low hp hydro - is it worth it?

[billbill1]

I bought a 20 hp hydro Husky 7 years ago, the hydro has held up but the quality of this machine is minimal at best. It slows on inclines and it slows on turns and the lever has to be reset. I'm sure this is a safety of some kind. It has a 46" deck and I've pulled a 44" Swisher finish mower behind it with no problem. It isn't a machine I would reccommend.

 

[Fordlords]

Those sound like the exact symptoms of a hydro on its way out- they start getting weak on inclines and sharp turns, and won't want to pull. They eventually poo out altogether, typical of the smaller aluminum sealed Peerless and Hydro-Gear transaxles.

-Fordlords-

 

[billbill1]

Gary, mine has been like that since brand new.

 

[LBrown59]

We've just finished building the house, I need a lawn tractor and I'm really budget constrained. So, I think I've decided to get a low cost lawn tractor. I'm looking at the 20hp Craftsman tractors which I can get gear or hydro. I know that on a diesel tractor, you loose HP to the hydro and I imagine that's the case here too. I don't mind gear&shifting especially if it means longer life and more hp - but are there gotchas that I'm not aware of? Can you shift while the cutting deck is engaged?

Why worry about HP when the things all ready way over powered??

 

[LBrown59]

I bought a 20 hp hydro Husky 7 years ago, the hydro has held up but the quality of this machine is minimal at best. It slows on inclines and it slows on turns and the lever has to be reset. I'm sure this is a safety of some kind. It has a 46" deck and I've pulled a 44" Swisher finish mower behind it with no problem. It isn't a machine I would reccommend.

I don't recommend MTD either.

 

[Joe1]

Looks like you have a real utility tractor for heavy work, so if you're only basically mowing and maybe towing a light cart, IMO the convenience of the hydro when mowing would outweigh the longevity issues, if any.

I've got a hydrostatic drive Toro 417 that weighs 657 lbs without the 48" deck, which is probably another 200+ lbs. We me on it, it weighs over 1,000 lbs. I've moved a trailer weighing around 2,000 lbs without any problem. It's got enough power to be rated to run a 36" rototiller. It's got only a 17 hp Kawasaki twin and power does not seem to be an issue, so the 20 HP on the Craftsman should be adequate.

I really love the convenience of the infinite mowing speeds the hydro provides. I'm not confined to just 5 or 6 set speeds of a manual transmission. Keeping in mind that 5 and 6 and maybe even 4 would be too fast to mow in some circumstances, you're limited to 3 mowing speeds with a manual.

I like the manual in my JD 770, but am glad I've gotten the hydo for not only ease of operation but the ability to run at exactly the mowing speed I want.

 

[maxtor1]

We've just finished building the house, I need a lawn tractor and I'm really budget constrained. So, I think I've decided to get a low cost lawn tractor. I'm looking at the 20hp Craftsman tractors which I can get gear or hydro. I know that on a diesel tractor, you loose HP to the hydro and I imagine that's the case here too. I don't mind gear&shifting especially if it means longer life and more hp - but are there gotchas that I'm not aware of? Can you shift while the cutting deck is engaged?

i dont like to run down the quality of products but Sears (AYP) has the worst mowing deck on the market (unless they have changed them lately). i have been repairing mowers for years and there is not doubt that the Sears require more maintenance that any other mower i have encountered. if you have a perfectly groomed lawn without any type debris, rocks, or anything that would cause a bladestrike then you will find yourself replacing the blade housings quite frequently. and the way the blade housings bolt up to the deck causes the blade housing to bend the deck. the deck housings do not fit flush against the deck. it has three bolt up places and the rest of the housing does not contact the deck. i have replaced sears blade housings 5 to 1 of other brands and some 10 to 1. dont want to scare you off but i am just speaking from experience. if i was going to buy a new mower, Sears (AYP) would be on the bottom of the list.