john deere d 140 transmission

[jeff leventhall]

Hello, i pulled transmission out, not mechanic by any stretch but handy etc, anyhow not finding any used ones with decent hours, thinking of draining and refilling fluid, Tranny has 700 hours on it, will this be waste of time? Not a big deal if i have to take out again just looking for advice. already changed drive belt, clutch assembly etc. Thanks in advance, ps I mow 3 acres hilly, also pull roller every spring.

 

[Freddie21]

What is the original problem, or just routine maintenance? I have made hydro's better by replacing oil with 20w-50 synthetic and cleaning the filter, but if running slow and weak, it doesn't fix them. If that's the problem, a total rebuild is necessary and that ain't cheap. Make sure the pully and shaft are in very good condition. These are known to wear and slip. Use only JD belt. Keep the trans clean on outside for cooling.

 

[StarTech]

Tuff Torq T40J Transaxle.

Tuff Torq repair kit 1A646098270 is not available from them.

But the question did you replace the drive belt v-idler pulley PN GX20286? They do wear out and even a new drive is install you can still have the belt slipping.

 

[fredfli1]

I believe the T40 is closely related to the K46 which is not known for longevity , especially on hilly terrain. I have owned and flipped many lawn tractors and I avoid anything with this tyranny. There is quite a bit of info on the internet on the K46 and its issues. I would look into the possibility of upgrading to a K57 or K66

 

[StarTech]

Yes it does seems to related to the K46 and even the JD service manual don't go into any details on its internal repairs. But personally I have seen a lot K46 failures either other one with a broken axle and a couple that water gotten the oil.

 

[Earthquake Landscaping]

Lemme tell ya a little story about a man named Jed.. Ya get that .. or you don't.. doesn't matter either way.
The "D" series all share the same basic trans.. I had a D-160, and it utilized the "Crap - Torque " K-46 trans. That being said, there's evidence that they are not all the same, despite having the same model designation. The quality of the internals varies in it's different iterations. It's possible to have two, seemingly identical K 46 trans, that have different spec'd internals. Hence the necessity to have the serial number to order "bits".
Since I have a rip roaring case of OCD, when I bought my 2014 John Deere D-160, I read the manual cover to cover. Imagine my surprise / shock, when I came across the following. The basic warantee is 2 years or 120 hours. .. The transmission is sealed for life, and as such needs no service. Should you encounter issues, please refer to your nearest authorized Dealership. WTF? Also, John Deere .. in their infinite wisdom, spec'd the transaxle ( at least on mine), without a drain plug. What did they save per unit? Maybe two bucks? They also filled the transaxle with the cheapest dino oil that they could source. I guess, in their opinion, that the unit would not pooch out until way after the warrantee expired.
I hit 50 hours on the meter, and then ripped the transaxle out of the tractor, popped the vent cover off, and upended it over a bucket overnight. I refilled it with Amsoil Premium Synthetic .. What a difference.. Damn thing would wheelie!! ( well ..OK.. I'd have to give the steering wheel a bit of a tug..LOL).
As others have stated, keeping the fan and fins free of debris is crucial. That can't be ignored. Ever!.
Take the trans, ( if yours has no drain plug), pop the vent cap, and drain it over a bucket overnight. Re-fill as per spec with something premium , and synthetic. At worst you're out $30.00 for oil.. It can't make it any worse. IMHO, the oil should have ben swapped out at 40 to 50 hours, and then again every 200 hours. But, that's just my OCD. The manual, written by the bean counters who now run the firm, wasn't written with longevity, or your best interests in mind. Just because it's green, doesn't mean it's a John Deere. Well, at least not like your Grandpa's John Deere.
To add to longevity, mow across hills, if possible, not up and down. Always run high R.P.M., ( it maximizes cooling over the transaxle ). When you blow off the deck, stick the nozzle up under the seat and hit the transaxle fins too. When you pressure wash the deck, do the same.. That green coating of crap over the fins, acts like an insulating blanket that keeps heat in the transaxle.
Additionally, a modern Premium Synthetic is much more able to operate effectively at higher temperatures, without a loss of viscosity, than the crap John Deere filled it with .

 

[Gord Baker]

Lemme tell ya a little story about a man named Jed.. Ya get that .. or you don't.. doesn't matter either way.
The "D" series all share the same basic trans.. I had a D-160, and it utilized the "Crap - Torque " K-46 trans. That being said, there's evidence that they are not all the same, despite having the same model designation. The quality of the internals varies in it's different iterations. It's possible to have two, seemingly identical K 46 trans, that have different spec'd internals. Hence the necessity to have the serial number to order "bits".
Since I have a rip roaring case of OCD, when I bought my 2014 John Deere D-160, I read the manual cover to cover. Imagine my surprise / shock, when I came across the following. The basic warantee is 2 years or 120 hours. .. The transmission is sealed for life, and as such needs no service. Should you encounter issues, please refer to your nearest authorized Dealership. WTF? Also, John Deere .. in their infinite wisdom, spec'd the transaxle ( at least on mine), without a drain plug. What did they save per unit? Maybe two bucks? They also filled the transaxle with the cheapest dino oil that they could source. I guess, in their opinion, that the unit would not pooch out until way after the warrantee expired.
I hit 50 hours on the meter, and then ripped the transaxle out of the tractor, popped the vent cover off, and upended it over a bucket overnight. I refilled it with Amsoil Premium Synthetic .. What a difference.. Damn thing would wheelie!! ( well ..OK.. I'd have to give the steering wheel a bit of a tug..LOL).
As others have stated, keeping the fan and fins free of debris is crucial. That can't be ignored. Ever!.
Take the trans, ( if yours has no drain plug), pop the vent cap, and drain it over a bucket overnight. Re-fill as per spec with something premium , and synthetic. At worst you're out $30.00 for oil.. It can't make it any worse. IMHO, the oil should have ben swapped out at 40 to 50 hours, and then again every 200 hours. But, that's just my OCD. The manual, written by the bean counters who now run the firm, wasn't written with longevity, or your best interests in mind. Just because it's green, doesn't mean it's a John Deere. Well, at least not like your Grandpa's John Deere.
To add to longevity, mow across hills, if possible, not up and down. Always run high R.P.M., ( it maximizes cooling over the transaxle ). When you blow off the deck, stick the nozzle up under the seat and hit the transaxle fins too. When you pressure wash the deck, do the same.. That green coating of crap over the fins, acts like an insulating blanket that keeps heat in the transaxle.
Additionally, a modern Premium Synthetic is much more able to operate effectively at higher temperatures, without a loss of viscosity, than the crap John Deere filled it with .

Good to know. The tranny went out on my X320 at 218 hours. Mostly driven my my late mother.
$1,800 for the new one installed (Canadian) Upgrading trans is not possible according to Tuff Torque. They get asked that question daily I was told.

 

[bertsmobile1]

The 100 series is the big box store cheapie models and the trannies are good for around 100- hours on flatish yards with no trailer use.
Run the engine at anythingless than full speed and that can drop as low as 500 hrs
Usually a change to 20W 50 will get another 100 or so hours out of it

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

I believe the T40 is closely related to the K46 which is not known for longevity , especially on hilly terrain. I have owned and flipped many lawn tractors and I avoid anything with this tyranny. There is quite a bit of info on the internet on the K46 and its issues. I would look into the possibility of upgrading to a K57 or K66

The Tuff Torq T40 transaxle is specifically designed for John Deere. Probably another “special “ proprietary set up that John Deere is known for so you need to spend more money. The T40 has very close specifications to the K46, however, it is slightly even less well built. I replaced one on a John Deere with only 40 hours on the hour meter. Owner had run mower on fairly steep hills and pooched the transaxle. Replaced it with known good T40, drained and refilled with 20W-50 synthetic, tuned up mower, and sold it for $1200.

 

[fredfli1]

Good to know. The tranny went out on my X320 at 218 hours. Mostly driven my my late mother.
$1,800 for the new one installed (Canadian) Upgrading trans is not possible according to Tuff Torque. They get asked that question daily I was told.

I would assume Tuff Torque and JD will not support an upgrade as it will likely require some modification and fabrication. It is still not a cheap option. There are several forums that discuss the options and people do it. One option mentioned on MyTractorForum is a rebuild updrade kit that will upgrade to K57 specs for about $600