqvarna. Those Sweds know how to design & build pretty good Volvo's, and from my personal one-man experience, they also know how to design and build a lawn mower.

By the way, I suspect you'll find one zerk fitting on the spindle shaft under the motor. It is hard to see - a Husqvarna tech had to point it out on mine for me. I can't believe they didn't put grease fitting on the mower spindles though. They are "sealed" bearings - which means nothing. They can be greased with the needle fitting that you can put in the end of your grease gun. Some disassembly is required... errr.. a LOT of disassembly But, mine lasted a little over 2000 hours. I don't shoot it with the power washer though. A complete set of spindles all new from Husqvarna cost me about $400.

Thanks again for taking the time to give us a run-down on the Husqvarna R322T. Sounds like you have a fine machine there.

 

[Dan Bollinger]

I was writing a reply to this thread when the phone rang. It was the dealer telling me my R322T was on a truck and headed my way! :cool2:

I have the same protractor that DHD has. A lot of my property is sloped with a small section 26°. My 2WD John Deere LX277 could crawl up it with chains and 60 pounds of lead weights. Going down was more like a tobaggon ride! I'll find out in a few days how the R322T does.

To increase traction on the R322T you could add chains and weights as others have said. What I'm thinking of doing, if needed, is changing from turf tires to ATV knobbys and then filling them with beet juice liquid ballasting.

 

[DHD]

. What I'm thinking of doing, if needed, is changing from turf tires to ATV knobbys and then filling them with beet juice liquid ballasting.

Here is a different site, were a guy (kp646), went to a more aggressive tire on his R322T and filled them with foam.

(Scroll down a little and you'll find it.)

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=250230&page=38

 

[Gem99ultra]

DHD, I had looked at buying a set of something similar for my Rider 155 (2WD). But after considering the light weight of the front end I was a bit afraid of it flipping if it really hooked up. I wouldn't think that would be a problem for the 4WD R322T.

Adding fluid to the none-steering pair of wheels might be the cheapest way to test the theory. I did try adding fluid to all of the tires on my GHT but had to remove the fluid on the front set due to the heavy steering effort required. I do still have the 50# each wheel weights and fluid filled rears, which gives me plenty of traction with that mower.

Nothing that I've ever mowed with gives the super smooth cut of the Husqvarna Rider mowers though, not even the overpriced GHT.

 

[DHD]

Just got back from my Husqvarna dealer (got engine oil filter for R322T), and the Husqvarna Representative just happened to be there.

I had a chance to talk to the rep. about tire chains, or adding liquid balast or foam to the tires.

Through out our entire conversation he kept repeating, be careful not to over stress the the trans-axle system and
there should be allowance for tire slippage between the front and rear trans-axles to relieve any over torque situation.

Adding liquid balast or foam to the tires would void the warranty.
Adding tire chains to all four tires would void the warranty.

If I felt, that I needed to ad chains, they should be on the two tires of the rear (steerable trans-axle) only.
Don't ever put chains on the front two tires. Even if I did not have chains on the back two tires.
(I wonder if the TuffTorq KTM 10L front trans-axle is weaker than the rear Tuff Torq K574 ? ? ? or there is probably more weight over the front trans-axle because that's where the operator sits ? ? ? ?)

The rep. also said operating on slopes that are too steep, would be a situation that could easily overstress the trans-axle system .
(As per the Owners Manual, Husqvarna's idea of too steep a slope, is anything over 10 degrees, which is probably more for Operator's safety, rather than machine stress, but a usable argument for them on warranty issues, I bet.)

I guess the 2 key points I got out of our conversation were:
1). to ensure there would be tire slippage to relieve any over torque situation in the trans-axle system.
2). If I ever do want to increase traction, apply it to the steerable tires only.
So far I don't have any need to increase traction, and will probably try and work with-in the limitations of my unmodified R322T.

 

[Dan Bollinger]

DHD, That's good to know! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Gem99ultra]

DHD - Good info on the things NOT to do. Seems I'm guilty of most :-(
Like you, I suspect the thing about 10 degrees is one of those CYA statements.
And, I suppose there is such a thing as TOO MUCH traction. Better to slip than break.

Thanks again for the fine write-up.

 

[DHD]

DHD - Good info on the things NOT to do. Seems I'm guilty of most :-(
Like you, I suspect the thing about 10 degrees is one of those CYA statements.
And, I suppose there is such a thing as TOO MUCH traction. Better to slip than break.

Thanks again for the fine write-up.

Gem99ultra - Hopefully the R322T will be as tough and reliable as your Rider 155,
as you mentioned in an earlier thread,
"Those Sweds know how to design & build pretty good " .
These Riders have already proven to be pretty good in the European countries. We're just a little slow here in the USA to grasp how good they real are.
I've already pushed mine beyond what the manufacturer has recommended and I know of others (in another forum) that have done so also.
I really like reading what other folks have experienced with their Riders.

Thanks for sharing your Rider 155 experiences

 

[Dan Bollinger]

Got my R322T two days ago and haven't been able to mow with it yet. We've had rain every day for a week here in Indiana. Looks like it might dry off later today or tomorrow. Since the ground is so wet, I decided to finish rolling my lawn. I have one of those Agri-Fab 36" poly rollers. I don't recommend using your R322T to pull it unless your lawn is almost flat. Even then, it is a handful. You need to keep a death grip on the steering wheel. The reason is that it is hitched to the steering axle. The hitch is on the end of what is essentially a foot-long lever arm, which means the roller disturbs your steering. When you begin a turn you have to fight the mass and drag of the roller. Then, as you enter the turn the roller's drag tightens the turn. This means you have to resist the movement on the steering wheel. This effect is accentuated when turning on a slope. From experience I can say that about 10° is the safe limit. Above that the the roller lifts the R322T's outer wheels off the ground.

I only roll the lawn once a year, so it is manageable. But next year I'm going to weld up a bracket and hook the roller onto the mower's front hitch like other accessories. The roller will skid in turns, but then the grass is usually wet, so shouldn't be a problem.

 

[DHD]

Dan- That's interesting, how the roller effects your steering.
I haven't tried to tow anything yet, but in the future thought of towing a small utility trailer to haul stuff.

I only roll the lawn once a year, so it is manageable. But next year I'm going to weld up a bracket and hook the roller onto the mower's front hitch like other accessories. The roller will skid in turns, but then the grass is usually wet, so shouldn't be a problem.

So you'll be pushing the roller with your R322T?