Hydro slip

dwint

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I bought a used yt48xls and it looks brand new.The guy just put belts on so I'm sure it's transmission related.Mower works fine until it gets good and warm then struggles going up hills.What would cause this ?Dirty filters or low oil or both?
 

mechanic mark

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Remove deck & inspect tractor drive belt for wear & being OEM belt & idler pulleys for wear. Post tractor make, model & serial numbers, thanks Mark
 

bertsmobile1

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Park the mower on a hill
Engine off then release the brake
It should stay there is the hydros are in perfect condition
If it is hard to push & stops when you stop pushing it , then it is in very good condition
If it is easy to push and continues to roll after you stop pushing the hydros are very worn
If it races down the hill like Mulga Bills Bicycle then start looking for a new drive

Occasionally you can get a few more seasons out of a worn out hydro by draining the oil & refilling with a heavier oil
 

dwint

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Remove deck & inspect tractor drive belt for wear & being OEM belt & idler pulleys for wear. Post tractor make, model & serial numbers, thanks Mark
It's a husqvarna model yt48ls ser 020113a001924 .Belts are new. Previous owner took a very good care of this has receipts for every single thing done on it.
Park the mower on a hill
Engine off then release the brake
It should stay there is the hydros are in perfect condition
If it is hard to push & stops when you stop pushing it , then it is in very good condition
If it is easy to push and continues to roll after you stop pushing the hydros are very worn
If it races down the hill like Mulga Bills Bicycle then start looking for a new drive

Occasionally you can get a few more seasons out of a worn out hydro by draining the oil & refilling with a heavier oil
I went up a hill and shut off and when I let off the brake it went down hill pretty fast.Besides the tranny this was well taken care of.Does it pay to have it worked on?it's a 48 inch fabricated deck in perfect like new shape.Has 24 h.p Kawasaki. I only paid 475 and now I know why.
 

bertsmobile1

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In Aus they run to around $ 2000 so we have a couple of shops that repair them
Apparently this does not happen in the USA where replacement parts are cheaper
There is a drop in pump/motor unit to replace the worn out parts
It is a simple repair, just tedious to do with lots of essential careful cleaning thus a big labour charge.
Best left till the end of the season when you have time
For right now pull the transmission out ( take photos of the linkages ) remove the filing cap and slip the magnet out then tip upside down and drain the oil.
Replace with 20W50 or heavier , I have used 40w75 Harley oil on one mower for a pensioner and it is still running 5 years latter, but gets worse every year .
You can not do any more damage so you have nothing to loose
Then between now & winter you can do the repair research
 

dwint

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Jun 22, 2013
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In Aus they run to around $ 2000 so we have a couple of shops that repair them
Apparently this does not happen in the USA where replacement parts are cheaper
There is a drop in pump/motor unit to replace the worn out parts
It is a simple repair, just tedious to do with lots of essential careful cleaning thus a big labour charge.
Best left till the end of the season when you have time
For right now pull the transmission out ( take photos of the linkages ) remove the filing cap and slip the magnet out then tip upside down and drain the oil.
Replace with 20W50 or heavier , I have used 40w75 Harley oil on one mower for a pensioner and it is still running 5 years latter, but gets worse every year .
You can not do any more damage so you have nothing to loose
Then between now & winter you can do the repair research
 

dwint

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They sell the whole transaxle for 650 online and rebuild kit for 160 but for now I'll try heavier oil,thanks.
 

Tiger Small Engine

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How many hours on mower if equipped with meter? Did they use mower to pull implements?
If the pump and drive cylinders and valve face are scored, then it get more complicated and expensive. No way of knowing unless the hydrostatic transaxle if cracked open. Most likely cost prohibitive with parts and labor if simple oil change doesn’t help.
 

dwint

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How many hours on mower if equipped with meter? Did they use mower to pull implements?
If the pump and drive cylinders and valve face are scored, then it get more complicated and expensive. No way of knowing unless the hydrostatic transaxle if cracked open. Most likely cost prohibitive with parts and labor if simple It has 490 hrs and I can tell by the bolts that they took off the axle and probably changed the oil a few times.Im guessing the last time it was done it didn't help and it went up for sale.
 
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