Update on my rebuild: Had it done a 3 weeks ago, but had surgery so didn't mess with the mower until today. It started right up after a long winters nap, and I had to bleed the air out. Got the wheels spinning......great, right?!!? Well, they were going the wrong way. Read back thru the thread where I knew someone else did this. Took the tranny back off, and apart, reversed the one part, re-sealed it, oil back in, back on the tractor, and voila! It works great. I am sure it will pick up some speed as it breaks in, but as long as there isn't a big puddle under the tractor in the morning, I am happy. Thanks to the original poster of this thread, and everyone else who has replied.
I just wish there was a way to check the oil without dropping the darn thing. It would be nice to know if after running it the level dropped any. Have you all dropped it after a certain amount of hours to check?