Fastrack SD Hydro slow on one side.

[MNK]

Hi All,
I purchased a Fastrack SD with 26 Hrs on the clock last week. The RH hydro is slower than the left. I have done the adjustments as per the manual but still no joy. Initially forward RH was slower than LH - reverse was evenly matched. after adjusting the lever - hydro adjuster rod and fiddling about I now have forward evenly matched and running at 8 mph which I am happy with. Reverse however is now slower than RH side. no amount of adjusting can I get forward and reverse speeds to be the same both sides.
Rang the dealer and he went through the adjustment procedure and I confirmed I had done that. He then told me to remove the arm rests as they were probably interfering with the control lever travel ... I assured him they were not. He then said there was probably air in the hydro and I should bleed the system, he also went onto say that this is common when transporting the mower and is probably the problem. I asked him, given that I am a commercial mowing contractor that transports the mower several times a day could I expect to have to bleed the system regularly ? He then became a little aggressive and I decided he would not be able to assist me with my problem and ended the conversation.
Anyway, does anyone know what I need to do to set the hydros so they travel at the same speed , forward and reverse.... ? I am lost and it really is annoying me that our 4 yr old 1800 hr Fastrack is a better mower to use than the new SD

Thanks
Michael

 

[MNK]

Anyone ? Someone must have something ...... surely , I hope

 

[djdicetn]

Anyone ? Someone must have something ...... surely , I hope

Contact Hustler and report the unfriendliness of the dealer!!! With 26 hours on it, do NOT try to fix a problem yourself.....that's what a Warranty is for!!! If there is another Hustler dealer in your area contact them and request them to check out the problem(and tell them the other dealer did not offer after-the-sale support that you expected). I would not "touch" my Gravely if it developed a problem like yours for three years or 1,000 hours no matter how confident I was that I could probably fix it. You PAID for a Warranty...I recommend that you use it.

 

[MNK]

Contact Hustler and report the unfriendliness of the dealer!!! With 26 hours on it, do NOT try to fix a problem yourself.....that's what a Warranty is for!!! If there is another Hustler dealer in your area contact them and request them to check out the problem(and tell them the other dealer did not offer after-the-sale support that you expected). I would not "touch" my Gravely if it developed a problem like yours for three years or 1,000 hours no matter how confident I was that I could probably fix it. You PAID for a Warranty...I recommend that you use it.

I was going to make some "changes" myself but after reading your advice I have reconsidered and will approach another dealer.... I don't hold much hope though , see how we go.
Anyway thanks for the feedback dj ... wise words.
On a brighter note I leveled up the deck over the weekend just gone (that's a mission in itself) as it was supplied from the same dealer 5/16" lower on one side and leaving a nice (sic) little line on the customers lawns. Took her out today and apart from the speed issue it is cutting perfectly , it will be a nice mower to use once I get the bugs sorted .

Michael

 

[RetiredGuns]

Maybe the mower came from the USA? Don't things spin the wrong way down under. :wink:

3100s are 3100s so unless the linkage is all out of whack and even so a good serviceman should be able to get them adjusted. Seems like a warranty job for sure. Did you buy the mower from the jerk dealer? If so, that would be a call to Hustler for me. They are pleasant to talk to.

 

[Micko]

Anyone ? Someone must have something ...... surely , I hope

Where abouts in Aust are you?
If youve done the linkages etc I dont know what else it could be. Air should be out of the system by now. Bloody dealers unfairly blame operators for everything these days! How could he look you in the eye and blame transporting for air getting in? That doesnt make sense! If theres a leak air can get pulled in but transporting, NO WAY!
The machines new so any issues should be sorted under warranty. Get them to do it incase something else goes wrong!

I'd like to know what dealer it was. Maybe you can PM me the name?

 

[MNK]

Maybe the mower came from the USA? Don't things spin the wrong way down under. :wink:

3100s are 3100s so unless the linkage is all out of whack and even so a good serviceman should be able to get them adjusted. Seems like a warranty job for sure. Did you buy the mower from the jerk dealer? If so, that would be a call to Hustler for me. They are pleasant to talk to.

Ha ye ... only the water draining out of the kitchen sink I think ... or is it the toilet?
Yep got it from the rude dealer (well his mechanic was the rude one with the stupid answers)
Mine has the 3400 I think but don't make any difference , same same.

 

[MNK]

Where abouts in Aust are you?
If youve done the linkages etc I dont know what else it could be. Air should be out of the system by now. Bloody dealers unfairly blame operators for everything these days! How could he look you in the eye and blame transporting for air getting in? That doesnt make sense! If theres a leak air can get pulled in but transporting, NO WAY!
The machines new so any issues should be sorted under warranty. Get them to do it incase something else goes wrong!

I'd like to know what dealer it was. Maybe you can PM me the name?

Sunshine Coast Qld.
I'm a diesel fitter by trade and been in the heavy equipment industry for over 30 yrs, now I'm no mower expert but do know enough about hydros to know it isn't air. And I also know transporting the thing wont introduce air into the system.
If I had to make a call I reckon there is not quite enough travel on the controller ... meaning the hole in the steering lever for the linkage arm is slightly closer to the pivot (or slightly further from the pivot on the hydro) , if that makes sense.
I can adjust the speeds to be right but only in one direction at a time. If forward is right reverse is slow or if I adjust reverse to be right, forward is too slow. So not quite enough travel to make full forward - full reverse at the hydro. That's my theory anyway and if the Hustler dealers cant/wont sort it, I'll slot the hole on the steering lever so I can move the linkage mount further away from the pivot point.
Maybe.
What I don't have, is time to have my main mower parked up while some idiot that thinks the hydros get air in them while transporting tries to fix it !! So Ill put up with it for a bit until I find a dealer with a decent mechanic.

 

[MNK]

So, spoke to another dealer ... apparently that's how they are and I can't expect them to match both sides as there are too many variants .
Whatever , Ill just fix the damn thing myself.
I'm thinkin Ill give reverse a tune up anyways while I'm at it so its the same speed as forward :thumbsup:

 

[Micko]

So, spoke to another dealer ... apparently that's how they are and I can't expect them to match both sides as there are too many variants .
Whatever , Ill just fix the damn thing myself.
I'm thinkin Ill give reverse a tune up anyways while I'm at it so its the same speed as forward :thumbsup:

Similar thing happened with my first SZ. Took it to dealer, he messed around with the linkages (or something), jacked up the machine and used a RPM meter thing on the wheels. ie put a white dot on the tires and this thing counted how many revs in a given time. Tested the speed basically! Im trying to remember back like 8 or 9 yrs now but he may of tested the pressure in the hydros as well.

Took him like 30mins and it was done!

I dunno what it is with dealers these days! Lazy, untrained, uncaring? Its not good enough thats for sure!