Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I have a Craftsman 19hp Twin Turbo lawn tractor with hydrostatic transmission. Recently, the tractor does not go up hills or at any incline like it used to. When the tractor first starts, it seems to be OK. Then, as it heats up, a high pitched whine emanates from the tractor when I attempt to go uphill. I changed the front motion drive belt, but this had no effect. Sears will charge me $96 just to look at it, and if it is the transaxle, it would probably be better if I bought a new tractor?? Looking for advice...it is a sealed unit, but is it missing some fluid? Thanks for any help.

I just bought a new drive belt for my Craftsman 1000, 5 years old. After I dropped the deck and cleaned that, I was on my back staring at the drive belt and system. Dirt was caked into crevices (and there are a lot of them) near the transmission. I used a bamboo skewer for shish kabobs to poke around in there and accumulated quite a pile of dirt. Checking the belt, it didn't seem like it needed replacing. After reattaching the deck, the test drive showed that the caked on dirt was not allowing parts to move where they needed to move. Check that first before doing anything. I don't think you'll really need to even drop the deck.
One more thing... I will now use a leafblower to move the dust and dirt off the mower; no more water that cakes on and compacts the dirt.
Hope this helps because it's sickening to think about dropping hundreds on a new tranny.

With all I have read about all the problems with this type of tranny.  Is there anyone out there that knows of a way that you can swap this type for an older more reliable type? One guy wrote that he is on his 4th tranny.So getting a new tranny with the same old problem doesn't seem like a solution.

I have a Craftsman LT 1000 (Briggs and Stratton, 42 inch cut) and the trans just crashed. Where is the best place to get a replacement transmission and how do I get the part number to order. Thanks, Randy

The best place to find the part # is at the sear parts webpage....

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action?intcmp=xsite_Sears


... but the that is one of the most expensive places to get things. Find the part number there, then google the part number and see what you can find.


What is wrong with your transmission? you may be able to repair it, or if it is hydrostatic it may be low on fluid...

Good Luck,

Friiy

mlupone wrote: These hydro transmissions are shipped with grease in the gear box that stops working after a few years. You need to drill a hole in the top of the transmission and push about 1/3 quart of gear oil in. Then seal the hole. I used metal tape. If the shift lever F-N-R is out of adjustment the tractor will go in and out of gear as you drive. Once it is adjusted you should stay in gear and it will run smoothly. It will leak the gear oil out various unsealed spots until it find the level below these spots. Don't do this if you don't want oil drips on the floor! This dripping should slow / stop after a few days.  

I have a sears craftsman DYT 4000 series..was mowing with it last summer..put on brake to lift deck..after lowering deck mower would not move forward or backward..also had a screeching sound when put in gear..Back tires wont turn at all even when pulled...mower is about 6 yrs.old...wondering if it could be some of these other problems i have read on here such as brake or the gear oil...Seras wants 400.00 for a rebuilt tranny..I know I wont by another Sears mower..have had to put 2 new carbs on it sense I have had it..Should I try some of these suggestions first

Since it happened all at once, including when you applied the brake, and moved the mower deck, it makes me wonder if something more straightforward happened. As you mentioned, perhaps the brake, or brake linkage, got stuck? You might look down at the rear axle for the brake assembly, and find the cable or rod that actuates it. With the brake engaged/released, does the cable/rod move smoothly back and forth?

Does the tractor have a lever to disengage the transmission? Something like a setting to make it easier to roll? Can you push it with that feature enabled?

Are the transmission and deck belts both on properly? Is anything touching the transmission belt that should not be?

Does it screech immediately when put into gear, or only once you release the brake, and try to actually move?

I would check the simpler things like these before I considered doing anything with the transmission itself.

In my search for the solution to my 20HP  V Twin model 272440  hydro transaxel p/n 166678- buy new lawn tractor (didn't like the new model options),spend big bucks on new or rebuilt replacement or buy a used one online (questionable reliablilty) I have also experienced some of the other problems along with  transaxle probs you guys have discussed on here and would like to offer what has worked for me.
 To the the guy with the won't move forward or backward suddenly problem , I had and resolved the same problem. The gear lever retention spring (not the proprer name of it I'm sure -look for it in your manual's diagram  was replaced and checked the brake adjustment at same time. The problem was that the  tranny belt kept coming off  (thus wouldn't go forward of backward suddenly and it was a real bugger to get off and back on since it jammed under the  the pulley  each time-plus sometimes also damages the belt. So anyway-replaced the spring (you can get a glimpse of it down thru the opening where your  F-N-R gear lever is). After and not until I put back on the wheel weights and the tire chains did it solve the problem immediatly and no problem with it since then.

I have same problem thats been coming on for a a couple of mowing seasons-the whine especially on hills and seems to be loosing some power on hills also (have to move the gear lever forward more now to get the same speed out of the transaxle as I used to). Then recently started getting another noise (it was the fan on top of trans. hitting the support bar sometimes particularly when pulling a loaded trailer). I did have the Sears tech come out who discovered all the above and gave and showed me in my manual and online the p/n for a new one $1000. or rebuilt $650. He was a great guy  full of good info worth every bit of the $96. In the meantime I think I've found another hydro transaxle -used- and am gonna try to install myself bar any real brain puzzlers. The Sears guy said not difficult to replace-disconnect brake and two bolts holds it in place. He said the front bearing was going out allowing the tranny to move upward thus the fan blades hitting the support bar. He showed me the movement of the tranny. But I may also try the other guy's suggestion on here -the drill a hole in top of tranny and ad gear oil first.
 I' m open to any and all suggestions any may want to send my way. I have loved this  hydrostaitic mower for the past 12 years with very little problems with it until the gear lever spring last year and now the showstopper transaxle.  I have very steep hills and about two acres to mow.
 The new models at Sears this year don't reccomend hydro for hills since they dont "pump" the oil to the gears thus good for flat only they say unlike they did when I bought mine in '01. But I think 11-12 years out of my mower is pretty damn good-that's why I hate to give it up for a bright red (yuk) 6 speed with a no mow reverse safety feature and less heavy duty deck and not twin V engine( louder). Send me all the help you fellas wanna tell me 'cause I intend to fix 'er up at this point.

You're lucky to have gotten 12 years out of that tranny based on your  conditions and use. It is most likely an entry level Tuff Torq or Hydro Gear transaxel without any means to change the transaxel fluid (a so-called sealed unit). Using a lawn tractor to mow on hilly terrain or pull heavy loads is the kiss of death for those light duty transaxels. You may want to consider a  used Garden Tractor (GT) as a replacement based on the much heavier duty (ground engaging) transaxel that is typically found on this type of tractor. Everything else on a GT is also much heavier duty and will last much longer than it would on an LT (Lawn Tractor).

You got your moneys worth out that LT and it earned it's keep but you may want to consider either a new LT (and hope for another 12 years) or spend a few extra bucks and get a GT that is more up to the task. "They don't make 'em like they used to" definitely applies to the tractor world (and other OPE as well) these days. Any tractor less than $2K is considered a disposable product with a limited shelf life, especially under the conditions you described. It would suck to replace the tranny and then have all kinds of other items start to fail and you end up spending more time (and money) fixing it than actually using it. Just something to consider...