Zero turn hydros weak

[Butch(OH)]

We have a 2001 F-620 Deere zero turn. Been one heck of a good mower but at 1900 hours the hydros are getting pretty weak when warmed up. I dont have to call ma Deere to know that the price of parts is going to be very high as we have checked into this before on a Scag zero turn with similar drive units. By the time you do pumps and wheel motors it's a big lump of cash and machine is 11 years old, lots of hours etc etc, you get the picture. We have always used OEM fluid which same as the tractor fluid only it is light viscosity. Woud we harm anything by going to the heavier fluid?

 

[LarrySTN]

Use 20w-50 synthetic engine oil. It is the recommended oil for zero turn mowers. I sell & service zero turn mowers (not John Deere) alot of zero turn companies use hydro-gear hydrostats and 20w - 50 is what is recommended.

 

[wisbaker]

If it's already worn and fixing to quit what do you have to loose? But before I went to the heavier stuff I'd get into a parts book or consult with a good Hydro shop to insure it can't be fixed. Some of the turf grass stuff I did when I was a kid (and dinosaurs roamed the earth) had replaceable wear plates. The next question I have is are you sure it's the drive units and not the pump? Have you done a pressure/flow test on the thing? 1900 hours isn't that many hours on a unit like this, heck back in the 80's I'd be embarrassed if I couldn't get 3000 hours out of a greens mower before I had to do a engine or hydro system. If Mother Deere is putting out expensive equipment like this that's only going to run about 2,000 hours I think the next one would be a red Toro OR a yellow Hustler.

 

[greygoat]

Hydraulic motors have a specific life! They do
wear out...for instance.. a Char-lynn 2000
type motor, a step high in quality,and higher in
cost that the "H', or"S" series that you'll find
on augers and farm uses, has an EXPECTED life of 2000 hours. It says that right in the Char-Lynn
catalog! Char-Lynn 2000's are used in some zero
turn mowers. Their Equivelant competition, by
Parker/Ross, are used in other brands. Of course
you'll get better life by oil and filter changes!

 

[Rick54]

why are you replacing pumps and motors,I have never yet replaced a motor only few pumps. this all i do as I operate a mower repair shop. the brand new dixon units no longer run pump and wheel motor assemblies. they run seperate tannies ike the smallunit have done for years,I have yet to be in any of those. those new dixons are sweet without all the pums hoses etc for tranny.
No I would stay with what is recommended from factory and have had very little issues,main thing is keep them service filter changed and make sure they are purged of air. you canbe back going for $500.00 or less in most cases. i really doubt if you need half what you say you do. let me know i f can help. Several units out there in 4000hr range . i f you pull the sheet metal off 98% of the unit out there are the same setup.

 

[Tom-NorthCenTX]

My Zero Turn, a Hustler, uses only Mobil One 15W50 with 3 ounces of Hustler's Hydrozoil additive package per hydro oil change. The manual clearly specifies only Mobil One brand fully synthetic and a spin on filter change as well. The synthetic 15W50 can stand up to the Texas Summer heat and still be thing enough for good oil flow. The 3 oz of special additive is engineered by Hustler to prolong the live of the pump and wheel motors. Try it on yours, couldnt hurt. Tom

 

[dlauer]

I thought my pumps were bad but the drive belt needed tightened up.Check that first

 

[Butch(OH)]

No we haven't done any testing of the units. Local 'spert told us they are worn out and always replace in pairs pump and motor. Unit has had best of care. filters and fluid changed twice yearly. Dont know if anyone around even owns the flow test setup? Maybe the JD dealer has? guess Ill check there.

 

[JDseller]

I have found that many "weak" hydro units where just a relief valve getting weak. You need to check and see what the pressure is under load/ when hot. I have fixed several by readjusting the relief valve. I am not sure if the F-620 is an adjustable screw type or a plug/shim type.

I have tried using the regular Hy-guard as it is a higher viscosity but it usually does not help any. A friend put 50W oil in his and it did not help any.

I would get a service manual for it and go through the operational checks and see what you actually have. It many times is just something simple that is causing the issue. Had a customer with an off brand zero turn bring it in. It would slip on one side. Each side had its own drive belt. He had broken a belt and replaced it with a auto parts store el-cheapo. It was narrower. It was riding in the bottom of the drive pulleys. I put a new belt of the correct width and it is still running fine.

 

[504]

If you do need parts, check with "the surplus center" they carry some hydro units.

 

[OliverGuy]

Pump belt tight?

 

[wisbaker]

Is the local expert the same guy that want to sell you $1500 dollars worth of parts? Unfortunately the downside of some of the aspects of the large multi-store implement/equipment distributors and automotive franchises is extreme cost control (low wages) and service advisers that work on commission. This leads to service departments that don't have the knowledge/skill/inclination to diagnose or repair components (we just change 'em) and people whose interest is for you to spend MORE money, the more you spend the more they make. Skilled help is expensive it's cheaper not to have skilled techs in the service bay, down side is our customer spends more money because we use his dollars to guess with. I sometimes speculate that the service and repair side has been deliberately reduced both by the dealer and the manufacturer with the hope of churning equipment through their customers. The attitude has become more consumer retail rather than producer/trade (or B2B) retail, again meaning the focus is to put NEW UNITS out the front door, not to provide equipment and service to assist your customer in earning a living, producing product or providing a service.

 

[Goose]

And that isn't new.

I was a McCulloch chain saw dealer back in the 1970's when McCulloch was at their peak. The only thing that mattered to McCulloch was how many new saws you sold. The fact that I could tune up a customer's saw, sell him a new bar and chain, and make more money than if I'd sold him a new saw didn't even enter into it. The District Manager wasn't happy when I voiced that opinion.

I finally became as disenchanted with McCulloch as they were with me. Maybe that was the start of their downhill slide.

 

[Dean Olson]

To add to your point: back in the day I was in a product service training class. Learning how to work on the latest greatest machines. I and some other tech expressed the opinion that the quality of the product was way down and we where having more service calls and having to replace equipment sooner that in past models. As tech we had to deal with very unhappy customers.

The sales rep/"teacher" went on a rant about why we should be happy as more service calls and replacements is job security. That we got to sell more equipment if it failed sooner etc. etc. etc. He went on to explain that the manufacturing term for this was "built in obsolescence". It allowed manufacturers and business's to better project income.

I explained that this is rural Iowa! You won't get by with that for very long as your sales will go to zero and we'll be out of business.

We changed brands shortly thereafter and reps sales did go to zero.