JD Mower Transmission is shot. Need advice on New brand

Captain Belly · Feb 4, 2018

I mow 3 acres of grass. I have 2 JD mowers.... a LA145 and a L130. I always have 1 of them running while I work on the other. I'm getting old and tired.
I'm looking for a lawn tractor that has a good reputation for pulling. The heaviest thing I pull would be a small garden cart with firewood in it. Prob about 300 lbs.
Please give me some advice on what to buy. I don't want to spend more than 3K.

bertsmobile1 · Feb 4, 2018

If the mowers and engines are in good nick, upgrade to a better tranny.
Easy job , about 3 to 4 hours work.
Mulligans seem to have the best prices around and do good service
mulliganspartscompany.com
An upgraded tranny will set you back about a grand .
The Tuff Torqs fitted to JD's was not the best unit and usually a simple oil change will make a big difference.
Go up to 20w50 fully synthetic oil and see how that goes.
If there is a lot of swarf on the magnet inside the filler cap then consider a replacement.

The unit JD use has an internal brake which is good cause it never gets full of mowing debris & jambs on.
It is bad cause it loads up the oil with worn disc pads.

What is critical is that you clean the tranny very carefully before you open up anything.
They are made in a dust free enviroment and are full sealed to keep them that way.

From memory there is a K55 and an even better K66 upgrade that drops directly in your mower.

Boobala · Feb 5, 2018

Might also want to check these out,

http://www.surpluscenter.com/shop.axd/Search?keywords=transaxles

and you may consider going used,

http://www.mowergraveyard.com/transaxles-c-13/ ( see upper right corner for more pages)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkr90AmIg_4 (Harald'ssmallengine.com)

Captain Belly · Feb 10, 2018

Thanks for your help on this matter.

cruzenmike · Feb 10, 2018

If you stay with John Deere and purchase new, I believe the X380 is the start of the K58 transmissions, which right now with their sales will set you back just about $4K with taxes. You can also get a Cub Cadet GT50 with a K58 for around $3K with tax any time. Difference in the two is likely the more robust chassis, Kawasaki FS engine and better warranty on the Deere. The Cub Cadet has a more powerful engine, slightly larger deck and a very nice, responsive steering setup. Other than those, you can try to find a still new, last year's model Husqvarna GT48DXLS which has the K66 with Diff Lock and those run $3K plus tax, but the build quality of the machine will not be near the Cub let alone the Deere. A drop in tranny will set you back hundreds or more if you are buying a new one. Its up to you if you want to put that much money into an older machine, or sell it for parts and put that money into a new rider that can do everything that you need it to do. Good Luck.

bertsmobile1 · Feb 10, 2018

cruzenmike said:
If you stay with John Deere and purchase new, I believe the X380 is the start of the K58 transmissions, which right now with their sales will set you back just about $4K with taxes. You can also get a Cub Cadet GT50 with a K58 for around $3K with tax any time. Difference in the two is likely the more robust chassis, Kawasaki FS engine and better warranty on the Deere. The Cub Cadet has a more powerful engine, slightly larger deck and a very nice, responsive steering setup. Other than those, you can try to find a still new, last year's model Husqvarna GT48DXLS which has the K66 with Diff Lock and those run $3K plus tax, but the build quality of the machine will not be near the Cub let alone the Deere. A drop in tranny will set you back hundreds or more if you are buying a new one. Its up to you if you want to put that much money into an older machine, or sell it for parts and put that money into a new rider that can do everything that you need it to do. Good Luck.

Mike, you need to get out more.
A K55 to fit is around $1800.
The K 66's run about $ 2,500.
A K46 is $ 600.

The old dead box will go for around $ 100 on Evilpay or Craigs.
Cearch around and you will find many people doing back yard tranny repairs.
Down here I can get the K 46 reconditioned for $ 400 ( Aust ) with 12 months warranty so I now have 2 used units sitting on the shelf.

cruzenmike · Feb 10, 2018

bertsmobile1 said:
Mike, you need to get out more.
A K55 to fit is around $1800.
The K 66's run about $ 2,500.
A K46 is $ 600.

The old dead box will go for around $ 100 on Evilpay or Craigs.
Cearch around and you will find many people doing back yard tranny repairs.
Down here I can get the K 46 reconditioned for $ 400 ( Aust ) with 12 months warranty so I now have 2 used units sitting on the shelf.

Those prices are insane. A brand new K66 can be had for $450 on eBay in the US which is likely $150-200 cheaper than at the dealer. As for the upgraded units, its a great idea, but I guess it all depends on if putting money into an old machine is worth it especially when a brand new mower with a K66 can be had for $500 more than just the cost of a K66. Like the say, most all equipment is cheaper than the sum of all of it's components.

JD Mower Transmission is shot. Need advice on New brand

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Captain Belly

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bertsmobile1

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Boobala

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Captain Belly

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