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I have 2 Yard-Machines (MTD) mowers that I'd like to swap the transaxle on. I want to use the Hydrostatic transaxle from a 1997 Series 695 and put it into an earlier similar model that has a 7 speed transaxle and is 4-wheel steer. I just bought that one and haven't found the model info yet. I know I would have to use the pedal assemblies and fenders, running boards etc. from the donor. On the surface it looks to me like it might be doable. I can get more info on the receiver machine but I thought I'd start by asking if it is even plausible.

Winch said:

I have 2 Yard-Machines (MTD) mowers that I'd like to swap the transaxle on. I want to use the Hydrostatic transaxle from a 1997 Series 695 and put it into an earlier similar model that has a 7 speed transaxle and is 4-wheel steer. I just bought that one and haven't found the model info yet. I know I would have to use the pedal assemblies and fenders, running boards etc. from the donor. On the surface it looks to me like it might be doable. I can get more info on the receiver machine but I thought I'd start by asking if it is even plausible.

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So I have two questions, 1.you will be going from 7 speed standard transaxle to a hydro? 2. will the end tractor be 4 wheel steering or standard non 4 wheel steering? Anything is possible with time and money or enough parts. I would look to see if the frames, bracketry, spacing of wheels, mounting points, etc. are the same to see if you will have to weld and fabricate or just swap parts over. This could be fun. Post the model #s of both tractors, trans model#s and we can check to see if things will work together. I have swapped hydro to non-hydro transaxles and it's a lot of swapping of parts and time, but it worked out good at the end. Maybe you could post pictures of the bottom side of both tractors to get a better look at what your dealing with.

gfp55 said:

So I have two questions, 1.you will be going from 7 speed standard transaxle to a hydro? 2. will the end tractor be 4 wheel steering or standard non 4 wheel steering? Anything is possible with time and money or enough parts. I would look to see if the frames, bracketry, spacing of wheels, mounting points, etc. are the same to see if you will have to weld and fabricate or just swap parts over. This could be fun. Post the model #s of both tractors, trans model#s and we can check to see if things will work together. I have swapped hydro to non-hydro transaxles and it's a lot of swapping of parts and time, but it worked out good at the end. Maybe you could post pictures of the bottom side of both tractors to get a better look at what your dealing with.

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The finished Frankenmower would be hydrostatic with 4-wheel steer. On the surface the 2 mowers are very similar. I need to measure the width of the transaxles. The hydrostatic may be wider being it was not on a 4-wheel steer. In that case I wonder if the shafts could be swapped as well. I should mention the mower with hydrostatic transaxle had an 18 hp Brigs whereas the 4-wheel steer mower has 15.5. I hope it has enough power to drive a hydrostatic transaxle. I guess the main question I have right now is did MTD ever make a mower with a hydrostatic transaxle and 4-wheel steer?

I have to go out of town in a couple of hours and won't be back until Sunday evening. I'll try to figure out the model number of the 4-wheel steer mower when I get home and post that info as well as some pics.

UPDATE: I just took some measurements and pics and the transaxles look completely different. I'm guessing this is not possible. Maybe if I find a hydrostatic transaxle that came off a 4 wheel steer. First I have to find out the model number on the Yard-Man that I just bought but I don't see any info on the hood/cover.