I have a LGT 2554. It would no longer climb the small hill in front of the house. In less than an hour I had the transmission on the floor. Removed the rubber vent plug in the top and drained it. Rinced it with some gas and drained well. Added 2 quarts of 5w50 synthetic and reinstalled it. WOW! What a differance! Has not run like that since I bought it. I now plan to do it every year. I just is not that hard to do...THANK YOU for the info...mine had 2 1/2 quarts in it and I put that much back
I just drained the oil out of my JD x300. The best way is remove transmission and tip upside-down. I refilled mine with JD spec hydraulic oil same as used in all heavy duty farm tractors
Great Video! Thx for tips! My Craftsman tractor has the K66 Y transaxle. The manual says: "TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID The transaxle was sealed at the factory and fluid maintenance is not required for the life of the transaxle. Should the transaxle ever leak or require servicing, contact your nearest Sears or other qualified service center." I can only wonder how accurate that statement truly is.....
Well of course they tell you not to service that transaxle, they want you to come back in and open your wallet in a few years for a new tractor when that transaxle destroys itself.
The magnets need to be cleaned within the case. Eventually, they can't hold the fine particulate decay from the gears. I would crack open the case every 200 hours and clean the magnets and replace the filter too.
when you drill and take coat your drill bit and teh tap with axel grease the metal particles will stay on the bit and tap that way. just clean it as best you can when your done.
Personally if I were going to do drain plugs I’d pull the bottom cover. There are holes cast into the cover meant to be drilled the rest of the way to locate the drain plugs. That way while you are in there you could change the filter, and clean the magnets. Tuff Torq offers drain plugs (they offer two sizes so make sure to get the right ones).
I'm at a bit over 70 hours with my lawn tractor with the K46 I guess I better change the oil in it before I have issues....so far its not giving me any trouble, but I'd rather not have any issues. This is an entry level hydrostatic transaxle so I guess they went as cheap as possible and just didn't bother putting in drain plugs, yet they charge $800+ for a replacement transaxle hmm, not exactly what I'd call cheap.
Looks like you removed the vent. The plug under the fan is the fill port. Anyway it's a great way to change the oil. Remember use a small 1/4" siphon hose and poke both sides of the housings. You should be able to remove 1 3/4 quarts of oil thru the siphon hose method. I done mine yesterday and refilled it with 5W50 synthetic. Thanks for the video.
Yep he did.. but some sealed units have no fill plug in top at all so the only way to put oil in/out is the vent. Some low-end zeros like my BIL Bad Boy I had to unscrew the nipple fittings on top to drain/fill. Whatever it takes do it they do dye young if not done. Small drill pump with long stiff small diameter hose works excellent. Fluids in/out in just minutes.
Yes William, it is the vent tube, but you can also put fluid in. If you measure how much you take out you can replace it with the same amount of new oil. I agree that ideally you would replace ALL of the oil and change the filter, but that requires removing the transmission/ axle and dismantling it. I have also rebuilt several of these. The video is to change out some of the oil. If you do this frequently you will extend the life of the transmission/ axel. These transmissions barely last more than 200 hours without an oil change.
This transaxle does not have a drain plug. As I posted, it will help to add life to the transaxle pump. It does not have a drain plug. I mentioned in the video that you will not get all of the fluid. But 1/2 is better than none. The only way to drain the fluid from this transaxle is to remove it from the mower and turn it upside down. A bit of a lengthy process. I was just tying to show a way to at least freshen up what is there and add viscosity to it. If it is done regularly as I have mentioned it will help to add life to the pump. I have rebuilt and replaced plenty of these.
Hello, Sorry to bother you 4 yrs later but getting ready to drill drain plugs this weekend. My question... I understand if I drill holes it will remove most of the oil but will I be able to replace all that I drained out thru the vent hole? That seems to be the most controversial part all over the web. Some say it's divided chambers and to fill correctly you must use actual fill hole hence defeating the purpose of drain holes. Thanks for any info.
@@lostthenfound1 you will be able to refill it. The chambers are not divided in such a fashion that the fluid will not go in the entire transaxle. No worries by refilling through the vent hole.
@@lostthenfound1 There's a "weir" between the gear and pump chambers. A weir is like a dam with a low passage for some but not all water to flow through. Same as the transmission. You drain both chambers via two drain holes. When you refill with oil, some will overflow the "weir" and fill the other chamber.
@@danburch9989 I actually got the courage to do this about a month ago. Everything went great except I used a pointed tap and it bottomed out and stripped one of the holes. I have since learned about the shorter taps without the long tip and will have to re-tap someday. Right now the bolt is not leaking just wouldn't tighten correctly. Thanks for your reply, I'm sure it will help a future Trans driller.
I just had my K51 apart. There are effectively two fluid reservoirs, one for the wet brake and differential, and one for the pump/motor. The fluid in the wet brake/differential section was really nasty, no doubt from the brake. The fluid in the motor section looked much better. The vent you pumped oil from is only the wet brake/differential section. I doubt there is any benefit to changing this oil before 200 hours, if even that often.
Can't it still be refilled thru vent plug? That's the whole idea of adding drain screws so you don't have to take the k46 out of the tractor. To access the actual fill plug by taking off fan etc. the k46 has to be removed what I've seen. Please correct me if I'm wrong since getting ready to add the drain screws.
Stephen Waite--You don't have to change oil that often, I went 12 years on my first oil change and I cut one Acre of Lawn, Just use Synthetic 50-60w oil when you change and forget about it for several years, the Main thing to remember is to keep tranny and Fan clean as this is life of oil and Transmission.....
Hey Jeffrey, I've been thinking about going this route to top off the oil in my J.Deere X320 with a K-46 tranny. I've heard some folks say it's not safe to remove that vent plug. Some videos even show people breaking it trying to get it off. Did yours pop off or screw off? If you get a minute, check out the series on my J.Deere L-130 on oil change and xmission removal. See if you can relate...especially to Part 3. Dean ua-cam.com/video/53Yqkm2QJB0/v-deo.html
Every one is missing the point of the oil change ! Seems like every one is satisfied with the notion oil that's half contaminated is a good thing. Oil change means all the oil should be changed to insure longevity of the trans. May just as well not do it at all. Spend the time an do it right including the filter. Old saying never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over.
William Sevier Says the guy who listening to this idiot not knowing there are two chambers on the transmission and that what he’s tapping into is the vent plug lol. The fill hole is under the fan.
@@iwanaGoFast2010 I gave you the link, so who's listening to what? K46 is a Tuff Torq Trans Axle...follow the link I gave you, takes you to Tuff Torque Not Hydro Gear. Here's your "Hydro-Gear" Transaxle page...www.hydro-gear.com/residential/...nope no K46 listed there.
Yes, there are two locations for the drain plugs molded into the case by Tuff Torq. However, not all of the mower manufacturers have the drain plugs installed. John Deere for one does not. BUT if you remove the pan (and change the filter) you will find the drain plug locations noted inside the case. They have to be drilled and tapped for the plugs. Not sure if all JD's come without the plugs but I have had to install them in two mowers from the early 2000's. Tuff Torq actually sells a drain plug kit for these transmissions.
Is it not possible to just remove the pan without removing the entire transaxle to install the drain plugs or do components fall out if the transaxle pan isn't removed while the transaxle is upside down? I've been a mechanic for 25 years but on automotive so thus my question. Thanks for any info on this.
@@denali9449 I wrote a reply under yours. Do you know the answer to my question? Can I just remove the transaxle pan without removing the transaxle to install drain plugs? Thanks
@@kurtwillson2553 I have been trying to figure this out. I watched a couple of Tuber videos on rebuilding these transmissions and it 'appears' that the only item to fall out would be the filter. I am not real sure that you could get the filter back in properly from the bottom. I honestly do not recall as I had the units out of the mowers when I installed mine and I have slept since then. Halfway tempted to drop the pan to find out and I am sure the filter should be replaced. Notice that I said "halfway tempted". Right now I am 1200 miles from the mowers and have no intention of seeing them before mid June.
I have a LGT 2554. It would no longer climb the small hill in front of the house. In less than an hour I had the transmission on the floor. Removed the rubber vent plug in the top and drained it. Rinced it with some gas and drained well. Added 2 quarts of 5w50 synthetic and reinstalled it. WOW! What a differance! Has not run like that since I bought it. I now plan to do it every year. I just is not that hard to do...THANK YOU for the info...mine had 2 1/2 quarts in it and I put that much back
Russell Daggett transaxle oil service kit video
Good info I'll look into this for sure. Pulling mine out to change the oil soon
Thanks for the vid I put a drain plug in because of you
I just drained the oil out of my JD x300. The best way is remove transmission and tip upside-down. I refilled mine with JD spec hydraulic oil same as used in all heavy duty farm tractors
Great Video! Thx for tips! My Craftsman tractor has the K66 Y transaxle.
The manual says:
"TRANSAXLE PUMP FLUID
The transaxle was sealed at the factory and
fluid maintenance is not required for the life
of the transaxle. Should the transaxle ever
leak or require servicing, contact your nearest
Sears or other qualified service center."
I can only wonder how accurate that statement truly is.....
Well of course they tell you not to service that transaxle, they want you to come back in and open your wallet in a few years for a new tractor when that transaxle destroys itself.
The magnets need to be cleaned within the case. Eventually, they can't hold the fine particulate decay from the gears. I would crack open the case every 200 hours and clean the magnets and replace the filter too.
when you drill and take coat your drill bit and teh tap with axel grease the metal particles will stay on the bit and tap that way. just clean it as best you can when your done.
Personally if I were going to do drain plugs I’d pull the bottom cover. There are holes cast into the cover meant to be drilled the rest of the way to locate the drain plugs. That way while you are in there you could change the filter, and clean the magnets. Tuff Torq offers drain plugs (they offer two sizes so make sure to get the right ones).
I'm at a bit over 70 hours with my lawn tractor with the K46 I guess I better change the oil in it before I have issues....so far its not giving me any trouble, but I'd rather not have any issues.
This is an entry level hydrostatic transaxle so I guess they went as cheap as possible and just didn't bother putting in drain plugs, yet they charge $800+ for a replacement transaxle hmm, not exactly what I'd call cheap.
It's easier taking out the whole transmission than messing round trying to get to and use the fill plug.
Looks like you removed the vent. The plug under the fan is the fill port. Anyway it's a great way to change the oil. Remember use a small 1/4" siphon hose and poke both sides of the housings. You should be able to remove 1 3/4 quarts of oil thru the siphon hose method. I done mine yesterday and refilled it with 5W50 synthetic. Thanks for the video.
Yep he did.. but some sealed units have no fill plug in top at all so the only way to put oil in/out is the vent. Some low-end zeros like my BIL Bad Boy I had to unscrew the nipple fittings on top to drain/fill. Whatever it takes do it they do dye young if not done.
Small drill pump with long stiff small diameter hose works excellent. Fluids in/out in just minutes.
Thanks for sharing
Yes William, it is the vent tube, but you can also put fluid in. If you measure how much you take out you can replace it with the same amount of new oil. I agree that ideally you would replace ALL of the oil and change the filter, but that requires removing the transmission/ axle and dismantling it. I have also rebuilt several of these. The video is to change out some of the oil. If you do this frequently you will extend the life of the transmission/ axel. These transmissions barely last more than 200 hours without an oil change.
This transaxle does not have a drain plug. As I posted, it will help to add life to the transaxle pump. It does not have a drain plug. I mentioned in the video that you will not get all of the fluid. But 1/2 is better than none. The only way to drain the fluid from this transaxle is to remove it from the mower and turn it upside down. A bit of a lengthy process. I was just tying to show a way to at least freshen up what is there and add viscosity to it. If it is done regularly as I have mentioned it will help to add life to the pump. I have rebuilt and replaced plenty of these.
Hello, Sorry to bother you 4 yrs later but getting ready to drill drain plugs this weekend. My question... I understand if I drill holes it will remove most of the oil but will I be able to replace all that I drained out thru the vent hole? That seems to be the most controversial part all over the web. Some say it's divided chambers and to fill correctly you must use actual fill hole hence defeating the purpose of drain holes. Thanks for any info.
@@lostthenfound1 you will be able to refill it. The chambers are not divided in such a fashion that the fluid will not go in the entire transaxle. No worries by refilling through the vent hole.
@@lostthenfound1 There's a "weir" between the gear and pump chambers. A weir is like a dam with a low passage for some but not all water to flow through. Same as the transmission. You drain both chambers via two drain holes. When you refill with oil, some will overflow the "weir" and fill the other chamber.
@@danburch9989 I actually got the courage to do this about a month ago. Everything went great except I used a pointed tap and it bottomed out and stripped one of the holes. I have since learned about the shorter taps without the long tip and will have to re-tap someday. Right now the bolt is not leaking just wouldn't tighten correctly. Thanks for your reply, I'm sure it will help a future Trans driller.
Very helpful I turned mine over on jd l110 yeah my mower was free and sold the deck and made a profit
I just had my K51 apart. There are effectively two fluid reservoirs, one for the wet brake and differential, and one for the pump/motor. The fluid in the wet brake/differential section was really nasty, no doubt from the brake. The fluid in the motor section looked much better. The vent you pumped oil from is only the wet brake/differential section. I doubt there is any benefit to changing this oil before 200 hours, if even that often.
That’s the vent plug you pulled out! The actual fill plug is under the fan.
Can't it still be refilled thru vent plug? That's the whole idea of adding drain screws so you don't have to take the k46 out of the tractor. To access the actual fill plug by taking off fan etc. the k46 has to be removed what I've seen. Please correct me if I'm wrong since getting ready to add the drain screws.
Split the case, then drill to prevent shavings.
What website has that diagram?
How many liters oil its nesesary
Put some RTV on the flutes of the drill bit just before you drill. The shavings will stick to it.
I use grease but I had not thought about using rtv...
RTV
I used a shop vac, worked ok.
why not drop the pan and change the oil?
Can not do that
I'm not really used to these cheaper transmissions.. but changing every 50 hours.. wow
Stephen Waite--You don't have to change oil that often, I went 12 years on my first oil change and I cut one Acre of Lawn, Just use Synthetic 50-60w oil when you change and forget about it for several years, the Main thing to remember is to keep tranny and Fan clean as this is life of oil and Transmission.....
Hey Jeffrey, I've been thinking about going this route to top off the oil in my J.Deere X320 with a K-46 tranny. I've heard some folks say it's not safe to remove that vent plug. Some videos even show people breaking it trying to get it off. Did yours pop off or screw off? If you get a minute, check out the series on my J.Deere L-130 on oil change and xmission removal. See if you can relate...especially to Part 3. Dean ua-cam.com/video/53Yqkm2QJB0/v-deo.html
Transaxle
Every one is missing the point of the oil change ! Seems like every one is satisfied with the notion oil that's half contaminated is a good thing. Oil change means all the oil should be changed to insure longevity of the trans. May just as well not do it at all. Spend the time an do it right including the filter. Old saying never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over.
That's a hyrdro gear brand transaxle not a tuff torq
K46 is Tuff Torq....www.tufftorq.com/product/k46/
William Sevier Says the guy who listening to this idiot not knowing there are two chambers on the transmission and that what he’s tapping into is the vent plug lol. The fill hole is under the fan.
@@iwanaGoFast2010 I gave you the link, so who's listening to what? K46 is a Tuff Torq Trans Axle...follow the link I gave you, takes you to Tuff Torque Not Hydro Gear. Here's your "Hydro-Gear" Transaxle page...www.hydro-gear.com/residential/...nope no K46 listed there.
William Sevier I just have you a thumbs down
@@iwanaGoFast2010 Cool, don't hurt my feelings any that you cannot simply follow the links to find out you are wrong. Have an awesome day.
No drain plug rubbish their is 2 on the k46
HaHa on the diagram he shows a & b are probably drain plugs that don't need to be drilled out.
Yes, there are two locations for the drain plugs molded into the case by Tuff Torq. However, not all of the mower manufacturers have the drain plugs installed. John Deere for one does not. BUT if you remove the pan (and change the filter) you will find the drain plug locations noted inside the case. They have to be drilled and tapped for the plugs. Not sure if all JD's come without the plugs but I have had to install them in two mowers from the early 2000's. Tuff Torq actually sells a drain plug kit for these transmissions.
Is it not possible to just remove the pan without removing the entire transaxle to install the drain plugs or do components fall out if the transaxle pan isn't removed while the transaxle is upside down? I've been a mechanic for 25 years but on automotive so thus my question. Thanks for any info on this.
@@denali9449 I wrote a reply under yours. Do you know the answer to my question? Can I just remove the transaxle pan without removing the transaxle to install drain plugs? Thanks
@@kurtwillson2553 I have been trying to figure this out. I watched a couple of Tuber videos on rebuilding these transmissions and it 'appears' that the only item to fall out would be the filter. I am not real sure that you could get the filter back in properly from the bottom. I honestly do not recall as I had the units out of the mowers when I installed mine and I have slept since then. Halfway tempted to drop the pan to find out and I am sure the filter should be replaced. Notice that I said "halfway tempted". Right now I am 1200 miles from the mowers and have no intention of seeing them before mid June.