Craftsman ZT7000 Hydrostatic drive oil change?

[Mr4btTahoe]

Hey guys..

So my old ZT7000 (44") is starting to have issues with the transaxles. When the mower gets hot (after an hour or 2 of use), the trans wants to stop pulling. After it sits and cools, it'll be fine again for a couple of hours as long as it's not beat on.

I'd really like to service the transmissions.

These units are "sealed". The mower isn't worth replacing the drives so one way or another, I need to attempt to service them. It'll either help or finish them off.

So... how does one go about servicing these? I can add drain and fill plug ports if necessary. Also, what oil is suggested? I see several use 20w50 oil.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe
Hey guys..

So my old ZT7000 (44") is starting to have issues with the transaxles. When the mower gets hot (after an hour or 2 of use), the trans wants to stop pulling. After it sits and cools, it'll be fine again for a couple of hours as long as it's not beat on.

I'd really like to service the transmissions.

These units are "sealed". The mower isn't worth replacing the drives so one way or another, I need to attempt to service them. It'll either help or finish them off.

So... how does one go about servicing these? I can add drain and fill plug ports if necessary. Also, what oil is suggested? I see several use 20w50 oil.



Do you know what the model # is? I tried looking up the ZT7000 on parts tree and the one I saw (2004) looks to have two small fluid reservoirs, one for each pump.

 

[nwjones18]

My John deere has the hydro-gear EZT's which i understand are pretty common in consumer grade zero turns. there are a few youtube video's on changing the fluid on them, and it involves taking them out and turning them upside down to drain through a vent hole.. I saw that procedure and decided I'd just let mine go till they gave me some problems as well. I also read that 20w-50 was the suggested grade. How many hours on your mower?

 

[ragtoplvr]

yep, you have to drain thu the vent. I used 20W50 motorcycle oil because it has a more robust anti wear for the transmission gears. Some of them replacement pump housing and pistons are available, then it works like new so they say. I have not had to go there yet.

Rod

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

Hmm... is the vent/fill accessible with the drives in the chassis?

If they are, I'm very tempted to add a 1/8npt drain to the bottom of the cases so they can be serviced regularly without disassembly.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by nwjones18
My John deere has the hydro-gear EZT's which i understand are pretty common in consumer grade zero turns. there are a few youtube video's on changing the fluid on them, and it involves taking them out and turning them upside down to drain through a vent hole.. I saw that procedure and decided I'd just let mine go till they gave me some problems as well. I also read that 20w-50 was the suggested grade. How many hours on your mower?



If you have the ability to change it, I would. When the transmissions start having problems it is usually from damage, and by then it is too late. Sometimes people get lucky, but with a few K46 transmissions which are consumer grade riding tractor transmissions, the problem didn't go away.

 

[nwjones18]

Originally Posted by jeepman3071
Originally Posted by nwjones18
My John deere has the hydro-gear EZT's which i understand are pretty common in consumer grade zero turns. there are a few youtube video's on changing the fluid on them, and it involves taking them out and turning them upside down to drain through a vent hole.. I saw that procedure and decided I'd just let mine go till they gave me some problems as well. I also read that 20w-50 was the suggested grade. How many hours on your mower?



If you have the ability to change it, I would. When the transmissions start having problems it is usually from damage, and by then it is too late. Sometimes people get lucky, but with a few K46 transmissions which are consumer grade riding tractor transmissions, the problem didn't go away.


Honestly these transmissions were never intended to be serviced and you have to take the the transmissions out to do the work around procedure. Mine is a 2014 and has 130hrs on it, and I've seen used ones for sale with well north of 500 hrs. By the time they croak it will probably be time for another mower anyhow. My next one will have serviceable transmissions with the spin on filters. I do agree that once you're having problems its probably to late for a fluid change to do much good, but at that point I might try 'just because'. I know just letting something ride without a fluid change isn't the BITOG way, but in this case I think I'm good with it.

 

[Brian123]

Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe
Hey guys..

So my old ZT7000 (44") is starting to have issues with the transaxles. When the mower gets hot (after an hour or 2 of use), the trans wants to stop pulling. After it sits and cools, it'll be fine again for a couple of hours as long as it's not beat on.

I'd really like to service the transmissions.

These units are "sealed". The mower isn't worth replacing the drives so one way or another, I need to attempt to service them. It'll either help or finish them off.

So... how does one go about servicing these? I can add drain and fill plug ports if necessary. Also, what oil is suggested? I see several use 20w50 oil.


It might be a good idea to blow all around this transmission with air from an air compressor, each time I use my riding mower I take the backpack blower and use it when I finish mowing. I do the compressed air thing twice a year, with an infrared gun the highest temp I have seen is 150 Degrees Fahrenheit, usually the average temp I see is between 130 to 140. My rider has 600 hours on the original fluid, but I dont tow anything with it and my yard is flat.

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

My ZT has over 500 hrs on it. Got it from a guy not running for $100... had dropped a valve seat. I replaced the complete head for $80 (ebay find new).. been running great since but it was abused before I got it. I mow ~2 acres.

Any ideas on if the fill is accessible without pulling the units from the frame?

 

[JTK]

Yet, as said above, you're going to have to pull the arse-end off the ZTR so you can flip the drives over to drain them out the top vents. I'd try the "thickest" motorcycle, etc oil I could find. It should buy you some time given these units perform for 2hrs before they start acting up. I'd do this ASAP if you want to keep the mower going.