Ariens MaxZoom 2560 transaxle will not bypass / go into neutral

SJMaye

SJMaye

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Joined
Oct 11, 2018
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I wanted to perform the purge for air in the hydrogear transmissions. I pulled both levers back as in the manual. They both pulled back, but I did not feel the bars lock on the the frame. The bars appear to pull back as far as the images in the manual. I expected the bars to have a notch to positively engage. They never did. I raised the rear wheels off the floor with jack stands and started the mower. After starting the mower and releasing the parking brake I slowly moved the steering levers back and forth. The videos I saw said the wheels should not turn when in bypass. Mine definitely did. And not just a little bit. With the wheels back on the ground and still in neutral I tried pushing the mower. I could not. It felt as if it were at least still partially engaged.

Does this make any sense at all?
 
I know on my Gravely that it may seem that the lever is fully back but it's not. Ya really gotta pull on those suckers sometimes to get them to disengage. One time I wrapped a strap around them to get a better grip
 
bullet bob said:
I know on my Gravely that it may seem that the lever is fully back but it's not. Ya really gotta pull on those suckers sometimes to get them to disengage. One time I wrapped a strap around them to get a better grip
Click to expand...
Hey Bullet Bob,

I really appreciate the reply. I wondered about that. I had, in the past, tried to do just that some time ago without success. Now I am trying again. After watching several videos they bypass lever appear to move very freel. This led me to think if I really pulled hard on it I could damage it.

I can say that when I pull the levers back to the neutral / bypass position with the wheels off the floor, both the left and right side wheels rotate. If I try to drive the mower while the bypass levers pulled out the mower will drive. I will look closer. I am obviously missing something.
 
It appears I was doing this right. The lever has a notch where it should be when in bypass mode. When my bypass lever is in this notch it is not fully bypassed. The wheels rotate while in the air in bypass. I tested it wheels on the ground in bypass and it would move the mower. I did this just to test and did not push it.

I guess I could expect this on one of the two hydro units, but not both. I have to be missing something. I tried calling Hybro-Gear tech support. It was a dead end. They pawned me off on a local shop that no longer even services Hydro-Gear.

I will keep poking around the internet...

Bypass lever.jpg
 
MParr said:
I've experienced a little creep when the transmissions are in bypass. There are adjustments to be made to each transmission. Refer to the owners manual for adjustment.
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Sorry. I don't understand what you mean by, "A little creep". Mine almost feel no different between in bypass mode vs not.
 
SJMaye said:
Sorry. I don't understand what you mean by, "A little creep". Mine almost feel no different between in bypass mode vs not.
Click to expand...
I've done Toro mowers that when in bypass the wheels would move very slowly (creep). I could still push the mower around. There are adjustments on each transmission that will take that out. Try putting your mower on flat ground and putting it in bypass. Can you freely push the mower?
Look for some YouTube videos.
 
SJMaye said:
I wanted to perform the purge for air in the hydrogear transmissions. I pulled both levers back as in the manual. They both pulled back, but I did not feel the bars lock on the the frame. The bars appear to pull back as far as the images in the manual. I expected the bars to have a notch to positively engage. They never did. I raised the rear wheels off the floor with jack stands and started the mower. After starting the mower and releasing the parking brake I slowly moved the steering levers back and forth. The videos I saw said the wheels should not turn when in bypass. Mine definitely did. And not just a little bit. With the wheels back on the ground and still in neutral I tried pushing the mower. I could not. It felt as if it were at least still partially engaged.

Does this make any sense at all?
Click to expand...
Occasionally you have to tie a rope to bypass lever, pull it out completely, and tie the rope tightly to the frame. When you are trying to pull the mower not running and in bypass, you will know when you get it right.
 
MParr said:
I've done Toro mowers that when in bypass the wheels would move very slowly (creep). I could still push the mower around. There are adjustments on each transmission that will take that out. Try putting your mower on flat ground and putting it in bypass. Can you freely push the mower?
Look for some YouTube videos.
Click to expand...
I have looked at so many YouTube videos on this one that I am 😮. After seeing so many videos I am convinced I am putting it in bypass correctly. Not to mention the very specific notch on the bypass lever shows exactly where it should be. I can put both drives in bypass and I cannot push the mower. I probably shouldn't have, but while in bypass since it would not push I wondered if it would drive. While in bypass both drives will drive the mower forward and reverse. I did not do it long for fear I would damage something.
 
Tiger Small Engine said:
Occasionally you have to tie a rope to bypass lever, pull it out completely, and tie the rope tightly to the frame. When you are trying to pull the mower not running and in bypass, you will know when you get it right.
Click to expand...
At one point a while back I remember questioning how easy it was to pull the lever out to bypass and thought I needed to pull harder. I tried lever bars, ropes. It would not come out further.
 
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