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after 5 years of hauling my significant self up and down a hillside it's faded away -- still will mow on flat but any slope and it really slows down.

Is there a better trans that fits available? It's only got 200 hours on it, garage kept so I'd like to fix it.

Dealer said it would probably cost $800 to fix.

Anyone got a source of a replacement trans?

Before blaming the tranny, when was the last time you had the drive belt replaced? If never I would be removing the deck and inspect the belt, idler pulleys and idler tensioner arm. If you’ve never replaced the belt, and while you are under there either replace or clean and lube the pulleys and tensioner arm.

Rivets said:

Before blaming the tranny, when was the last time you had the drive belt replaced? If never I would be removing the deck and inspect the belt, idler pulleys and idler tensioner arm. If you’ve never replaced the belt, and while you are under there either replace or clean and lube the pulleys and tensioner arm.

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It's a hydrostatic drive, no belt. I was under it last week when belt jumped off pulley because stick got in it -- belt is good.

YT48XLS #56 in the diagram... Do you have the model or serial number? usually on a tag under the seat.

You just said the belt came off last week so it must have a belt??? The belt may have been compromised when it came off, especially if this problem happened after you put the belt back on. You must check the entire belt for wear, plus check to see if you routed if over a belt guide instead of under, plus the pulleys and tensioner arm.

Some people will argue with a sign post with not a letter on it. Yes the T48XLS has a 1/2 x 92-1/2 drive belt. It also has two plastic composite v-idlers that tend to wear out until the drive belt bottoms out in the v-groove effectively making the drive belt longer than it should be allowing it to slip.

This mower has the Tuff Torq K46 hydrostatic transaxle.

Scrubcadet10 said:

YT48XLS .. Do you have the model or serial number?

PartsTree - Home of OEM Parts for Outdoor Power Equipment

Parts lookup and repair parts diagrams for outdoor equipment like Toro mowers, Cub Cadet tractors, Husqvarna chainsaws, Echo trimmers, Briggs engines, etc.

www.partstree.com

Click to expand...

Scrubcadet10 said:

YT48XLS #56 in the diagram... Do you have the model or serial number? usually on a tag under the seat.

PartsTree - Home of OEM Parts for Outdoor Power Equipment

Parts lookup and repair parts diagrams for outdoor equipment like Toro mowers, Cub Cadet tractors, Husqvarna chainsaws, Echo trimmers, Briggs engines, etc.

www.partstree.com

Click to expand...

Guys, it's been a bad day and I'm a mite testy but this "ain't my first rodeo." I had to drop the transmission to get the belt untangled and everything looked good. It will mow very tall grass for a few minutes, then it will slow down when I start up a mild slope but blades are still throwing clippings like crazy. IIRC I drove the mower with the belt jammed.

And my searches have indicated the trans is a TUFF TORQ K46 CR.

When Murphy gets his foot out of my business I'll pull it and see what's wrong with it.

Does anyone have a good PDF of that parts breakdown? The one's I've found are too small to enlarge and these old eyes like a larger image.

You might have had a bad day, but you must realize that as a service tech we ask people to check the simple and easiest things to check first. If they look good then we go to the tougher stuff. From experience a tangled belt most often needs to be replaced because the integrity of the belt has been compromised. Also, those Turf Torq trannys don’t usually don’t go bad instantly, but show signs of problems over time. You have the option of doing things the way you want, but don’t go bad mouthing the guys here who are trying to provide you with answers to you original questions. You came here looking for help, but your last post seems to tell us you know more about these problems than we do. If you do that do you think we are going to get our chops busted a second time if you have more questions. I’d be glad to help you if treat the members here with a little more respect and are willing to listen with an open mind to what is posted. Remember “ itain’t our first rodeo” either, and many of us have made it through the 8 seconds many times.

For the Tuff Torq K46CR there are three versions depending on the serial number of the transaxle so you need make you are looking at the right IPL. The following do have IPLs with Zoom feature.

https://tufftorq.ordertree.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+k46cr

As for the slow down if is not the belt or idler pulleys then check the oil level and quality. I just reinstall a K46BN that had a oil leak on the left axle. When I went to install the seal the oil came out looking like liquid peanut butter. I order a seal kit and open up the unit to find the filter nearly clogged with pasty stuff and only about a liter of oil left; normally has 2.3 liters. Water had entered to unit too via the fill port cap. If not an oil problem then the center section will probably be the cause of the slow down. It only only take a scratch that your finger nail can catch on to cause pressure loss problem

That K46 hydro has a long history of pain for owners. There have been some really good repair tips coming out lately that seem to restore the unit to good working condition without spending a fortune. When you get some time scan through this forum, lots of info:

Rivets said:

You came here looking for help, but your last post seems to tell us you know more about these problems than we do.

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I get fed up when people don't read my post and answer what they think is the question so I quote my original post:
"Is there a better trans that fits available? "

That's the question. Do you have an answer?

Short answer is yes
Long answer is most just buy a new mower because the tranny is often the most expensive part.
I rarely ever replace them as we have a tech that machines the pump & motor.
Mulligans have been my go to.
They are the experts and have always been honest ( and quite fank ) with any question I have asked
They offer a lot of upgrade kits

Wild Turkey73 said:

I get fed up when people don't read my post and answer what they think is the question so I quote my original post:
"Is there a better trans that fits available? "

That's the question. Do you have an answer?

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I have found generally you can swap transaxles but it is likely research would need to done as which linkages that would need change out due to different position of control points. As mention the main problem is costs to do so vs replacement of the whole mower due the rest of the mower's condition.

This is why I never had to opportunity to even try to do an upgraded transmission installation; however, Tuff Torq does offers an upgraded center section for the K46 which what I install on the replacement of the center section. So the only center section replacement have been on ZTRs.

As the Tuff Torq K46 failures that I have read about, here in my shop I have only seen one K46 with a bad center section and one with a broken axle. Neither of which the customers want repaired due to costs. It seems the only customers that is willing to have the work done is the commercial clients.

I put a Peerless 2000 Silent Trak in my L130 Deere mower a couple years ago when my K46 gave out. I got that trans. at a surplus center for reasonable money and I like the separate hydraulics and differential sections plus the higher rating. Did require some rework and fabrication to get it in and the foot pedal shifting is not just right, but sure beats $800 for a new piece of crap replacement. This was before there was information on how to repair the orig. unit. But those are no longer available and I don't know of anything that is a close enough replacement. I'd say you're stuck with what you have, an oil change might prolong the agony before it needs some serious rework..

You also posted that you would like to fix the tranny. That was the direction I replied to. Guess you are one of the few people that have extra money to throw at a new tranny than possibly diagnosis and solve a problem before having to put big bucks into it. As a 70 year old fart and one who has never had extra money to spend I normally try to help people narrow down a problem before throwing money at parts they don’t need. Also, if you are thinking about installing a new tranny in it, you should replace the belt anyway. I’m now going to get out of this thread as the direction I was taking you, is not what you really want.

as is it's not worth a lot so I've got to put some money into it. We are building a new house on some acreage we've owned for 20 years and I'm wanting to sell mower to get money to buy a big "finish mower" for my tractor because the Husky isn't big enough for mowing acres.

other info:
1. found a guy on Ebay who rebuilds them for an affordable price if I do the labor of disassembly. That would put mower in sellable condition.
2. if there's a better transmission I could put in it I would consider selling it with the house for next owner to use.

So again I ask: Does anyone know of a better transmission that will bolt in, even if I have to adapt the controls?

I read of one someplace but didn't bookmark it.

I'm 71 myself. Can't do as much as I used to be fore having both knees and a shoulder replace but growing up on a farm and doing industrial maintenance for years means I've got some experience in that line. I have welders and a plasma cutter so some fabrication is possible.