TiIngot
Active Member
This tractor was purchased used with only about 170 hours on the clock for a local swim club. The tractor transmission now at 198 hours begins to lose power, especially when in reverse. Eventually the transmission did not have enough power to back up into the storage building, and I needed to drive it up in forward to park it. Also, at 198 hours, this is the second time I have "fixed" it at no cost. The problem is grass build-up on top of a sub-plate under the center floor plate. This area cannot be cleaned with a leaf blower.
Driving it from the club DOWN hill to my house for service it seemed to be traveling slower as I drove it longer. Leaving the deck on and jacking up the front wheels the gap between the floor and this sub-plate can be viewed and reached by hand but all the buildup of grass cannot be reached. An air nozzle and water hose is required to thoroughly remove the build-up of grass debris. I believe the grass build-up limits the stroke or movement of the foot pedal preventing the transmission from fully engaging reverse. After the thorough cleaning the drive back UP hill to the swim club had no loss of speed in forward and the tractor easily was backed into the storage room.
Bottom line: If you start to lose power in reverse, before considering serious transmission repairs, insure there is no grass buildup limiting movement of the reverse/forward linkage rods.
Driving it from the club DOWN hill to my house for service it seemed to be traveling slower as I drove it longer. Leaving the deck on and jacking up the front wheels the gap between the floor and this sub-plate can be viewed and reached by hand but all the buildup of grass cannot be reached. An air nozzle and water hose is required to thoroughly remove the build-up of grass debris. I believe the grass build-up limits the stroke or movement of the foot pedal preventing the transmission from fully engaging reverse. After the thorough cleaning the drive back UP hill to the swim club had no loss of speed in forward and the tractor easily was backed into the storage room.
Bottom line: If you start to lose power in reverse, before considering serious transmission repairs, insure there is no grass buildup limiting movement of the reverse/forward linkage rods.