LX188

[lefemmenakita]

I use this older mower to clean up the woods.It runs great and cuts great. Just lately it has started to hesitate going forward. Usually it happens on a slight incline with the wheels turned. I have to straighten the wheels, take my foot off the pedal and tap it forward.It inches forward a few feet and then goes on ok.It goes backwards just fine.
I was thinking the transmission was slipping and wanted to check the oil, but from my reading there is not a transmision oil check/change. Right?
Any ideas?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Should have a Tuff Torq K61 in it.
SO off with the tranny, clean the cases like your mothering in law is going to check them.
There is a bung in the top, pry it out crefully tip the unit upside down to drain out all of the oil , will take a long time then refill with 20W 50 fully synthetic.
JD will tell you 5W 30, but this is for a nice new tranny and yours is getting on a bit.
Tranny oil should be replaced every so often 5 to 10 years depending upon useage but no one dose till it is too late.
Tuff Torq have some manuals & instructions on line.
Mulligans seem to have the best prices if you need to replace it.
About 1/3 of the time new clean oil will bring an old unit back to life but it is only temporay once the swash plate & valve chest start to leak they only ever get worse.
That mower is pushing 20 years which is about double the design life of most .
If you get another 5 years out of it you have done well.
Howling hydros are a sign hat they are on the way out but none of my customers will allow me to touch one till it is too late and then when the odd one does they get cranky when it does not sound much quieter than before I changed the oil.

 

[lefemmenakita]

Should have a Tuff Torq K61 in it.
SO off with the tranny, clean the cases like your mothering in law is going to check them.
There is a bung in the top, pry it out crefully tip the unit upside down to drain out all of the oil , will take a long time then refill with 20W 50 fully synthetic.
JD will tell you 5W 30, but this is for a nice new tranny and yours is getting on a bit.
Tranny oil should be replaced every so often 5 to 10 years depending upon useage but no one dose till it is too late.
Tuff Torq have some manuals & instructions on line.
Mulligans seem to have the best prices if you need to replace it.
About 1/3 of the time new clean oil will bring an old unit back to life but it is only temporay once the swash plate & valve chest start to leak they only ever get worse.
That mower is pushing 20 years which is about double the design life of most .
If you get another 5 years out of it you have done well.
Howling hydros are a sign hat they are on the way out but none of my customers will allow me to touch one till it is too late and then when the odd one does they get cranky when it does not sound much quieter than before I changed the oil.

damn. that sounds like its above my pay scale

 

[bertsmobile1]

Naw don't under estimate yourself.
Six bolts hold it in
Two clips to remove the control linkages and one bolt to remove the belt guide.
A circlip on each wheel to slide them off and they probably have never been off so taking them off & greasing the axel will be a good thing if you are going to rough cut with it and get punctures.
When hydros start to go, they will go downhill very fast so from goes a little slow up hill when hot to wont move at all can be as little as a single season.
Take some photos of each bit before you remove it so you have a put back guide
The hardest part is removing the drive belt and while it is off slip on a new one and replace the idler pulleys which will most likely be cactus as well.
A $ 600 service done for $ 100 worth of parts.

Or if the mower is in good condition replace the tranny as a drop in part
Mulligans have the cheapest ones I have found but I am sure others here would know cheaper sources.
The old tranny will sell on Craigs list in no time flat