Thank you!

Thanks 👍

Thanks for the info

Thanks! Sorry, I didn't film the entire process because I short on time.

Probably a good idea for anyone with this tractor.

It sure is!

On this model I believe it is for transmission function only. The variable swash plate pump will only generate flow with pedal input (by design). Some hydro transmissions do have a small auxiliary pump that can be used for raising a mower deck or power steering etc. Larger equipment with bigger hydraulic needs will usually have a dedicated gear driven pump for those circuits.

@@ModernSurvivalists Ok thanks again for another great explanation to a additional question.

Thanks for commenting! Would love to hear your thoughts on the U Joint failures.

Sorry to hear you had the same issue. The one I fixed only had 200 hours which seems way early for a u-joint failure. The splined stub of the transmission input shaft had snapped off when the broken u-joint allowed the shaft to start flailing. If your u-joints were still good on the second failure I wonder if it might have been partially fractured from when your front u-joint went out. These spin at engine RPM, which is higher then a typical PTO shaft, drive shaft, etc. Lots of forces when they start flailing, especially if the tractor is at full throttle like is typical for mowing, etc.

@@ModernSurvivalists lol you said it, I was running a power broom in the snow when it snapped. It was like I hit an IED! So when the first ujoint failed last year, it was all rounded off like the one in your hand was, so it actually still ran just with a lot of vibration . I think it ran Like that , vibration and shuddering for a long time, and after I replaced it, the next weakest link was the transmission side. That's my theory anyway

Oh and I had a question, do you know where I can find torque specs for a project like this? Besides the dealership?

@@rrud59 I wasn't able to locate any torque specs online either. I did refer to the exploded diagrams you can find for part numbers and to assist me with the teardown. I just torqued it similar to how I would a engine case. First put in all fasteners finger tight, then tighten them snug in a cross pattern working from inside to outside.

@@rrud59 Also - in order to remove the hydraulic drive from the transmission case I had to cut out the round crossmember tube welded in the frame. I used a sawzall and welded it back in once the transmission was all back together.

Sorry just saw this comment. I am not sure on this one. If there is a cooler for the HST fluid (I can't remember and don't have one here to check) make sure it isn't obstructed and any fans / belts etc. are functioning.

This was a very low hour machine so we opted for the expensive JD stuff. I can't remember which, but I think it called for the low viscosity version.

I'm not a hydrostat trans pro, by any means. But, used to rebuild lift trucks.. gas, diesel, hyd pumps, motors, cyls., etc. Im about to pull my 1st JD stx 38 hydrostatic trans apart, so I was digging around for info on my John Deere. I got it for free, and ran great, but had weak trans. Only cut grass twice, and it won't move now. I'm not paying $700 for a used trans. So grass can grow, until I receive carb kit for my mower, or find a trans rebuild kit for this. Mine won't move, and whines, in either dir.. Im not sure what type of trans you have.. If yours is moving in Rev, solid and strong, but nothing at all in For. , try checking all the linkages. Basically, pump Pushes oil one direction or the other. If Rev is good, charge pump, creating the oil pressure, is good. Charge pump makes pressure. A valve or radial pump gives you direction. . . In your case, oil is not going to forward direction, but you have Rev. You have pressure, it's just not going to forward. I'd check all linkages, make sure the valve, or actuator is traveling all the way in both directions, nothing is loose, or stuck in them. Make sure there's not a problem with a neutral switch or anything. If there's a neutral safety switch, and it's misaligned, it may stop the fluid when trying forward. If it's anything more than that,, you may need a shop.. Again, sorry I can't be of more help. I know the theory behind it,, and I'm able to find problems once I have a machine apart, and I can see things, but,, i Don't have enough experience with them, and can't give you the direct answer. . Maybe this will give you some clues, help you figure it out. Good luck. Shop rates must be insane right now, hope you can fix it.

If it's your hydrostat may as well haul it to the junkyard and get what you can out of it. Hydro transmissions on lawn mowers was the dumbest idea anyone ever came up with.

Sad to say from the description of your problem it does sound like it's your hydrostat transmission. Father had a husqvarna that did the same thing. Would go backwards but not forwards till you got off, yanked the mower backwards a ways then it'd make a few laps around till the forward gears locked up again. That mower wasn't even much over 5 years old when it started doing it either. He parked it and got a regular transmission murray. Sad to say murray's went out of business a few years ago.

@@danielsmit11 ya, I second that. I'm second guessing rebuilding mine. $300+, just for kit. I have to pull it, disassemble, make sure housing itself isn't bad or worn. Starting to think it's not worth the kit or the time to rebuild it. I've never been a fan of hydro trans. It's nice when it works, but don't seem to last long, and if you have inclines on property, it'll just cause more abuse. Sad, because last owner of mine,, job ust rebuilt mower deck, and engine has low hours, but $300, is a lot to put into a mower, and it'll still be a hydrostat. Thinking about grabbing a 5 speed manual with blown motor online, but that's a lot of work also. Take into account all the time needed to change it, probably not woth it. Maybe I'll pull the 13hp, try selling deck online, since it was just rebuilt, and scrapping the rest. It's really not worth anything once a hydrostat trans goes. If all belts are good, shift linkage and free motion piston is free and set properly, it's your trans. Take the loss, get rid of future head aches, and get one with a manual trans. That way, its only a clutch or belt, when things go wrong.

@@chrisludston1455 sadly pretty much all have opted to go with hydro stats now. Only one I've seen with a regular trans was a smaller craftsman at lowes, believe it was a 32 inch deck even larger craftsman's above that had garbage hydro stats.

It would depend on the equipment - on many machines they have hydraulic pumps that are driven directly via the engine gear case and do not disconnect with the clutch & transmission.

MY 2320 did not have grease fittings. I have found and replaced the u joints that have greas fittings.

What's the RPM of the shaft?

Runs at engine RPM - driven directly from flywheel. @@Gareth96v1

Unfortunately I don't think there is any way to remove the shaft without splitting the pump case.

Not familiar with that unit, but many of them have a bypass / pressure relief of some sort than can be engaged to free-wheel / tow the machine. Sometimes just a lever, or a bolt you turn. It allows the fluid to the drive motor to bypass in a loop so that the output shaft can free-wheel. I am wondering if maybe that could be related to your issue?

@@ModernSurvivalists Thanks, I took it apart and found the tiny nut on the Reverse poppet valve came off and the spring backed off. Also there were 3 tiny pieces of metal inside the pump barrel. I think from the pump springs. This metal scored the port plate and bottom of the barrel so I am replacing those and reinstalled the nut on the poppet valve with lock tight. Keeping fingers crossed.

@@mountainmike1685 Glad you got it figured out!

@@ModernSurvivalists Thanks!, I hope your video and other conversations help other folks fix their own equipment.

Agreed. Whole damb thing should be recalled. Such bad luck with 2025r. They even left the same crap design for the u joints. No easy way to grease. That's the least of this things issues.

I did the repair for a farmer that's local to me but I don't have any idea what most shops or the dealership would charge. It's not a quick job unfortunately.

About how many hours does it take would you say?

A lot.

Do you mean you have forward, but no reverse - or vise versa? If so, both directions use the same pump / drive just push the fluid in the opposite direction, so I would check your linkage between the pedals and the swash plate. Might be as simple as a missing linkage pin! Hopefully : )

@@ModernSurvivalists the inside of the shaft had shifted. There was a screw inside that holds a coupling it pushed it way back.

Damn right! JD sadly has to get their act together. This is what I would expect from Chinese quality. My Lawn Tractor has had several faults that shouldn't have happened. Seat quickly fell apart, plastic hood cracking like an eggshell even though it's kept out of the sun, steering linkages are pitifully small, seat suspension rubbers crumble very often. The only good part about the machine is the Kawasaki engine and the Tufftorq transmission. Never JD again! It's also damaging for American manufacturing. Kubota for me next time. Good Japanese quality.

@@erichmacho5741 thank you for the reply Erich im sorry your machine went that way. My father spoke of JD getting to big for their own good all the way back in the 80s. He strongly supported massy Ferguson not as a single company, but a smaller manufacturer. The whole JD culture planted seed for today where if 3rd generation has parents and grandparents backing the product. They automatically want to buy JD because it’s familier. I can’t blame the consumer we all Like to think our elders are actually wise. The thing is their is laws to protect a consumer. Congratulations on expressing and forming a solution to your, own needs. I fully support your decision to buy Japanese machines. The job don’t wait just because the machine is down!

What manufacturer would you choose then

Hydro is superior in almost everyway to a Gear Transmission for any lawnmower. Just do your homework and buy a good one. True for everything.

@@MikeThomasNYME nah. Hydros suck. Had a Husqvarna with hydro transmission crapped out within a couple of years. Wheels would lock up going forward and had to keep getting off jerk the lawnmower backwards to get it going forward again. Junked that lawnmower quickly and went back to Murray and troybilt. No need for hydro in a lawnmower, tractor...eh...maybe

@danielsmit11 That's because Husqvarna and the other cheap big box brands put cheap hydro transaxles in their machines because consumers just want something to be pretty and cheap. They use transmissions like the Tuff Torq K46 which is too small and weak for the 25hp tractors they put them in. K62 and larger hydrostatic transaxles and old peerless 15 hydros are nearly indestructible and last for decades.

@@MikeThomasNYME I'll stick with Murray's or troybilt. Have never had transmissions go out on one and have had them last for decades with little maintenance done.

@@MikeThomasNYME like I said there's no need for hydrostatic on a riding lawnmower. A tractor maybe but even that's a toss up