JD175 hydro-First tractor, many questions

gumbellion · Jun 16, 2014

I have been looking around to get a good used rider for a few months now with the purchase of our first home. I finally happened across a JD 175 hydro that i paid a whopping $320 for. The thing runs and starts like a top, looks really good except.....NO HOOD! Apparently they are super fragile and break easily. so i guess it痴 time to find one of those. They seem kind of expensive at $100ish plus shipping
t was garage kept and the gentlemen i bought it from had about 1 acre lawn.
Hopefully in the next few months i can find a snow blower attachment too and we will be all set!

I have started looking at threads but the search function isn稚 the greatest.
Planning to change the oil and filter when i get home and will run 15-40 rotella since i always have it on hand, but should i run it with some sea-foam in the oil for a mow or 2 before the change? oil looks good now
Oil filter suggestions?
I read 30 oil in the hydro- is that just straight 30 weight oil and filled just a slight amount over the screen? I haven稚 even taken the cap off yet
I hear i should check the fins on the hydro fan, I知 guessing i will be able to figure out what that is
Hoping to use in the winter for snow perhaps so I知 guessing synthetic gear lube is fine for the rear end
Is there a place to download a owners/maintenance manual
Any other tips, tricks, suggestions are really appreciated. New young guy looking for all info possible
Hopefully with good care and maintenance we can get 20 more years out of it

Thanks

TC 40 Chuck · Jun 17, 2014

Cool! A good price too if it's in decent shape. Me? I'd run the thing for a season to make sure all OK, then invest in a hood if you still like the tractor. Then again, IF you don't like it, you could probably sell it for what you have in it - even paying the extra hundred for the hood. Make sure to grease the zerks on the deck - no telling how long the previous owner went between grease jobs.
15-40 is OK for engine (& I wouldn't use the sea foam, just warm it up & then change it), but the hydro, I wouldn't use straight 30. Use what JD recommends for longest life. Also, the fan REALLY should be intact - again for longest hydro life.
Good luck!

jgayman · Jun 18, 2014

I just sold my 175 Hydro after 26 years of use. I bought it new and finally replaced it with a X500 in March. The oil filter was an add-on option back when the 175 was new. I always used 30W oil in the engine and changed the oil and filter once a season. The manual states to NEVER change the transmission oil and I never did. In 26 years of use the transmission never lost a drop of oil. I always thought it sounded crazy to not change it but I followed the manual and it gave me 26 years of good service. Along with mowing I pulled very heavy carts with dirt and a 900 lb. lawn roller.

My 175 ran as smooth and quiet when I sold it as the day I bought it. I got $500 for mine.

gumbellion · Jun 24, 2014

i mowed the lawn at our current place last week and it sure mows nice. Just gave it a quick once over being doing it.
Were in the packing stage of things now so once we get to the new place i will do the oil, grease it all up this weekend. The hydro fluid is full but what should it look like? It looks like oil with a shine to it. the previous owner must have opted for the oil filter option as it has one.
I dont plan on pulling much around with it. Maybe buy a small cart for moving some brush, or moving the boat from time to time but i dont plan to do much beyond the lawn. So far its comfy, mows, and is way easier than push mowing. so I LOVE IT!