If it's a hydrostatic tranny and has a reservoir, check the fluid level. Regardless, I'd change the fluid/oil (tranny).Almost five year old cub, 356 hours.
Cut grass only with this machine.
Recently our cub started slowing down as you cut the grass on a slope. (This came on suddenly.) If you let the mower sit for an hour it'll go again but slow down on slopes after a short time to just barely moving. I put on a new belt and idler spring hoping it was just slipping. It didn't fix it. I checked the brake and it seems to be free. Please don't tell me the tranny is going after just 4 seasons of cutting. Thanks.
It really sounds like low oil.
After sitting a while all of the oil is in the reseviour feeding the pump.
As soon as you start moving it gets distributed all over the place, level feeding the pump gets low & pump starts pumping air & you go nowhere.
Only other thing could be a bypass valve stuck slightly open but that will usually be a constant loss of power.
However it is a cheap test so open the bypass & do an air purge if you have the instructions for that.
Final and most obscure problem could be a sheared key in the drive pulley but I am not sure if your mower has one.
When the key is sheared the mower will respond to light loads but the pulley will spin free on the shaft when the load gets heavier.
If its a sealed unit it's probably not going to have a reservoir. I'd almost bet if your going to try and change the fluid you'll end up pulling the whole unit out. I think I'd take the thing to the shop and let the professionals take care of the problem.
Don't know if this RECALL affects you but you may want to check it out ..... Boobala
Hydrostatic Lawn Tractors Recalled by Hydro-Gear Due to Crash Hazard | CPSC.gov
If its a sealed unit it's probably not going to have a reservoir. I'd almost bet if your going to try and change the fluid you'll end up pulling the whole unit out. I think I'd take the thing to the shop and let the professionals take care of the problem.
OK is there fluid in the tank when it's cold ? Should be like and inch.
It's about an inch from the top. hmmmmmm?
Just looked at your pic. Yours is easy. Change the fluid and filter? and see what happens.
Put 2 quarts in still not full. Do you know how many quarts it takes? I'm going to pick some up tomorrow.
The oil is black and had a hint of burnt smell to it.
If you'll find which model tranny it is you can find the capacity. Or if you post it I'll look it up (try) for you. For sure when changing the oil you will need to purge the air from the system or the oil will not move properly to operate the tranny. If that screen shot is from a downloaded manual, see if it gives the capacity, internal/external filter, and how to change the fluid. Not to upset you however keep in mind the tranny might be fried. I'd still do the fluid change and see what happens.
I'm already upset. A little over 4 years old. Like to know what could cause that. My wife mows about 2 acres; that's it. She doesn't beat on nothing. We were told this Cub could handle 3-5 acres. If that doesn't fix it that will be the first and last Cub I buy.
One site said 2 quarts another said 2.5 quarts. I'll get one more and purge it. We'll see what happens.
Downloaded the manual after viewing your .pdf. That allowed me find the tranny manual. It appears as your manual states that the fluid will need to be siphoned out as best you can. No friggin' drain plug. Here's the tranny .pdf. One thought. Have you checked the bypass valve that the you manipulate so that it can free wheel? I'd work it in and out 2-3 times. You never know. http://www.hydro-gear.com/main/docs/service-repair-manuals/310-0510.pdf For future reference. On the next mower purchase (hopefully no time soon) try to get one with a drain plug, fill plug and outside filter (s). After I went through the same crap you're going through and learning how important good quality fluid is to a hyro-type tranny, that was my number one priority when I purchased my new one 3 years ago.
Thanks. Next mower gets changed after 2 seasons regardless if the owners manual says, "Not serviceable." Even if I have to pull the tranny off like I did with this one. But I'll be looking for one with a drain plug for my next mower, maybe sooner than later.
My son lives in Oklahoma. 100 degree days on end plus monster tornadoes, huge hail, black widows, brown recluses, fire ants, etc. (He lives on Tornado Blvd.) Give me 9 feet of snow every year (our average). 100 degrees is rare up here.
I'll get back once I get more oil and try it out. Thanks again.
You may have a chore to find a serviceable unit in a lawn Tractor. Even the EZT Transmissions are not serviceable in the ZT. You have to go to at least the 2800 to get a unit you can service and filter you can change. Hydro gear says it's a sealed unit and you should never have to service it for the life of the unit. I hope I'm wrong and changing oil helps your problem but If you dumped out 2 quarts of oil from the unit I doubt changing it will help the problem.
Well, that solved nothing. Looks like we're off to spend another 2000-3000. Great. Thanks for everyone's help.
Hope you find you a good one. My mower has the Hydro Gear 3100 and it seem excellent. It's near twin is the 2800. I have no idea if these come on non-zero turn mowers. If you get a "normal" mower, I would see if any come with one of these trannys. Keep us posted on what you decide. Good luck.
This is just a suggestion but you may want to check and buy another mower like yours on craigslist and that someone maybe selling cheap because they lost an engine and pick it up and use the drive unit to replace yours, you could end up spending less than a couple of hundred. The mowers you'll be looking at in the price range you posted will be the same type drive units and the EZT tranny's in the lower end ZTR mowers will be much or basically the same type unit (meaning sealed unit) You could also check with some of the dealerships around and maybe pick up a used drive unit cheap.
As long as you go with the tuff torq k66 or later tranny you should be ok. These should have both an external reservoir, fill plug, and drain plug. When you go shopping and it's tuff torq, make sure they show you that the tranny has those features. No matter who says what, you want to change that fluid (in an easy manner, at least every other year unless you just mow 27/7 which would make it more often. Believe most are recommended 20w50 and I use fully synthetic. That's just me.Looking at a mower with a Tuff Torq tranny. Anyone know anything about these? The dealer said it was a heavy duty tranny.
As long as you go with the tuff torq k66 or later tranny you should be ok. These should have both an external reservoir, fill plug, and drain plug. When you go shopping and it's tuff torq, make sure they show you that the tranny has those features. No matter who says what, you want to change that fluid (in an easy manner, at least every other year unless you just mow 27/7 which would make it more often. Believe most are recommended 20w50 and I use fully synthetic. That's just me.
I could buy a new tranny for 600 but will it last. My old John Deere went 7 years mowing grass and pushing 9 feet of snow before it gave up the ghost. All I want to do is cut grass now. I have a plow on my 4x4 SUV. I shouldn't have to spend an arm and a leg to just cut grass (2000-3000 is an arm though). I will be contacting Hydro Gear and Cub Cadet this week. I'll let you know what they said.