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JD L120 Transmission

#1

C

cdallisons

I recently purchased a L120 tractor and while in use I noticed that after about an hour the transmission starts to weeken. I have some hilly terrain in my yard and it gets to the point that it doesn't even climb the hills any more. Seems to be fine when it is cold. does anyone have any ideas on how to cure this or if there is a cure? Thanks


#2

EngineMan

EngineMan

This is turning out to be a problem with JD in the last few day's on here, there are a few post been put up have a look at them, then have you look at the belt. if its not that, its the Transmission and that's a take it in job...!


#3

C

Carl T

Unless the belt is cracked or a chunk missing go to this site and thread, there is a lot of reading but you can fix it sometimes by just changing the oil in the transaxle. Both of my L130's came out good as new with just an oil change and a fan replacement on one also.

TuffTorq K46 Repair Guide with Pictures


#4

O

OldDeere

EngineMan said:
This is turning out to be a problem with JD in the last few day's on here, there are a few post been put up have a look at them, then have you look at the belt. if its not that, its the Transmission and that's a take it in job...!
Click to expand...

Actually, it doesn't have to be a 'take it in' job if you are referring taking it to a dealer. Sure, you need to have some mechanical know how and tools, but the AM131580 transmission CAN be replaced by the home owner. Ok...........I personally wouldn't want to do it, but it can be done!


#5

M

MBTRAC

Change the oil in the tranny quick before any consequential damage, at worst you've wasted a few $ on oil & time, at best you've fixed cheaply.


#6

O

OldDeere

The transmissions are sealed unfortunately.


#7

EngineMan

EngineMan

OldDeere said:
Actually, it doesn't have to be a 'take it in' job if you are referring taking it to a dealer. Sure, you need to have some mechanical know how and tools, but the AM131580 transmission CAN be replaced by the home owner. Ok...........I personally wouldn't want to do it, but it can be done!
Click to expand...

I did'nt say a home owner with the right tools and right know how could'nt replace one. but I would love to see a home owner take one apart and fix it without the help of someone who does know what he is doing, you said yourself you would'nt want to. You also say in you're last post that they are sealed. yes sealed for life they say, so why are there so many coming up with problems. surely thats a question owners should be asking John Deere. Some of us here are doing what they feel they can to help owners out with they're problems, not make more problems for them, do you feel it would better if people like myself just sit back and not answer any question/problems, because if we did this forum would'nt be as good as it is, now would it.


#8

O

OldDeere

Wow, I didn't realize I had stuck such a nerve. I sure didn't mean to. And I really don't know where your frustration or hostility is coming from!?! I merely said that it COULD be done by a homeowner, as I know 4 who have personally done it. I can't do it, but it CAN be done.

Yes, there is a big problem with this transmission, and I sure wish Deere would come out with a product improvement or recall on this, but as many hundreds (thousands?) of posts there are online on multiple sites about this problem it doesn't sound like they are willing to do anything about it, and that is unfortunate.

From what I've been told, replacing the AM131580 transmission is the only fix since it is sealed, and we all know that is very costly.


#9

M

MBTRAC

Whilst lots of hyro tranny's are supposedly "sealed for life", it's usually quite easy to change the oil (by removing the transmission & emptying/refilling via filling via fillerneck/cap where the factory originally put the oil in - it's critical to use the correct oil & volume ).

A simple oil change can revitalise a so called "worn" tranny & extend its life if done as regular maintenance.


#10

Purerock Racing

Purerock Racing

my L120 suddenly stopped moving forward or reverse after finishing my back lawn. All flat terrain... it was working fine with no problems for a year so far. Shut the mower off to open my gate, restarted and nothing. Seems like the shifter has no resistance anymore, almost like something got disconnected. I have no manual for it so I have no idea where to start? Anyone?


#11

Purerock Racing

Purerock Racing

just an update on my mower, turns out after I put the unit up on jack stands and started looking around, one of the drive belt tensioner pulleys had fallen apart. Not sure how other than maybe a bearing in the pulley had frozen up. Anyhow, I replace both pulleys and also a new belt and what do you know, this thing rocks like new again. I guess you can't have any slippage in the drive belt to the trans or it won't work at all.


#12

R

Rivets

That's the prime reason the first thing to check is the belt and idler/tensioner pulley. A drive belt does not have to be cracked or have chunks missing to go bad. If the belt has not been replaced in the last three years, do that first. As far as the tranny goes, sealed does not mean non fixable. It means that the average person should not try. Unless you know what you are doing and understand that if something goes wrong (there is plenty of things that can) it could get very expensive. Average price for me to rebuild a basket case is $300 plus parts. I would not advise any homeowner to do so. As EngineMan said, it's a job. Advising someone that they can do it, when you have not done it yourself, is bad advise. At least once a year I get one in a basket, because someone tried to do it, even with a manual and failed.


#13

I

ILENGINE

The first thing that needs to be checked when you have drive problems is belts and pulleys. I agree with Rivets, that unless you have done more than one, stay out of the transmission, and let somebody with experience work on it. Even when a professional works on them, sometimes things still go wrong. I was doing one a few years and while torquing the center section pulled the threads out of the case, and hadn't reached recommended torque. things can go wrong quickly, and when they do it gets expensive immediately.


#14

B

BuzzGold

Hello to the forum new guy here hoping to save someone money. ( My first post)
I have a JD L-120 that has 535 hrs. I am a maintenance junkie. I started noticing the usual problems with the drive system. Slowing, no reverse etc...
Since the belt was new I checked the usual things and determined the transaxle was going. After pricing them / rebuilding I was at a quandary.
Try this before spending a fortune or scraping the thing...Change the fluid, unless you had a leak and it ran dry.

If the old fluid doesn't smell burnt or have metal filings in it, there is hope....
Originally they used 10-30w. motor oil. The new unit's recommend synthetic. Since I only use this in the summer I opted for straight 30w.
I dropped the transaxle tires and all in an hour, cleaned and pried out the rubber plug / vent and drained the old oil.
The old fluid didn't smell burnt and wasn't gritty with metal so I was hopeful.

I refilled the unit with 2+ qts of oil. Rotate the wheels once in awhile as you re-fill to purge air pockets. Shove the plug back in, hook up the linkages and brackets and off you go. 2 1/2 hrs was all it took! It runs like new. Hope I can save someone else from this dilemma. Any question please ask be glad to help!

-Buzz

0719171836.jpg


#15

B

bertsmobile1

I don't want to rain on your parade Buzz but all you have done is postponed the inevitable.
Expect it to run another season or two then repeat the previous problems.
There is no seal between the cylinder block which rotates and the swash plate that does not rotate.
Oil has to pass between these two plates which is how the control system works.
Even without any particulates in the oil plain old errosion will wear the mating surfaces.
You might even go to 20w 50 full synthetic which is better than the strait 30.

OTOH, the repair is to fit new pump & engine so you may as well wring the last bit of life out of yours.
How long the heavier oils work will depend upon how bad it got when you replaced the oil.
I did one for customer who mows around 5 to 6 hours in a single day and he noticed it was going a little slower towards the end on the day.
Put 20W 50 in it and its been going strong for 3 seasons so far.
Another customer said they were having the same problem so I tried it with them and his did not last a single season.

Good thing is you now know yours is on the way out so you can keep an eye out for a cheap replacement,
Every now & then they come up cheap at surplus warehouses.

I just replaced a T 40J.
Tuff torque quotes 2 to 3 months for either the kit or a new tranny.
Was going to order one from the USA ( currently discounted $ 250 ) then found out JD had them in stock with a day turn around,
Worked out $ 350 dearer for the customer but he is old and mowing is about the last thing he can still manage to do so mentally he needs to do it.


#16

B

BuzzGold

bertsmobile1 said:
I don't want to rain on your parade Buzz but all you have done is postponed the inevitable.
Expect it to run another season or two then repeat the previous problems.
There is no seal between the cylinder block which rotates and the swash plate that does not rotate.
Oil has to pass between these two plates which is how the control system works.
Even without any particulates in the oil plain old errosion will wear the mating surfaces.
You might even go to 20w 50 full synthetic which is better than the strait 30.

OTOH, the repair is to fit new pump & engine so you may as well wring the last bit of life out of yours.
How long the heavier oils work will depend upon how bad it got when you replaced the oil.
I did one for customer who mows around 5 to 6 hours in a single day and he noticed it was going a little slower towards the end on the day.
Put 20W 50 in it and its been going strong for 3 seasons so far.
Another customer said they were having the same problem so I tried it with them and his did not last a single season.

Good thing is you now know yours is on the way out so you can keep an eye out for a cheap replacement,
Every now & then they come up cheap at surplus warehouses.

I just replaced a T 40J.
Tuff torque quotes 2 to 3 months for either the kit or a new tranny.
Was going to order one from the USA ( currently discounted $ 250 ) then found out JD had them in stock with a day turn around,
Worked out $ 350 dearer for the customer but he is old and mowing is about the last thing he can still manage to do so mentally he needs to do it.
Click to expand...

Bert,
I appreciate the info. I kind of figured that might be the case. Just hopeful it gets me by until winter when new mowers are cheaper.
This thing is worn out and once you start throwing money at one of these throw away mowers it seems to never end.


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