Dave, that issue is relatively common, with newer GC models; I've never had a freeze-up in my old 2310. Glad you could sort it out "easily"!
So-- over here, I'm getting real tired of these "roller-coaster" winters we've had over the past few years... You know, starts out as rain, temps drop, changes to wet snow, then just plain snow. Makes for an extremely greasy mess, not to mention ice that gets left behind!
So far this winter, in clearing the 4" and then the 2" of wet snow we've had (using FEL to save blower from stones from the dirt road early in the season), I've slipped --badly, accelerating BACKWARDS-- off the driveway TWICE and gone into the rather deep drop-off on the left side of the driveway.
NO FUN! Both times I had to enlist the help of one of our 4WD Subarus to pull the poor red beast back up into the pavement. Embarrassing, yes, but darned scary, going backwards down the hill while all 4 tires on the tractor are pulling forward! Last time, I fortunately remembered to drop the FEL to ****** my slipping; really thought I was about to roll the tractor over. Using the rear diff lock-up helped going up, but no help once you start sliding backward!
NO MORE! Yesterday I finally bit the bullet, removed the FEL, put that away, installed the blower, AND MOUNTED MY CHAINS ON THE REARS. I just hope the early-season piles of stones from the road plows have now been pushed away by my FEL And, of course, tomorrow it's supposed to hit the 50s with rain, after two mornings with light dustings and temps in the teens....sheesh.
These chains area PITA to install, but they sure do work -- check these babies out! (Here's where I make one of those Tim-The-Toolman growls: GRRRR!)