John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out

bertsmobile1

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
The pulleys are wear items meant to be replaced from time to time
To prevent a mid season failure you check them at the end of every season, they come off really easy then you check for wobble , noise , smoothness in the bearings and wear on the actual pulley
Usual practice is new pulleys on every second belt
They are a lot cheaper from Prime Line, Rotary, Stens or Oregon who market good quality after market parts or pot luck on Scamazon or EvilPay
Some of my customers ask to have them changed every time the belt it changed because they do not want to ru the risk of them failing mid season where the grass can grow 18" in a week .
 
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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
I recently bought a property and the previous owner left their John Deere D125 there (the rear axle was up on blocks, so I assume the mower was broken and he couldn't fix it so just left it there for me to deal with, or he was just working on that flat tire not sure) which I'm trying to get running.

I put in a new battery and the engine starts up fine and sounds good, but the mower will not move forwards or in reverse. The drive belt seems to be running fine once the parking brake is disengaged, and the axle is not spinning, it just seems the transmission is not being engaged. I can push the mower by hand whether the bypass rod is pushed in or pulled out, so I'm wondering if the transmission is disengaged and pushing in the bypass rod is not engaging the transmission like it should. The bypass rod is connected to the arm properly it seems like (the arm moves when I push the bypass rod or pull it out). Would this point to an internal issue in the transmission?

Let me know if I need to provide any more info. Thanks in advance for any help.
make sure the belt is in place on the trans drive pully not under neath the pulley if belt is in place and trans. has fluid in it the transaxle is probably bad
 

stirs

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
I recently bought a property and the previous owner left their John Deere D125 there (the rear axle was up on blocks, so I assume the mower was broken and he couldn't fix it so just left it there for me to deal with, or he was just working on that flat tire not sure) which I'm trying to get running.

I put in a new battery and the engine starts up fine and sounds good, but the mower will not move forwards or in reverse. The drive belt seems to be running fine once the parking brake is disengaged, and the axle is not spinning, it just seems the transmission is not being engaged. I can push the mower by hand whether the bypass rod is pushed in or pulled out, so I'm wondering if the transmission is disengaged and pushing in the bypass rod is not engaging the transmission like it should. The bypass rod is connected to the arm properly it seems like (the arm moves when I push the bypass rod or pull it out). Would this point to an internal issue in the transmission?

Let me know if I need to provide any more info. Thanks in advance for any help.
My new 6 week old D100 had almost the same issue. You could tell the rod had no resistance going in and out so it wasn't doing anything and it wouldn't move. I had to take the key ways out of the rear wheels to move it to my trailer. Under warranty they told me they didn't find anything wrong. Now you can feel the rod doing something engaging. It hasn't happened again. My 2 year warranty was up last year so I purchased 2 more years because I don't trust JD. The motor started fine just wouldn't move. Was hoping to read a reason for this nothing wrong problem that had me without a mower for 2 weeks.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
There is very little resistance to the bypass valve because on most tractor style mowers it is just a plain ball valve
Some times the rod falls out of the hole in the lever and some times debris builds up preventing the lever from moving full distance \The thin wire ones that pull have a habit of getting bent straiter so they do not move the lever far enough
 

TobyU

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
These tractors have a hydrostatic transmission, it requires the oil to be changed!! The oil can burn out over the years and not hold any pressure to move the wheels. The manual says the transmission is sealed and it says it can't be changed. They want you to spend $1000 on a new transmission. I've done it several times with success. Remove the transmission completely. There's a pressed in cap that can be removed carefully with 2 - thin flat-head screwdriver. Look it up on youtube, the process isn't that hard if you are willing to tinker around a bit.

Required - would be the operative term there.
The manufacturer, of the mower and the transmission do not say it requires the fluid to be replaced.
I'm not against replacing the fluid as it would be nice to get initial fill and the early break-in machining particles and stuff out of there fairly early on and then maybe do it once again throughout its life if it lasts long enough or if the machine last long enough but they don't design it to be changed and it's a pain in the butt to do so since it's considered non-serviceable most people are going to leave it at that and I don't blame them.

Before I'm going to go through the hassle of changing that one the hard way this requires I'm simply going to buy a better unit with the system that has a drain and refill and even filter replacement built into its design.
For better yet, if they would over build these things like they did a few decades ago where they were basically bulletproof even with plain old hydraulic fluid in there with no changes for years but of course that's not going to happen.
Regardless, we're not going to convince people, the industry, or the world that this is required because technically, officially, it's not.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
Actually Toby CDS got it wrong the reason why they don't drive is the valve plate errodes not that the oil degrades

Now with bottom end mowers corners have to be cut in order to get the price down to the point that idiots cheapskates are willing to pay
Perfect example is B & S push mower engines now devoid of a drain plug so you have to tip the mower on it's side to change the oil
Then for those who complain you sell them an oil change kit with a pump $$$$ so B & S save 3 machining operations , remove a potential source of warranty claims and get to sell you anothrer product , win, win , win for the shareholders , loose ,loose, loose for the customer
But you get to buy a mower cheaper and that is all Joe Idiot Public care about.
If this was not true MTD would have gone bankrupt while Noma & Murray would be going from strength to strength .
So now the bottom end ride ons are effectively a throw away item.
Most will last 5 years without any maintenance and that is the service life on a bottom end mower .
Intelligent people ( the 5 % of the population ) realize this and by a better quality mower
 

TobyU

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
Actually Toby CDS got it wrong the reason why they don't drive is the valve plate errodes not that the oil degrades

Now with bottom end mowers corners have to be cut in order to get the price down to the point that idiots cheapskates are willing to pay
Perfect example is B & S push mower engines now devoid of a drain plug so you have to tip the mower on it's side to change the oil
Then for those who complain you sell them an oil change kit with a pump $$$$ so B & S save 3 machining operations , remove a potential source of warranty claims and get to sell you anothrer product , win, win , win for the shareholders , loose ,loose, loose for the customer
But you get to buy a mower cheaper and that is all Joe Idiot Public care about.
If this was not true MTD would have gone bankrupt while Noma & Murray would be going from strength to strength .
So now the bottom end ride ons are effectively a throw away item.
Most will last 5 years without any maintenance and that is the service life on a bottom end mower .
Intelligent people ( the 5 % of the population ) realize this and by a better quality mower
Yes, I keep seeing that they are going for an 8 year replacement.
The oil is just a bandaid and only sometimes to help a weakening hydro.

I'm not going to bother it recommend changing pull in something that isn't designed to have it changed on the chance it "might" increase it's typical lifespan from 9 years to 10.2 years.
I'll also continue to eat red and blue M&Ms too. (Proven to shorten the life of test mice - IF you feed them a bathtub to of them... Life expectancy reduced from 3 years to 2 years 9 months! Lol)

I'll just buy a better built machine.

While we're hear.... What's your opinion on ztr hydro size etc?

They have done a real number with their numbers to make them sound better than they are. Originally you had an easy tea, and then you had a 2100 or 2200 and then that was the first one to become a 2100/2200 or something about like that. Then I think you had 2400 and you had 2800s all being residential style units..
Then they would market the 3100 as the entry level commercial but in the past few years they started doing a 2800/3100 and calling them commercial grade.
I'm sorry! Which is it? Is it a 28 or 31 because it really shouldn't and can't be both.
But I think what they've done like some of the other models is take the same basic design but beef up the pump with higher CC chambers and larger oil capacity etc and claim it's better.

Mostly that's just marketing on paper like I call it often or fake features.

Now when you get to 3400 things change because this gets the larger diameter axle shaft.
I consider the 3400 to be entry level commercial grade and personally I just wouldn't buy one especially not a 48 or 54 in with the 2800/3100s.
I feel it's worth the money to spend more to get a heavier grade hydrogen in it if you're buying a zero turn.

Personally, I don't mess with a bunch of them so what's your opinions and experiences on these?
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
I do not see any of them Toby
Most of my customers, even the commercial ones run a lot smaller mowers
There are about 18 Scags biggest is a 54" ( from memory ) 2 Toro Titans with 60" decks, 4 Time Masters again 42", 8 Time Cutters 30" & 42". 4 Walkers all 42" decks , 5 Great Danes all 42's bar a single 60" about 7 still running 2000 series Cubs 42",44",& 46" , 2 running 30" & 44" Dixons then about 20 Greenfields 32" or 34" , that is the end of the commercial customers .
Road regulation trailer widths limit mowers to 48" for an enclosed trailer and 60" for a flat bed after that you need a wide load permit every time you move one or it has to be registered for driving on the road as an item of plant .
I am lucky as there is a transmission tech 5 miles away so now days apart from the odd oil change they go down the road broken & come back fully primed & ready to fit in a week with a 12 month warranty .
I am mobile so work out of my vans mostly .
Aussies are a bit different to Americans
No one mows more than a couple of acres even on the 5 to 20 acre blocks not a single customer who mows more than 2 acres .
Once a year they might get the natural bush slashed to reduce the fire risk but sitting on the back porch admiring 25 acres of stripes & checks is not an Aussie thing .
Watching the kangaroos & listening to the song birds is more our style ( Aust has over 50% of the worlds song birds )
Despite having a shed cat there is about 30 or so native species running around the workshop not counting flying birds & snakes .
Got black cockies in the tree right now trying to hit me with pine cones because I did not crack the macadamia nuts for them yesterday
I made a big mistake a long while ago and cracked open all of the nuts that had borers in them then left them out for the Sulphur Crested's .
They gobbled them down then started to bring in nuts from all over the place then obviously the Gang Gangs cottoned on but they are a bit more demanding
 

Its Me

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
There is no preventive maintenance, for a plastic pulley, I was not able to match the ones I replaced with a metal pulley, to get the same sixe, all you can do is lock the clutch pedal down when not in use that would keep some pressure off of it, if you going to change the belt your self, you remove the deck, will have to pull the steering Columb up, to get the belt around the idlers, (make sure your steering wheel is in the correct position and count the teeth from each side on the fan gear to you will have the machine turn the same amount left a right, there is a bold on the transmission to keep the belt from jumping off will have to remove it to put the belt on, remove the rear tires, loosen the bolts that hold the transmission on to the mower should be able to tilt the transmission forward enough to remove and install the belt., I always change the idlers both of them and the belt when I do a job as such, Joe
 

TobyU

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  • / John Deere D125 won't move forwards or in reverse, moves by hand whether bypass rod pushed in or out
The Aussie perspective is interesting!
You're right about mowing the grass, the whole lot of the grass. Lol
In the US, or should I call it America, lol (interesting side note like 30 something years ago I always refer to it as the United States or the us but it seems a lot of Canadian people refer to it as America but I don't know about other parts of the world or what it has become now. I just thought it was funny when I was talking to a young girl on the phone and she said America)...but here, you're right, most everybody knows every square foot if not every square inch of grass 98 plus percent of the time.
In fact the stupid rules and regulations which is all zoning forces you to.
Only if you can find a piece of property like when we looked at a number of years ago that had three acres but only one acre was built on and the other two acres was woods can you leave the wooded part alone.
However, I can guarantee you if there were not trees there and you cut them down or it was an early situation for the it had not grown up yet to be trees and to be actual woods they would come out and force you to cut the whole thing every week. SMDH!

As reading your comments about the trailer laws I was thinking Where in the world is this guy live? And I immediately went to New York or some snooty rich East Coast area because they are often more restrictive but that seems so ridiculous to me.

The industry standard for commercial guys forever has been a 60-inch mower and they just recently started making like a 61 or 62 so they can market it as being better but this created a situation where some guys couldn't fit them on there already established trailers so that created a problem..
The most common in existence over the entire country would be a 42 inch front engine lawn tractor style rider.
Years ago they made her number of 38's and even some 40s but not many of the 40s but it seems prior to that the rear engine rider like the snappers and stuff was pretty popular and those were only like 28 to 32 inches with a single blade.
They make a good number of 48-in three blades and then popped out some 46-in two blades a while back and they can often go up to 50 or 52 in the residential style but 42 definitely dominates.
For the commercial guys they never use riders as people somehow look down on it as a cheaper guy on the side cutting grass or kid mowing lawns and not a professional company but you can have the oldest beat up truck without even a magnetic sign on the side of it and a 25-year-old walk behind skag 36 or 60-in cut and come out and do it and they think you're a fine professional.

The market, people, industry just expect zero turns, larger commercial walk behinds or standards when you're charging people money to cut their lawn as in multiple accounts style business and not just a kid cutting a few lawns for extra money or just getting started.

Some people keep a smaller pistol grip style walk behind so I can fit through smaller Gates but 36 in is the most common one and even that doesn't fit through all gates so most people just use the larger ones and then half 21 or 22 in self-propelled push style mowers for the areas they can't get to with their big ones which are almost always 50 in to 60 in.

I personally don't like to cut grass at all! I like to play with the mower or test one out for somewhere between 4:00 and 12 minutes depending on whether it's a walk behind or a rider but that's it!.
After that it just becomes work.

I love zero turns as far as using them but again for only 12 minutes and even with a 60 inch or larger I can't get my whole lawn done in 12 minutes, but I can get my front lawn done in almost that time. 😆 😆

I don't work on many of them but I used to do a decent number of them but I peeked out at my busiest year doing over 620 mowers or items I should say in a year which is actually not even a full 8 months of demand in the season.
I've cut that back a decent amount now to try not to stress me out so much...

I followed a lot of information over the years and seeing a decent amount of things myself and it just saddens me how so many people have hydro failures and problems at such low hours on these residential grade machines.
I believe that's why more of them started coming without our meters on them because it was incriminating..
Having a mower 10 or 12 years doesn't sound terrible to have a major failure or to have to replace it because one of the transmissions is going to cost so much to replace but looking down and seeing you only have 250 hours on it is a lot more disappointing!
I have seen hundreds of riders from my and surrounding areas which is actually on the edge of rural but still a suburban area and certainly not anything like a downtown city, inner city or big city with my immediate area being a city of 47,000 and most all of it built on half acre lots because it hasn't been a city as long as most of the surrounding cities and everyone had wells and septic tanks but no city/county water, or even natural gas.

People only start mowing typically in April but sometimes the second to the last week of March and they typically mow until through September with some going into October or at least to mulch up some leaves a couple of times.
Of all the mowers I have seen since doing this professionally on a larger number basis, the riders all seem to average between 25 to 35 hours per year with most being closer to 25 or 30.
So they often come in 12 years old, 15 years old, 17 years old and they rarely have over 220 hours on them.
In fact I hardly ever see one with over 270 on it but I have had three or four exceptions and the past four or five years that caught my attention.
I had an Ariens zero turn come in that was at least a 48 inch cut with a Briggs V-Twin intek 22 horsepower or something like that that the people bought brand new and said they never had an engine problem or transmission problem the whole time they had it.
It was just used for residential use but they had I guess a little over an acre to cut.
It had 1400 hours on it and I told them that frankly if it blew up today they more than got their money's worth from it and more than hardly anyone else gets from mowers.
I had another that was in the 12s and a couple in the 800s and 900s.
This is all for residential. I don't do much commercial for the commercial guys at all.
Some of my residential customers had commercial bars but they don't use them but about a tenth as much.
Had a kid a couple of years ago bring me a commercial 50 in John Deere with a Kawasaki twin on it that we needed to replace one side engine head and it had 1200 hours on it too and of course it was coming up on 10 years old but he had bought it from a private homeowner who had a decent sized lot.
Other than that, the mowers I see might be older and might even be a little beat up but they are just babies in there amount of usage and it's sad to have problems so early on.

I just couldn't bring myself to buy a zero turn with the smaller output shaft of the 3100. I would have to get the 3400 to step up to the beefier unit and we even get bigger ones if a decent price increase allowed it.
I sent a guy to a local dealer last year and I believe he bought a bobcat that was commercial with some really good hydros size-wise. Maybe a 4100 or something like that.
 
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