The Husky GT has a great hydro-Trans. My 2 teenage sons ran over hill and dale, towed 4 wheelers, pickups, more I prolly dont know about. LOL. My oldest made the mistake of buying a LT model with a very weak hydro trans
Towing lawn cart with a mower
- Thread starter WA1DH
- Start date
I’ve moved vehicles with my GT’s many times of weight if the concern. I also roll my yard with a 920 lb roller too. It’s a HST transmission, but is shaft and not belt driven.
400 lbs is nothing for just about any model on flat ground. Keep the trailer tires inflated and go slow with no harsh accelerations. Let off the gas well before you intend to stop so nothing gets away from you and you don’t have to overuse the brake.
400 lbs is nothing for just about any model on flat ground. Keep the trailer tires inflated and go slow with no harsh accelerations. Let off the gas well before you intend to stop so nothing gets away from you and you don’t have to overuse the brake.
Essentially the hydro trans is too small for the task and wears out prematurely, repair costs can be as much as a new unit. My research showed that in order to reduce the price the home centers will spec a smaller trans, since this is a major component and a big part of the build cost, a smaller trans can reduce their cost and increase profits. I have read that units bought at a equipment dealer will have the bigger trans units in them although I have no first hand knowledge of this fact. A little bit of research and some informed questions should/could net you a unit good for your needs.
I filed this learning chapter in my life under "the things you didnt know that you didnt know"
a hydrostat unit will make a whine sound and generally not move or move very slowly if overloaded. Hydrostatic means fluid driven so when the system is overloaded the relief opens and that is the noise you hear.
Just my $0.02
My biggest constraint for a traditional riding mower is going to be width. I have 48" gates into the back yard. I also like to bag clippings for use as mulch in the garden, which means I may need to factor a bagger chute into that width. I would guess that leaves out most garden tractors. Price wise if I could stay under $2,000 would be ideal. The highest end machines I'm seeing in this range are the Cub Cadet XT1 42" and Troy Bilt Pony 36" Cub Cadet has a hydrostatic trans and the Troy Bilt says CVT. I read Poulan Pro might be a decent option but not sure who carries those anymore as all the Sears have closed up.
That 42" cut wont fit through a 48" opening with the grass catcher, you might even have to pull the safety chute up to get through without bumping. The 36" should work just fine but I would check to see how the bagger is attached. If its rated for a rear bagger and slopes up to 15 deg you wont have any trouble pulling your cart on level ground. I have a Troy Built 42" with the CVT and while I dont pull a cart much I do pull up hill. I have a pile of fill dirt I keep about 150 yds from the house. 3 or 4 times a year I pull about 250-300 lb load up a 10 deg slope for 100 yds and haul cut branches and stones back to the brush pile. I have had to replace the drive belt 1 time in 10 years and that was because the old one was all cracked and split and started slipping. And it cuts 1.25 ac around the house every week.
Ive got a cheap harbor freight trailer which I pull behind my tiny ariens ztr. It has hauled bricks, dirt, leaves, fallen limbs, no sweat. Think of a wheelbarrow. If you can push it in a wheelbarrow, which easily handles 200 lbs, it’s not that much to ask for a rider. Mines a 14.5hp and pulling doesnt break a sweat. Don’t shotgun the controls, drive easy, and I think you’ll be fine.
my LT150 has a 38" deck. It measures 48" wide with the plastic deflector that can be raised. If raised it is 6" narrower. My mower has mulching blades because I like the free fertilizer. If you go too narrow the mowers become tippy. I have less than a flat yard but mine is very stable on the inclines I have.
Just my $0.02
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Hauling Heavier Loads with a Riding Mower
Consider "coefficient of friction."
Mechanical and Hydraulic wear
Transmission Ground Drive design
Engines Horsepower/ Torque curve power intersection point.
Hydrostatic transaxles, after a certain point of internal wear, will have the surface area at the base of the Hydro pump assembly show wear between the steel pump barrel base and the aluminum mating surface. When the transaxle is cool the oil is thicker the transaxle will exhibit a stronger pulling force. As the transaxle oil heats and thins the transaxle oil will seep past these two mating surfaces and will no longer produce the needed flow and consequent "pressure" needed to drive the "motor" at an adequate speed. Also, as the pumped oil leaks past these mating surfaces produces a "phase change" that then generates more heat. (more heat, thinner oil, more leakage, even more heat etc.). Any liquid and or hydraulic fluid that is released (leaked) under higher than ambient temperatures will generate a temperature increase which further thins the oil, thus further lowering the pumping efficiency. In an air conditioning/ heat pump system it is this liquid "phase change" that either heats or chills the heat exchanger producing either warm or cold air (depending on the unit setting for cold or heated air). In a hydrostatic drive system, If the pump base mating surface is worn an oil change will not "fix" the problem. A thicker oil may help but the pump base wear will not be restored so that its original efficiency is attainable. I have in the past disassembled the transaxle pumps. fashioned a piece of wet/dry sandpaper that I glued to the pump base and then taking the pump drive shaft (installed in my drill press chuck) slowly resurface the mating surfaces to improve the pump base leaking problem. The pump base can be "restored or at least improved by taking a 1/2' chuck drill and driving the base against wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface like a table saw surface that is very flat.
When installed in the transaxle the "pump" barrel is spring loaded against the pump top to keep the pump base in constant contact with the base housing. Patience is needed to resurface both the pump base and housing mating surfaces. The fastest approach is to replace the pump and motor, but the parts prices can be a little high. On a Zero turn there are two separate transaxles. If one is sluggish, it may be caused by belt and pulley wear or a weak belt idler spring. Don't blame the transaxle until you carefully examine these first. Standard mower v belts are cloth wrapped to allow some slippage when at higher stress and engaging levels. They can either become glazed or polished and/or stretched and slip, which in turn generates more heat. Also, the two transaxle pulleys are usually situated where one pulley has more v belt contact (wrap) than the other. Less pulley wrap contact along with polished or worn pulleys will generate more heat. V belts must NOT sink fully into the bottom of the v belt pulley. They MUST sit higher in the pulley to produce the necessary traction.
Other notes: Mowing patterns affect the life of the pumps. If the mower operator generally mows by taking right turns the left transaxle will show more wear. It will have covered more territory than the right transaxle. Polyester drive belts stretch more than Kevlar (r) belts. Make sure to get the recommended belt designed for your transaxle. Belt tension is critical on these systems. Do not substitute another idler pulley spring unless you know that it will fully tension but not over tension the pump drive belt assembly. Idler pulleys also wear and there will usually be a pivot point on the idler arm assembly. If not properly lubed can bind and cause belt slippage. Disassemble all parts, clean and lube or replace if defective.
To check pump heat signatures, take a laser thermometer and check both transaxles after the units are fully heated. Any significant temperature differences will indicate either differences in internal pump wear or belt/pulley slippage. You must run the transaxles at full speed to generate the maximum temperatures before testing their heat. Reason: at full engine throttle in neutral the pumps are spinning but are not producing flow and are under very little heat producing stress.
Transaxle oils are usually automotive oils with a low Zinc and Phosphorous (ZDDP) additive package (to minimize catalytic converter fouling in cars). When changing transaxle oil check the manufacturers recommendation. Valvoline 20w50 full synthetic racing oil has higher ZDDP anti-wear loads. ZDDP is what I have read to be a sacrificial wear additive. It is said to lose its peak effectiveness after a point and pump wear can increase. Do not use any hi ZDDP racing oil in your catalytic converter equipped vehicles. It can cause premature cc failure and void your emissions warrantee.
Transaxle slipping: Replace belt only and test for any improvement. Any improvement indicates slippage from the old belt.
If improved, then service the idler arm assembly and spring tension. If more improvement examine the transaxle pulleys for glazing or a polished appearance. If they appear to have a "dip" or low spot from wear replace them/it. Anything beyond these repairs requires transaxle disassembly for pump and motor replacement or a new transaxle/s.
MTD family Variator Drive transaxle systems use a torque converter system that would pull a trailer if operated at maximum or near maximum throttle setting BUT ONLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. Increasing loads at high speed can be deadly if the load forces you downhill or into an immovable object or if a bystander causes a PANIC STOP! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP SUDDENLY SAFETLY! You need to understand weight and load balances before trying to trailer a load. If your mower does not specify other attachments that can be purchased for that model it was never intended to be safely used for anything other than mowing. Always check with the manufacturer before attempting any alternate use.
Manual Gear Transaxles made by some manufacturers have several gear settings that are selected with a shift lever. They will tend to have accessories available for alternate attachments. Always check the operator's manual and check with the manufacturer as to recommended maximum load levels recommended. Safety Always!!!!! When pulling any load over the rated load specs you will be taking a risk. When using the recommended load ratings, you will find that you will need to use lower ground speeds and that the transmission will be difficult to shift on the go due to gear loading pressures. Attempting to start moving in higher gear setting will cause a lot of belt slippage, gear loading and possible transaxle failure. If it is a mower use it as a mower. If it is designed to pull a seeder or fertilizer attachment that is all that you should use it with. SAFETY ALWAYS!!
If you want to convert it to a racing mower, make sure you have life and health insurance. Thats another question entirely!
I hope this helps.
Consider "coefficient of friction."
Mechanical and Hydraulic wear
Transmission Ground Drive design
Engines Horsepower/ Torque curve power intersection point.
Hydrostatic transaxles, after a certain point of internal wear, will have the surface area at the base of the Hydro pump assembly show wear between the steel pump barrel base and the aluminum mating surface. When the transaxle is cool the oil is thicker the transaxle will exhibit a stronger pulling force. As the transaxle oil heats and thins the transaxle oil will seep past these two mating surfaces and will no longer produce the needed flow and consequent "pressure" needed to drive the "motor" at an adequate speed. Also, as the pumped oil leaks past these mating surfaces produces a "phase change" that then generates more heat. (more heat, thinner oil, more leakage, even more heat etc.). Any liquid and or hydraulic fluid that is released (leaked) under higher than ambient temperatures will generate a temperature increase which further thins the oil, thus further lowering the pumping efficiency. In an air conditioning/ heat pump system it is this liquid "phase change" that either heats or chills the heat exchanger producing either warm or cold air (depending on the unit setting for cold or heated air). In a hydrostatic drive system, If the pump base mating surface is worn an oil change will not "fix" the problem. A thicker oil may help but the pump base wear will not be restored so that its original efficiency is attainable. I have in the past disassembled the transaxle pumps. fashioned a piece of wet/dry sandpaper that I glued to the pump base and then taking the pump drive shaft (installed in my drill press chuck) slowly resurface the mating surfaces to improve the pump base leaking problem. The pump base can be "restored or at least improved by taking a 1/2' chuck drill and driving the base against wet/dry sandpaper on a flat surface like a table saw surface that is very flat.
When installed in the transaxle the "pump" barrel is spring loaded against the pump top to keep the pump base in constant contact with the base housing. Patience is needed to resurface both the pump base and housing mating surfaces. The fastest approach is to replace the pump and motor, but the parts prices can be a little high. On a Zero turn there are two separate transaxles. If one is sluggish, it may be caused by belt and pulley wear or a weak belt idler spring. Don't blame the transaxle until you carefully examine these first. Standard mower v belts are cloth wrapped to allow some slippage when at higher stress and engaging levels. They can either become glazed or polished and/or stretched and slip, which in turn generates more heat. Also, the two transaxle pulleys are usually situated where one pulley has more v belt contact (wrap) than the other. Less pulley wrap contact along with polished or worn pulleys will generate more heat. V belts must NOT sink fully into the bottom of the v belt pulley. They MUST sit higher in the pulley to produce the necessary traction.
Other notes: Mowing patterns affect the life of the pumps. If the mower operator generally mows by taking right turns the left transaxle will show more wear. It will have covered more territory than the right transaxle. Polyester drive belts stretch more than Kevlar (r) belts. Make sure to get the recommended belt designed for your transaxle. Belt tension is critical on these systems. Do not substitute another idler pulley spring unless you know that it will fully tension but not over tension the pump drive belt assembly. Idler pulleys also wear and there will usually be a pivot point on the idler arm assembly. If not properly lubed can bind and cause belt slippage. Disassemble all parts, clean and lube or replace if defective.
To check pump heat signatures, take a laser thermometer and check both transaxles after the units are fully heated. Any significant temperature differences will indicate either differences in internal pump wear or belt/pulley slippage. You must run the transaxles at full speed to generate the maximum temperatures before testing their heat. Reason: at full engine throttle in neutral the pumps are spinning but are not producing flow and are under very little heat producing stress.
Transaxle oils are usually automotive oils with a low Zinc and Phosphorous (ZDDP) additive package (to minimize catalytic converter fouling in cars). When changing transaxle oil check the manufacturers recommendation. Valvoline 20w50 full synthetic racing oil has higher ZDDP anti-wear loads. ZDDP is what I have read to be a sacrificial wear additive. It is said to lose its peak effectiveness after a point and pump wear can increase. Do not use any hi ZDDP racing oil in your catalytic converter equipped vehicles. It can cause premature cc failure and void your emissions warrantee.
Transaxle slipping: Replace belt only and test for any improvement. Any improvement indicates slippage from the old belt.
If improved, then service the idler arm assembly and spring tension. If more improvement examine the transaxle pulleys for glazing or a polished appearance. If they appear to have a "dip" or low spot from wear replace them/it. Anything beyond these repairs requires transaxle disassembly for pump and motor replacement or a new transaxle/s.
MTD family Variator Drive transaxle systems use a torque converter system that would pull a trailer if operated at maximum or near maximum throttle setting BUT ONLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. Increasing loads at high speed can be deadly if the load forces you downhill or into an immovable object or if a bystander causes a PANIC STOP! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP SUDDENLY SAFETLY! You need to understand weight and load balances before trying to trailer a load. If your mower does not specify other attachments that can be purchased for that model it was never intended to be safely used for anything other than mowing. Always check with the manufacturer before attempting any alternate use.
Manual Gear Transaxles made by some manufacturers have several gear settings that are selected with a shift lever. They will tend to have accessories available for alternate attachments. Always check the operator's manual and check with the manufacturer as to recommended maximum load levels recommended. Safety Always!!!!! When pulling any load over the rated load specs you will be taking a risk. When using the recommended load ratings, you will find that you will need to use lower ground speeds and that the transmission will be difficult to shift on the go due to gear loading pressures. Attempting to start moving in higher gear setting will cause a lot of belt slippage, gear loading and possible transaxle failure. If it is a mower use it as a mower. If it is designed to pull a seeder or fertilizer attachment that is all that you should use it with. SAFETY ALWAYS!!
If you want to convert it to a racing mower, make sure you have life and health insurance. Thats another question entirely!
I hope this helps.
I’ve pulled this every fall for 15 years and it’s heavy when full! JD LX188 with the 17 HP Kawasaki 501v and TT K62 hydrostatic transaxle. 2 acres with a lot of hilly terrain. It also pulls a JD #80 cart loaded with firewood and never had a problem.
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- Apr 28, 2024
- Messages
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Thats great. I have a Simplicity Sunstar tractor 18 hp Kohler with a 60-inch-wide deck. The deck is shaft driven. It has a central hydrostatic pump that has a replaceable hydro oil filter. The hydraulic system uses Automatic Transmission (red) fluid, and the mower is equipped with a hydraulic oil cooler. I think the fastest ground speed is around 8 miles per hour (too fast a speed to mow at) It is purpose built to handle a backhoe and/or a front-end loader accessory. Power steering was also available if a front-end loader was installed or preferred by the buyer. This thing was built to pull, mow, dig and get from point A to point B in a hurry (8mph transport speed). The transaxle isn't bullet proof, but it is as close to bullet proof as you might hope for.
I am not familiar with the model hydro transaxle on your tractor but it most likely much beefier than a standard residential hydro unit that wouldn't take the loads that your tractor breezes through. Enjoy its power and versatility and check the price on a new comparable tractor. (I'm sure you are aware of the high cost of the quality of tractor you have.) Also, thanks for going to the trouble of posting the great pics. If you get a chance, please publish some of the stats that on your tractor. As an added point some heavier hydros have more heavy-duty pump to motor mating surfaces that make a standard residential transaxle look anemic. Your tractor is a wonderful example of what a tractor mower can be and might help someone else consider spending more money for a quality mower that will last longer and actually cost them less over time rather than going cheap and most likely paying more over the long term. Higher efficiency saves time and money in the long run. Time can never be recovered. Doing a quality job faster, if you are busy and able to produce more income, should be a primary goal if running a business or if you have other things you need to accomplish.
I think the original post was a question of what type of mower would be best for a start-up lawn mower service. My post was intended to help someone with more information about tractor and zero turn mowers, transmission types and warnings about what to avoid, if possible. Your post helped shine more light on the subject, THANKS new friend!
I am not familiar with the model hydro transaxle on your tractor but it most likely much beefier than a standard residential hydro unit that wouldn't take the loads that your tractor breezes through. Enjoy its power and versatility and check the price on a new comparable tractor. (I'm sure you are aware of the high cost of the quality of tractor you have.) Also, thanks for going to the trouble of posting the great pics. If you get a chance, please publish some of the stats that on your tractor. As an added point some heavier hydros have more heavy-duty pump to motor mating surfaces that make a standard residential transaxle look anemic. Your tractor is a wonderful example of what a tractor mower can be and might help someone else consider spending more money for a quality mower that will last longer and actually cost them less over time rather than going cheap and most likely paying more over the long term. Higher efficiency saves time and money in the long run. Time can never be recovered. Doing a quality job faster, if you are busy and able to produce more income, should be a primary goal if running a business or if you have other things you need to accomplish.
I think the original post was a question of what type of mower would be best for a start-up lawn mower service. My post was intended to help someone with more information about tractor and zero turn mowers, transmission types and warnings about what to avoid, if possible. Your post helped shine more light on the subject, THANKS new friend!
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2024
- Messages
- 4
Great tips
