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I bought a HD ZT 60 with 105 hrs. First ZT. Read the owners manual. Found the levers which engages the transaxles. Didn't matter if it was pushed in or pulled out, always engaged. And he hadn't replaced the oil and filters either so I drained and refilled/replaced engine oil & trans. oil, hoping that might make a difference. Nope. I can pull the levers out and still have power to the wheels. No unusual noises. Just as if I had never pulled them out. Ever heard of something like this?

Apparently not. Just crickets.........

I have seen the releases stick in the engaged position and don't move to the release position. The types that have the springs that are connected between the release and the pull lever on the most common with issue since you can't force the movement by just pulling the levers. The other issue could be somebody has had them apart and forgot to reinstall the release wedge.

Is this something I can readily see by getting under the machine, or literally tear into the transaxle? Not too wild about the latter!

The release rods should be connected to a short arm either on the side of or top of the transmission that pivots when either the rod is pushed or pulled. Make sure those are moving when put into the bypass position.

Thank you, kind sir! Will take a look today.

Hammermechanicman said:

if both hydros do nothing be sure to check the drive belt. Only thing common to the hydros is the drive belt. If the belt is good and the bypass rods and levers are working and ot in the bypass position you got priblems with both hydros.

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I believe the issue that the OP is having is they will not go into free wheel position so he can either bleed the hydros after the oil change, or is trying to roll the mower by hand.

Just something else for the OP to consider is make sure you are releasing the parking brake before trying to roll the mower. Parking brake could be a control lever or could be on the individual Z turn handles in the outward position.

FYI, the mower is powered whether with the transaxles engaged or not engaged. The engage/disengage lever does nothin. ie. won't freewheel

ILENGINE said:

I believe the issue that the OP is having is they will not go into free wheel position so he can either bleed the hydros after the oil change, or is trying to roll the mower by hand.

Just something else for the OP to consider is make sure you are releasing the parking brake before trying to roll the mower. Parking brake could be a control lever or could be on the individual Z turn handles in the outward position.

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Oops, my mistake. I thought he said the wheels were always not powered.

bullet bob said:

FYI, the mower is powered whether with the transaxles engaged or not engaged. The engage/disengage lever does nothin. ie. won't freewheel

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When you say powered do you mean the wheels are locked or if you move the operator levers with the engine running the wheels turn? I think gravely used the hydro gear zt2800 in that series of mowers. The bypass lever is on the top of the hydro unit. Be sure the bypass levers are all the way in the bypass position and that the internal brake is released. Some of the larger hydro units are still hard to freewheel when bypassed.

OK. Just went out & looked. The easily accessible lever which is suppose to engage/release the transaxle IS hoked up to the next linkage, which in turn pivots a 'bolt' that drops straight down into the tranny. And when I say powered, I mean it's as though I've never moved the levers. I am in 'engage' mode constantly. I found this out when I changed tranny oil & filter. Went to purge the system with trannys disengaged and the wheels still turned. Later, I found out I could ride with them engaged or not. No difference. It's as if there is no need for a lever there.
I'm 67 yo and know my way around the shop. This gravely was bought from a gentleman who would never try to work on something himself. Problem? He had the dealership pick it up, so I don't think it's anything he could get into. And it's happening with BOTH trannys. Help guys!

Stumped 'ya didn't I

OK. Got it figured out. Took it to the dealer....apparently when you pull out the lever and it stops, there's an ADDITIONAL amount to go. Pulled really hard after I thought it had gone out all the way. Nope. Still an additional inch to go. Zip-zap, it's freewheelin'. Sorry to have muddied the waters guys.

Don't feel bad, you didn't know and there are a lot of people that would of done the same thing. Kind of like the guy that calls me up and says the chain on his chainsaw doesn't turn. And I ask them to make sure the chain brake hasn't been bumped and engaged. Nope tried that and still doesn't work. customer comes by the shop and grab the saw pull the chain brake back and it clicks and then hand it back to the customer.

Or the people who bring the saw in with the chain on backwards or the mower with the blade on upside down. Or the people who bring in equipment out of gas and say it won't start.

It's just a little 1/8" or so additional pull after you get to that notch so it's easy to miss it, especially if you've got stuck and buried it up to the levers. ?

Hammermechanicman said:

Or the people who bring the saw in with the chain on backwards or the mower with the blade on upside down. Or the people who bring in equipment out of gas and say it won't start.

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I've had all three in the last 6 months.

ILENGINE said:

I've had all three in the last 6 months.

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Fist bump bro.

Had a guy last year complain his JD zero turn was running bad after i worked on it. Long story short he is a "green" warrior. Whatever the hell he put in tbe fuel tank wasn't gasoline. Would barely burn when you put a flame to it. He would not tell me what is was. Swore it was pump gas. BS it was.

May not a BS.

It can happen that he got the wrong fuel type. I have personally gotten kerosene instead of diesel fuel a few times and even once got kerosene instead of gasoline once. Inexperience fuel delivery driver mixed up the tanks. A real pain when your acts like runs out fuel when you just filled it up.

A couple days ago 4 Speedway stations got gas with diesel in it. Folks are paying thousands to fix cars. Probably thousands of lawsuits coming. Been on the news for a few days.

Hammermechanicman said:

Had a guy last year complain his JD zero turn was running bad after i worked on it. Long story short he is a "green" warrior. Whatever the hell he put in tbe fuel tank wasn't gasoline. Would barely burn when you put a flame to it. He would not tell me what is was. Swore it was pump gas. BS it was.

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My son put kerosene in his grandfather's mower once. He was old school and kept gasoline and kerosene in old (from the 60's or early 70's) steel Havoline/Texaco oil cans, the same ones I filled with when I was growing up. The 15 horse Briggs ran pretty decent until it got enough load on it, such as getting into thicker grass or going up hill. My dad eventually heard it and had him top it off with gas to dilute the kerosene a little more. He just laughed about it. If I had done that at the same age, he would have whipped my assets. I can just hear him telling me I should have noticed the difference. Considering I love the smell of fresh gas, he would have been right. lol