Which Tranny in a $2000 riding mower/tractor?

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MrCritical

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Friend talked me into looking at a Cub Cadet. Longer warranty, Kohler engine, but only hydrostatic trans. Friends say the transmission wont hold up on my hills. I don't know how to calculate angle, but the hills are too steep to mow sideways, will have to strictly go up and down. Looking at a Craftsman 4500 series 42 cut with a 6 speed. The local Snapper dealer advertises a h.d. auto trans but doesn't have the best reputation service wise.

Sounds like I need to go with the Craftsman. Whaddaya think?
 
MC, the ~$2K Cubs are similar to any low-end MTD rider, but with some higher quality hardware (better deck, steering, seats, higher end engines, etc..) They use 'sealed' Hydro-Gear brand hydrostatic transaxles. A great company and not a bad trans, just not made for hill climbing, 300+lb operators and/or pulling. I've got a Cub Cadet 2544, which is a ~$3500 machine. The shaft-driven trans holds 6qts and has a spin-on filter on the 2000 series. It boils down to the fact that all ~$2K new machines are the same. You have to cough up a cpl extra grand to get something heavier and more serviceable. FWIW, Sears and John Deere uses TuffTorq transaxles. They are a good company as well.

Joel
 
I'd love to know who made the hydrostat transmission in my 1994-era John Deere STX38. Uses 10w30 oil, has a fill and drain plug, and I change it every year - last year it was M1, this year SuperTech Synthetic. Next year I might splurge for AMSOIL for it.

14 years later its going strong.

later,
b
 
I have a Craftsman 48 in and 20 hp Kohler with the Hydrogear unit. Sears will tell you they are sealed for life but there is a plug on top where you can pump the old oil out and refill with 20-50 which is what Hydrogear recommends. I have about 500 hours on it and never a problem but I do change the oil every year.

My dad has a John Deer with a Tuff Torq which has the plugs as described and refills with 10-30. It has never given any trouble as well.

If I had to buy a new mower today it would probably be a Husqvarna. I looked at a 2007 model and it had a Tuff Torq with a Heavy duty 48" deck - Foot control transmission and your choice of Briggs or Kohler. I think the price was around 1700.

I am a firm believer in getting the one you personally like the best even if it costs a little extra. If you get one you like, it makes using it much more enjoyable for the next 12 years.
 
The local Deere says they have more problems with the manual trans than with the Hydrostatic trans.

I have disassembled 2 manual transmissions. The first one we had was a 6speed manual made by peerless, in a 1989 JD STX 38. The only problem we had with it was the seal on the output shaft for the brake "rotor." Grease and brakes don't mix. I really shifted nice, and took a beating.

The 5 speed Dana Spicer trans on our current 2001 JD LT133 is [censored] and has been apart 2 times, first by the dealer then by me. First time was because a shifter detent ball (or whatever you call) fell out of place a got stuck in a gear causing it to lockup. Second time I took in part because it had a noisy input shaft, I thought the gears didn't have enough grease, but I was nothing more than a bad design. Dana filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, I wonder why?

Both tractor only had a 12 or 13 hp 398cc engine, bigger engines may have different results.

I drove a Hydro, but it didn't have cruise control so I didn't like it.

I'd say Hydro=more durable.
 
Originally Posted By: MrCritical
You guys with the hydrostatics-how big a hill do you pull, and how often?


Hydrostatic drive, rated for 60% but will handle more with enough traction.
300px-1BFV01.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: kd5byb
I'd love to know who made the hydrostat transmission in my 1994-era John Deere STX38. Uses 10w30 oil, has a fill and drain plug..


It's probably a Tufftorq. They typically spec 10w30. JD has been using TT since the early 1990s. I know the 5 or maybe 6? speed gear drive trans on our 1992 JD GT262 was a tufftorq. That was pretty decent garden tractor. Yes- all of your 'sealed' cheaper hydros will have a top fill point somewhere on the case. You can try to suck them out, set the tractor on it's back-plate to drain, or just remove the trans and flip it over. Draining/filling is only part of the issue with them. It's the lack of oil capacity that kills them. They just don't hold enough oil to keep them clean/cool/lubed.

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: MrCritical
You guys with the hydrostatics-how big a hill do you pull, and how often?


Hydrostatic drive, rated for 60% but will handle more with enough traction.
300px-1BFV01.jpg



LOL.gif


Where is the mower deck???
 
i have an old (1972) cub cadet 149 with hydrostatic drive. hydro still works fine, i change the oil and filter every spring. have been using the case-ih brand oil and filter. this tractor is a tank. i bought it 7 years ago for $350. best investment i ever made. i also use it in winter to push snow with. i laugh at you guys spending $2,000 plus for a throw away mower. they just don't make 'em like this any more. i also use mobil delvac 1 in the old cast iron kohler.
 
Originally Posted By: HM12460
i have an old (1972) cub cadet 149 with hydrostatic drive. hydro still works fine, i change the oil and filter every spring. have been using the case-ih brand oil and filter. this tractor is a tank. i bought it 7 years ago for $350. best investment i ever made. i also use it in winter to push snow with. i laugh at you guys spending $2,000 plus for a throw away mower. they just don't make 'em like this any more. i also use mobil delvac 1 in the old cast iron kohler.


Yeah,they don`t make them like yours any more,that`s for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: HM12460
i have an old (1972) cub cadet 149 with hydrostatic drive. hydro still works fine, i change the oil and filter every spring. have been using the case-ih brand oil and filter. this tractor is a tank. i bought it 7 years ago for $350. best investment i ever made. i also use it in winter to push snow with. i laugh at you guys spending $2,000 plus for a throw away mower. they just don't make 'em like this any more. i also use mobil delvac 1 in the old cast iron kohler.
+1. i have a cub cadet 1650, a john deere 214, and a 216. i use them commercially and have found them to be an excellent value. much more so than a big box store waste of money throw away.
 
Originally Posted By: HM12460
Originally Posted By: HM12460
i have an old (1972) cub cadet 149 with hydrostatic drive. hydro still works fine, i change the oil and filter every spring. have been using the case-ih brand oil and filter. this tractor is a tank. i bought it 7 years ago for $350. best investment i ever made. i also use it in winter to push snow with. i laugh at you guys spending $2,000 plus for a throw away mower. they just don't make 'em like this any more. i also use mobil delvac 1 in the old cast iron kohler.
+1. i have a cub cadet 1650, a john deere 214, and a 216. i use them commercially and have found them to be an excellent value. much more so than a big box store waste of money throw away.


lol.gif
Must be an old thread. HM- just +1'd his own post!

Joel
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: HM12460
Originally Posted By: HM12460
i have an old (1972) cub cadet 149 with hydrostatic drive. hydro still works fine, i change the oil and filter every spring. have been using the case-ih brand oil and filter. this tractor is a tank. i bought it 7 years ago for $350. best investment i ever made. i also use it in winter to push snow with. i laugh at you guys spending $2,000 plus for a throw away mower. they just don't make 'em like this any more. i also use mobil delvac 1 in the old cast iron kohler.
+1. i have a cub cadet 1650, a john deere 214, and a 216. i use them commercially and have found them to be an excellent value. much more so than a big box store waste of money throw away.


lol.gif
Must be an old thread. HM- just +1'd his own post!

Joel


*****! oh man, I didnt even catch that till you mentioned it!
 
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