Repairs 2008 LA130 Automatic Won't Move

[Clementz]

I have a John Deere LA130 Automatic riding lawnmower that I've had for 10 or 11 years. I have replaced the mower belt about 4 times and is very well cared for. I always thought the drive belt is going to wear out soon so last weekend I started to mow the grass but when I stepped on the reverse pedal it moved but extremely slow, literally a snails pace. I just assumed the drive belt was finally worn out so I removed it, pretty tough job, but there is little wear on the belt. I have not installed the new belt but I'm worried it could be something more serious. There is nothing simple wrong. Is there a test I could do to the tranny while I have it all splayed open, like turning the top pulley and check the wheels to see if they engage? I just have it sitting on its side, leaning on a step stool at about a 45 degree angle to the ground. I might need to hang it from the garage rafters to test it. I just hate the idea of putting it all back together and having the same problem. I would tear the tranny out and rebuild it now if I could test it. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[bertsmobile1]

My test for the tranny is to put the mower on a slope ( my tilting trailer ).
A good tranny will resist being pulled down the slop without the bypass activated.
A dead tranny rolls right out.
They can be repaired both by machining the valve plates on the motor & pump or by replacing the motor pump unit.
The first requires some skill & knowledge of the required surface finish and the latter is not cheap.
JD use 10W 30 in their trannies from new and you might get another few seasons out of it by draining the oil refilling with 20W 50 fully synthetic.
However if you work in snow this fix will not work in the cold.

Mulligans are my go to for replacement trannies and tranny parts a lot cheaper than the tranny makers franchise agents here ever after my 25% trade discount.

 

[tom3]

I doubt the belt is the problem too. But I'd put it all back together and test it out. Usually they will go when cold, reverse will be weak but still working. When heated up the reverse goes almost all out and forward motion gets weak. Pulling the trans. unit is not that big of a job. As the above poster says, an oil change with heavier oil usually helps along with a good cleanout and new (internal) filter. For such a cheaply built disposable transmission they sure are expensive to replace.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Tom.
Pull one apart and look at all the high precision machining that needs to be done in order to make the thing work.
Not cheap in any way shape or form.
Comes back to the selfish, cheap & greedy consumer again that will not pay for good quality.
And what is really annoying is their cheapness is what is costing the earth.
There is the same embedded pollution is short service life junk as in top shelf long service life products.
If people paid the little bit extra up front, then the entire world will be a much better place and we would all be much better off.

 

[tom3]

Sure agree with that. My father-in -law had a couple JD mowers, 345 series I believe. I was impressed with the life of them and the serviceable hydros, two filters in those actually. I got this L130 thinking it was a John Deere. Not even close. About the time I was thinking to give the transmission a service I found out just what I really had. Then it started going sour. Now has a Peerless hydro in it, get several more years out of it - maybe.

Oh well, hope the OP gets his going again.

 

[Clementz]

I sure appreciate the info. I was under the impression this was a John Deere in 2007 when I bought it. But it has been a good little lawn mower for me but You are right the tranny is gone. Since time was of the essence I had to get another mower immediately so I went to Lowes and bought the same one E170, same size motor 750cc but they squeezed out 4 more ponies to bring it up to 25 hp, and same 48 inch cut so it fits in the gate and the truck. Hopefully they used 20W50 fully synthetic at the factory with the new ones. It was $2400 with tax and a $100 discount for getting their credit card plus 6 months interest free. But they have the "shyster clause" if you don't pay it off in 6 months interest accrues from the date of purchase. So I have 6 months to fix the old one and sell it.

Do you think I could just take the valve plates out of the pump and resurface them with some 1000 or 1500 grit wet sandpaper and oil on a good flat surface? Or maybe Mulligans would sell me a rebuilt tranny or pump reasonably? I'm just trying to find the most economical way to fix it for the next dude. It seems like there would be a large market for these rebuilt trannies but I suppose most dudes now don't like getting oil on their hands so the scrap yards are filling up with more and more garbage. But thanks again for all Your help. Paul Clementz 812-786-0313

 

[bertsmobile1]

I sure appreciate the info. I was under the impression this was a John Deere in 2007 when I bought it. But it has been a good little lawn mower for me but You are right the tranny is gone. Since time was of the essence I had to get another mower immediately so I went to Lowes and bought the same one E170, same size motor 750cc but they squeezed out 4 more ponies to bring it up to 25 hp, and same 48 inch cut so it fits in the gate and the truck. Hopefully they used 20W50 fully synthetic at the factory with the new ones. It was $2400 with tax and a $100 discount for getting their credit card plus 6 months interest free. But they have the "shyster clause" if you don't pay it off in 6 months interest accrues from the date of purchase. So I have 6 months to fix the old one and sell it.

Do you think I could just take the valve plates out of the pump and resurface them with some 1000 or 1500 grit wet sandpaper and oil on a good flat surface? Or maybe Mulligans would sell me a rebuilt tranny or pump reasonably? I'm just trying to find the most economical way to fix it for the next dude. It seems like there would be a large market for these rebuilt trannies but I suppose most dudes now don't like getting oil on their hands so the scrap yards are filling up with more and more garbage. But thanks again for all Your help. Paul Clementz 812-786-0313

No it is not a job you can really do yourself.
The machining is a very specialized job.
Machined too coarse and it will leak like yours is now .Too fine and it won't lube between the plates and they will have too much friction.
It is a specialist job.
To date no one has mentioned a rebuilder in the USA but as we have them down here their should be dozens of them over there.
Mulligans retail an easy drop in repair kit, just remember the cases must be bright shinny type clean before you open them up.
It is about a 2 hour repair spannar time and another 3 to 4 hours cleaning then about 1 hour each for removal & replacement, so a full weekend when you include head scratching time, photo time, jacking & supporting time then purging & testing & adjusting.
FWIW I blow the tranny down with an air duster to remove most of the big stuff the picks to get the stuff stuck in creavses followed by a soda blast, then pressure wash and blow dry .
The soda blast is done with a home made gun using a soda bottle & normal bi-carb you can buy from a supermarket. I will buy some blasting soda latter on but I got a 25kg bag of animal feed soda to get through 1 drink bottle at a time.