cruzenmike
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
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- 855
Hello all.
I took ownership of a brand new Ariens Apex 48" mower two weeks ago. Model number 991296. It is equipped with HydoGear ZT-3100 Hydrostatic Transmissions. I noticed while using it for the first time that it was not tracking straight in reverse. Forward travel, although not as fast as I was expecting, was straight. But when I would pull back on both handles, despite them being aligned with each other, the mower would want to pull to the right. This was most apparent when I would be at the end of one run and would turn to the right and then back to the left; it would move extremely slow to that side. I did not experience this when turning the other way in reverse. This tells me that the right side hydrostatic is much slower/weaker than the left side.
With just over 1 hour on the meter, I dropped the machine off at the dealership that I purchased it from. I got a call today from the service department and it was explained to me that the technicians were able to make some adjustments to the control/hydrostatic linkages on the right side of the machine, but the reverse tracking is still not 100% or perfect. The service guy went on to say that there really isn't any adjustment on the transmissions so any changes in the travel has to be done on the machine itself and that regardless of the machine make or model, there will never be identical wheel travel from left and right side transmissions on a zero turn. The technician made all of the adjustment possible on the machine so there is nothing more that can be adjusted. With that being said, he did state that it tracks much better in reverse than it did when I brought it in, but there is just a very small amount of pull to the right when in reverse. He even stated that I might not even notice it in operation. I will have to go up there and give it a try before taking it home.
I have owned 3 Exmarks in the past, one with separate pump and drive motors, one with ZT-2800s and one with ZT-3400s and I do not ever recall them pulling to one side in reverse. Now I cannot say with all certainty that they were "perfect" but this issue that I am having wasn't noticeable on any of those machines.
Am I crazy for expecting reverse operation to be straight and "perfect"? Should I be concerned with the fact that they have used up all possible adjustment on the right side drive control linkages?
Of course when I first heard what they said that they did and that it still wasn't perfect, I got defensive and asked that they reach back out to Ariens because I expect(ed) it to operate a certain way and it didn't, especially considering that it is brand new.
Maybe others have had a similar experience with zero turn hydrostatics and this is just how they are (okay but not perfect)?
I took ownership of a brand new Ariens Apex 48" mower two weeks ago. Model number 991296. It is equipped with HydoGear ZT-3100 Hydrostatic Transmissions. I noticed while using it for the first time that it was not tracking straight in reverse. Forward travel, although not as fast as I was expecting, was straight. But when I would pull back on both handles, despite them being aligned with each other, the mower would want to pull to the right. This was most apparent when I would be at the end of one run and would turn to the right and then back to the left; it would move extremely slow to that side. I did not experience this when turning the other way in reverse. This tells me that the right side hydrostatic is much slower/weaker than the left side.
With just over 1 hour on the meter, I dropped the machine off at the dealership that I purchased it from. I got a call today from the service department and it was explained to me that the technicians were able to make some adjustments to the control/hydrostatic linkages on the right side of the machine, but the reverse tracking is still not 100% or perfect. The service guy went on to say that there really isn't any adjustment on the transmissions so any changes in the travel has to be done on the machine itself and that regardless of the machine make or model, there will never be identical wheel travel from left and right side transmissions on a zero turn. The technician made all of the adjustment possible on the machine so there is nothing more that can be adjusted. With that being said, he did state that it tracks much better in reverse than it did when I brought it in, but there is just a very small amount of pull to the right when in reverse. He even stated that I might not even notice it in operation. I will have to go up there and give it a try before taking it home.
I have owned 3 Exmarks in the past, one with separate pump and drive motors, one with ZT-2800s and one with ZT-3400s and I do not ever recall them pulling to one side in reverse. Now I cannot say with all certainty that they were "perfect" but this issue that I am having wasn't noticeable on any of those machines.
Am I crazy for expecting reverse operation to be straight and "perfect"? Should I be concerned with the fact that they have used up all possible adjustment on the right side drive control linkages?
Of course when I first heard what they said that they did and that it still wasn't perfect, I got defensive and asked that they reach back out to Ariens because I expect(ed) it to operate a certain way and it didn't, especially considering that it is brand new.
Maybe others have had a similar experience with zero turn hydrostatics and this is just how they are (okay but not perfect)?