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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?

Our Dixon dealers are drying up around here. I planned on buying one from my local farm supply store, but they quit carrying them a couple of years ago, although I still see several in my area.

Anyway, this really sounds like a fluid or air issue to me. I'm no expert, but that's where I would look first.

On my scag, there are hoses running to the hydros from a small reservoir tank, this tank lets the fluid expand once the drives heat up, causing the level in the tank to go up some. It has to have a place to go or it will build up pressure and cause problems. I am not sure of the design of the Dixon or how they have it, but make sure the tanks if supplied aren't over half full cold, and make sure there's something in the sight window as well to prevent air from getting in.

I only know the newer style drives, so I can't speak for the older sealed style. I have an old JD hydro tractor that i've never even looked at, it just keeps running, I don't check or add. Almost afraid to

Thank You Homer1 for replying to my post.

BlazNT has been giving me advice and after doing the belt thing he also said to go to the fluid etc as possible culprit.

In am getting up my courage to go get the mower out of the garage again today and see if I can even find what hes talking about. Purging??? Well that would be another whole issue.
My usual Dixon supplier and repair is no longer in business and not sure where to go if I can't figure it out. Any place would probably be a fifty mile drive, And no one wants to come and pick it up.
Well they would but for a lot of money!!

I'll use some of you response and see if I can make any sense of anything and then proceed. Just hate to spend a whole month of my social security. That would be quite a burden for me.

Thanks Again!

Purging the air is very simple. Jack up the mowers rear tires. Move the free wheel levers to free wheel. Sit on mower and start it. Run the controls forward for 10 seconds then backwards for 10 seconds. Parking break on and levers in neutral. Get off mower. Move free wheel levers back to drive position and repeat the process. You may have to do it more than one time. Remember muffler is very hot do not touch it.

Here is a nifty how to for purging the hydrogear motors.. maybe this will at least address one possible issue, which is air in the lines..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJFgt0GgjNg

The Dixon manual also suggests to change the fluid and filters on the trans-axles at 100 hours. Not sure if that maintenance has been done, but it could be needed. I am sure there are millions of mowers out there however that skipped this service.

Don't see any plug but even if I did I would have no way to get at it. Purging? What would cause air to get in? Nobody seems to want to fix it so have been offered $700 for it which seems a shame! But.

Are there any hoses running to the drive motors that run up into the frame somewhere?

It could be moisture in there also.. Hydraulic lines are notorious for picking up moisture or air if any leaks are present, or seals have gone bad. If it's moisture it may just need a fluid and filter change.

Any leaks around where it's being or has been parked that are noticeable?

Don't sell it too fast, it has to be something simple.

No hoses that I can find accept for a small diameter hose at top that appears to be a vent hose.
There is no visible filter nor any place to drain or add fluid that I can find. In my studies it seemed to be a sealed system. And no maintenance needed

BlazNT suggested yesterday to check fluid levels but i can find no place to do so plus if there was it would be impossible to get too.
He also asked if I had purged the air and I may try that unless you have another suggestion.

Again hard to figure how air could be there. New pumps are $750 times one or two but have no idea if they are shot. When I got a trade number from dealer I was honest about the issue, because thats who I am, thus he assumed the pump or pumps would need relaceing.

Also parts manual shows no tank, belts or filters.

I meant hoses not belts.

The drives are EZT 2200
Air can get into the system by driving on a grade larger that 15%
The fill hole is not a bolt but a plug with a hex hole in it. Im looking for a picture of it.

Found a picture of fill hole. circled in red and arrow pointing to it.

Ok Ill look for that. Meanwhile I have the mower jacked up. I am a bit confused and suspect that you already knew that, but if i understand you right I should move the free wheel levers to free wheel. I am assuming that is done by pulling out on the rods in the back that re used for transport. if so when I do the wheels are locked and that doesn't seem right to me since you say to move free wheel levers to free wheel. Also assume that these are the rods to use because the exhausts are right there close.

Yes pull them out so the wheels turn easier.

You can buy brand new hydros for $230 each plus shipping. I think it was $20 shipping. 4 bolts to the frame and 2 or 3 bolts from one hydro to the other. Easy to do it yourself.
http://www.surpluscenter.com/Brands...-LEFT-HYDROSTATIC-ZTR-TRANSAXLE-13-1519-L.axd

Wheels do not turn when rods are engaged to the frame but do move (whit a bit of resistance when brake is disengaged. So Not sure here.

Your diagram isn't quite the same as my parts list manual. the only thing I see similar to your diagram is a vent hose in that vicinity.

do we have the right model. speedztr 48 / 966698601.

the pumps from surplus center do look like mine.

The diagram I gave you is from the manufacturer of the drives not from Husqvarna so it'll be a stripped-down version of it.
To get the wheels to free wheel take break off pull both rod's out in back.

surplus website picture, the hex plug right next to the black vent tube it the check fluid and fill port.

Ok, I can feel it but can't see it, so, with my age 76 and abilities there is no way that i can do this. End of adventure I guess. I did do the purge and it wasn't any different. Actually had trouble putting it back in the shed on a slight bump. Backed it out an hour later to look at pump and it drove right in with no problem. So I'm done I guess.
Thanks again but I'm not able to do this myself and not sure it would be worth the expense of probably two pumps. Dealers are telling me $750 each and I've seen those prices on line , but they then say the trade in value of $500 to $700 would not change and not worth sticking $1000 into it.

Here's another tidbit I came across suggesting air again..

What BlazNT suggested earlier about the air is that he thinks you may have mowed on an incline too great for the system which may have injected some air into the lines. The drive is not filled to the brim with oil, and thus retains some air, but this air shouldn't enter the system unless it's pushed too far somehow. For example, your power steering reservoir in your vehicle. If you loosen the cap you will see that it's not 100% full, but probably more like 75. If you tipped that tank over enough, the air would reach the supply tube and then you would have a noisy PS pump, which can be purged much like this method here, by rocking the steering fully 1 way and back the other several times. You wouldn't have to open or take anything apart to get that trapped air where it shouldn't be.

PURGING PROCEDURES
Due to the effects air has on efficiency in hydro static drive applications, it is critical that it is purged from the system.
These purge procedures should be implemented any time a hydro static system has been opened to facilitate maintenance or any additional oil has been added to the system.
Air creates inefficiency because its compression and expansion rate is higher than that of the oil approved for use in hydro static drive systems.
The resulting symptoms in hydro static systems may be:
1. Noisy operation.
2. Lack of power or drive after short term operation.
3. High operation temperature and excessive expansion of oil.
Before starting, make sure the trans-axle/trans- mission is at the proper oil level. If it is not, fill to the specifications outlined on Page 9, Figure 4.
The following procedures should be performed with the vehicle drive wheels off the ground, then repeated under normal operating conditions.
1.With the bypass valve open and the engine running, slowly move the directional control in both forward and reverse directions (5 or 6 times), as air is purged from the unit, the oil level will drop.
2.With the bypass valve closed and the engine running, slowly move the directional control in both forward and reverse directions (5 to 6 times). Check the oil level, and add oil as required after stopping the engine.
3.It may be necessary to repeat Steps 1 and 2 until all the air is completely purged from the system. When the trans-axle moves for- ward and reverse at normal speed purging is complete.

All of these symptoms seem to be plaguing you.

Happen to know anyone, friend or relative that may have some minor mechanical knowledge and could come help you check. These transmissions should get pretty decent hours in a residential setting, a little less in a high acreage farm application. I hate for you to trade the mower if it's something you can fix, but if you have had this one for a while and maybe just don't want to deal with issues down the road, it could be time to trade. Not only for the warranty options but the convenience of having a local dealer who will service it.

If you do decide to trade, let us know what your local dealer carries and we will help you with any information you need on the purchase of a new one.

Homer1

Thank you so much for trying to help me out here.

I did do the purging and was anxious to see if it was the answer to my problem. Has usual after 15 to twenty minutes after starting to mow, it starts to go south "bad". so bad at the end that I had a hard time putting it away in the shed which just meant driving over a 1" threshold. I did come out about an hour later to back it out and check where Blatz said I could find the the check/fill port, "Blatz found a outlet for a new pump that looks like mine so I could see "feel" where it was.
Then I drove it back in with no problem.

So I finally found the plug to check and fill the transmission. Unfortuanetly I can feel it but not see it and checking and adding in my estimation would mean taking a lot of stuff apart to get at it.
I would have no idea where the bypass valve that was mentioned in the purging procedures would be, plus to check and fill after purging as directed in your post, again seems impossible for me anyway. i'm 75 and not mechanicaly inclined. All though I know more than I did
say 50 years ago.

I have been doing some conversations with some dealers. I do tell them the issues I am having cuz thats the way I am, and there trade in value is 500 to 600 dollars.
So pretty much ready to give up. Thanks again.