Best Hydrostatic Transmission???

[Freddie21]

I would not go a residential model for my property. Too rough and hilly. I have had to repair and scrap low end TT and HT units.

 

[Ferd Turgeson]

Look for one with Parker pumps.

 

[ILENGINE]

Look for one with Parker pumps.

Never saw one with Parker pumps . Everything that I have come across in the shop has been hydrogear pumps with parker or hydrogear wheel motors.

 

[aussielawny]

The key to keeping them going is total cleanliness when doing oil (and filter) changes. Another vote for separate pump & motors here.....

 

[TobyU]

Hi guys,

I'm in the market to get a nice zero turn radius mower for a property I'll be at where I'll have to mow about an acre. I'd like to get a good high quality mower and wanted to get some input as I heard some folks here use these things to make a living and probabl;y have used different brands and models.

I've heard of people having problems with the Hydrostatic Transmissions. I hear there are only 2 companies that make these transmissions so hopefully one is the best.

I would definitely be interested in getting a mower that has external transmission oil filters that can be changed as well as a drain plug to be able to drain the transmission oil as I hear this is critical for getting long life out of these transmissions

So please let me know what brands I should be looking at for getting long service life. I have a gate to go thru, so I'll need the box to be no more than 54 inches wide.

You pretty much limited to the two common brands that are going to be on everything you're going to find.
The key is size. The ezt 21/2200 go on the smaller mowers and 42-in ones.
Then they have a 2800 which they're usually calling a 2800/3100.
This is some fancy advertising because if you go back a while they had a 2800 and then they had a 3100 and the 3100 was considered entry level commercial and then they just started combining the two so they could do the same thing and convince people to buy those.
A lot of the 42s may have a 28 to 3100 as an upgrade but I've seen them on 48th and maybe even larger like right at 50 or 51-in mowers and I feel that's too small of a transmission for that size of a machine.
This is what it all boils down to me is the torque rating and the size of the transmission.
Anything up to 3100 is going to have the smaller diameter output shaft or axles.
When you step up to a 3400 they're like a quarter inch bigger and that's a huge difference and everything else is beefier too.

If I were buying a machine that I planned on keeping for decades or the rest of my life, I would spend the extra $700 or $800 it might require to get something with a 3400 transmission.
I would sleep better at night knowing I had a commercial grade transmission that's capable of lasting and much heavier and larger equipment.

You almost have to take a picture of the sticker on the transmission and then Google it to see what it really is sometimes.
A couple of manufacturers posted in their literature or sale stuff but I always confirm that.
I'm not sure you can get a 48-in cut with a 3400 transmission but it might be possible.
I don't really care about size because bigger is better as long as we keep it under 70 in I guess.
Most people are in the same boat and if they don't transport on a trailer all the time you might as well have a 60 versus having a 48 because it just makes your cutting easier.
As long as it fits in your barn, garage, shed what's an extra foot wide going to hurt?

 

[TobyU]

Never saw one with Parker pumps . Everything that I have come across in the shop has been hydrogear pumps with parker or hydrogear wheel motors.

Parker and Ross.
That's the old school or the original zero turns because they had pumps and wheel motors with hydraulic lines connecting the two.
There are a few companies that still make those but not many. Even the commercial ones have gone to the unitized transmission on each side.

I don't really think overall it's as durable even though they do make larger heavier duty ones.
It is a simple design though as you don't have to replace hoses when they start leaking and you don't have to put new seal kits on the wheel motors when they start losing pressure and leaking etc but far too many people have to replace an entire unitized transmission and those things are pricing just to buy.
Unless you want to spend probably at least $9,000 or more, you're not going to end up with a zero turn with separate pump and wheel motors.
I just go for the 3400 size and sleep better at night.

 

[ILENGINE]

Looks like the Parker pumps are being used on the Spartan and Hustler mowers. Like I said before most of the separate pump motor setups I see are hydrogear pumps with hydrogear motors or parker motors

Have had several pro-sumer mowers the last few years with 2800 and 3100 units come through the shop.

 

[aussielawny]

Looks like the Parker pumps are being used on the Spartan and Hustler mowers. Like I said before most of the separate pump motor setups I see are hydrogear pumps with hydrogear motors or parker motors

Have had several pro-sumer mowers the last few years with 2800 and 3100 units come through the shop.

Funny, l'd always thought my Grav Z34 had Parker motors but its all HG.......

 

[DK35vince]

Looks like the Parker pumps are being used on the Spartan and Hustler mowers. Like I said before most of the separate pump motor setups I see are hydrogear pumps with hydrogear motors or parker motors

I have a Hustler Super Z and it uses Hydrogear pumps and Parker wheel motors

 

[TobyU]

Looks like the Parker pumps are being used on the Spartan and Hustler mowers. Like I said before most of the separate pump motor setups I see are hydrogear pumps with hydrogear motors or parker motors

Have had several pro-sumer mowers the last few years with 2800 and 3100 units come through the shop.

I don't think it matters much what the brands are or what mowers they're going on, I think skagg is still making some with separate pumps and wheel motors because the commercial guys like that because they have proven to be greater durability and longer life.

The problem is, do we really think a brand new machine you buy today even if it has the same brand name pumps and wheel motors as the old classic ones....is going to be as good or last as long as the stuff from 20 or 30 years ago??
If you get 15 years of trouble-free service out of one of these new systems I would consider it very lucky.
Sadly, there are very few things made today that are as strong, durable, repair free as similar things from the past.

Technology and improving features and the way some things function is one thing but unfortunately we have sacrificed a lot in the quality and longevity.