JD LX277 AWS Uphill Mowing Issue

[Jeffmesk]

This John Deere lawn tractor is about 17-18 years old. It doesn’t have a meter but I calculate it has about 1200 to 1300 hours on it. In the winter I use it as a Snowblower and in the summer I am mowing a large country yard about 2 acres in all. The yard is mostly sloped and in it is a large mound system as part of the mowing area. The mound system is fairly steep and is where the lawn tractor shows it’s issue first. In the beginning of general
mowing it will go up and down the mound system without any problem. But after 30 to 40 minutes of mowing the yard, which includes mound system, the tractor transmission seems to start slipping going uphill. The steepest areas have to be avoided completely and any slight up hill becomes more and more difficult to ascend until I feel it’s whining too much to continue. I will park the tractor and let it cool for an hour and then go back to mowing, still having some difficulty going up any grade. the mound system is now impossible. I don’t smell anything, I don’t hear anything, except the whining sounds while going up a grade. I replaced the short belt last week and the long belt last year. The tractor has been serviced by a JD mechanic every year. He retired and the problem began. Thank you for reading my post.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Not sure what the service life of a Tough torq K62 is but there is a simple test
Put the mower on the slope in neutral brake off and give it a light push.
IT should stop almost the instant that you let go.
If it runs away like Mulga Bills bicycle then the tranny is on it's way out.
Some times you can extend the like by a few seasons by changing the oil and in particular going to a heavier 20w50 oil
The whine is the oil bypassing the cylinders and squeezing out the side of the valve chest.

At that age, the stack pulley on the engine could be worn out.
Look at it with a strong light.
If the very bottom of the V is polished from the belt running on it then it is replacement time
18 years out of one that is used all year round is a good service life, I have replaced a lot younger ones than that.

If not the engine pulley then the clutching pullesy & tension lever & spring are all suspect .

 

[arch252]

Make sure the transmission fluid is not low. If it is low when you go up or down a steep grade it can pull air into the piston block. You could also try purging the air from the transmission in case that is the issue. Just something simple worth checking before you get too deep into it.

 

[arch252]

I run 5w50 synthetic in my LX279. I've restored LX models exclusively for about 4 years now. I've torn down 3 of the K62 trannys. I can tell you if one or both or the piston blocks are worn it's bad news. Hard to find a used replacement block and then you have to worry about the condition. New is not an option, it's only sold in a kit with both blocks and it prices out the cost of the transmission. You can usually find an LX277 or 279 being sold for parts pretty cheap. Swapping the transmission can be a pain but it's sometimes the best option. Hopefully your fluid is just low!