Dixon ztr transmission issues

Have a Dixon SPDZTR 48 year 2011 or 2012. Lately having issues with the steering. No power on grades especially when having to turn. Makes a "loud humming" noise. Seems ok when I start mowing and gets worse. Owners manual shows no help other than air in line may need purging. Can find no tranny oil tank or filter. Belt seems ok, albit it hard to reach, and seems tight. After mowing the pumps seem overly hot in my opinion, but fans seem ok and belt is running them. Hard to find service in my area so trying to get answers on forum first.

:welcome:

I'm going to move your thread over to the Dixon section to see if someone over there can help.

Catherine said:

:welcome:

I'm going to move your thread over to the Dixon section to see if someone over there can help.

Click to expand...

Thank You! Appreciate it and hope I get a responce.

Change the drive belt. When both are having the same problem at the same time it is the belt. Take pictures of belt routing before you remove belt. The pivot point for the idler pulley belt tensioner also needs to be greased with spray white lithium grease.

Thanks BlazNT. The drive belt only has about 20 hours on it, but I'll check it and replace. So just the drive belt? Not the transmission belt?

I call the drive belt the one that goes from engine to the hydros to drive the mower. That is the belt I think needs replacing. Now before you replace the belt check the tensioner pulley for ease of movement. I have found more than one frozen in place. Also check spring that attaches to tensioner. It may need to be replaced depending on hours of your mower.

OK. this challenged senior citizen thinks I have it figured out, thanks to your help,! Belt and spring should be here tomorrow. Looks like a challenge to put on new belt!, for me anyway, but think I can do it.
Again, thanks for your input it really helped. Sad part is I found out that my favorite brand of mowers for the past 20+ years is no longer in production. Should I try and trade it off before parts become unavailable, and if so what you recommend for a zero turn, but I could go to wheel drive. Just love zero turns however.
Again THANK YOU!

The mower you are working on is just a "Blue" Husqvarna. They are still made and parts are all around.

Ok. spent 4 hours replacing drive belt (and since I saw I had to take of deck belt to replace drive), replaced that also and the pulley spring. No heart attack hinted so I mowed the lawn.

No improvement I am sorry, VERY, to say! Still runs as normal for first half of about an acre of total lawn. At the have way mark (this after a quite a bit of in and around trees and a few small grade slopes) then a bit steeper grades (mound system). All of this was mentioned in original post. It is then, after a few hints that consist of the high pitch hum and having to work the feather and push forward the control arms it gets worse and I try to finish by back tracking and going down slopes in order the finish and am worked out when its all over.
I don't know how to measure grades but to me mine are normal aka normal sewer mound system plus have not had problems with 4 previous Dixons, (2 cones).

So any ideas welcome otherwise I will try to trade. My Dixon dealer now sells Cub Cadets so may try somewhere else for what I don' t know.

Thank You and wish you were my neighbor!!!

Did you check the fluid level in your hydros? There's a plug at the top of the hydros hex head that you remove fill. Fluid level should be three quarters of an inch below the top. 20w 50 motor oil is what you put in them. Did you purge the air?