Hydro Gear oil change

[loneryder]

I just did the first oil change in the Hydro Gear 3400 motors on my Ferris i700 @40hrs. The book says do the first change @ 100. It calls for 20-50 motor oil. I believe it came from the factory with Castrol 20-50. It seemed to be getting a little sluggish in the way it handled. It was a giant PITA to do the change. The old oil came out gray and nasty. I put in NAPA 15-50 Synthetic with a little zddp added. It runs so much more smoothly. I'm surprised the factory oil gave out that quickly. So my advice with these HydroGear motors is to change the oil earlier than the book says.

 

[dave123]

Did my 2800 on my SCAG was about as easy as it gets what made it a pita on the Ferris

 

[cpayne5]

I've got a Cub Cadet with the same transaxles. Mine has ~60 hours on it, and I'm feeling the same sluggishness you describe.

I'll probably service them over the winter.

Thanks for the post!

 

[loneryder]

The way they are buried under the frame of the Ferris makes it hard to get to the top fill plug. Ferris used the top fill holes for the tubes which run to the oil tanks. There is another hole plug on the very top of the motors that you can take off to let the air out when filing. There was no way I could reach it. Talked to the mechanic at the shop and he agreed they were a real [censored] to get to. He has a modified allen wrench he uses and of course he can stand under the mower on a lift. Ended up filing the tanks and running the air bleeding technique over and over then letting it sit all night and doing it again. Took a couple of days to get the things filled.
cpayne5...check to see if you can get to the tops of your motors. I even took the wheels off which helped.

 

[NH73]

I have a Gravely ZT XL with the 2800. Those said 75 hours first change and did after 50 hours. Some junk came out. Good just to get that junk out and put a full synthetic in. Mobil 1 15w50 went in.

 

[Jmoney7269]

Originally Posted by loneryder
The way they are buried under the frame of the Ferris makes it hard to get to the top fill plug. Ferris used the top fill holes for the tubes which run to the oil tanks. There is another hole plug on the very top of the motors that you can take off to let the air out when filing. There was no way I could reach it. Talked to the mechanic at the shop and he agreed they were a real [censored] to get to. He has a modified allen wrench he uses and of course he can stand under the mower on a lift. Ended up filing the tanks and running the air bleeding technique over and over then letting it sit all night and doing it again. Took a couple of days to get the things filled.
cpayne5...check to see if you can get to the tops of your motors. I even took the wheels off which helped.


I can do a full hydro service on bad boys, ferris, scag, or hustler with 3400s in 1 hour......... there is a allen plug on the inside near the belt. You have to use a 3/8 breaker bar most of the time to get it loose...... I swear they do that on purpose..... Remove the plug and stick a air operated siphon pump hose and rubber in the hole, full until it starts seeping out. Every one of those transmissions I have ever serviced has had Gray and milky looking oil. I personally as a mechanic have not been impressed at all with hydro gear and even their commercial grade stuff..... just always lots of problems..... all of the PARKERS used on exmark and kubotas or the TORQTUFF used on john Deeres go up to 500 hrs on a fluid change, and the fluid that comes out looks dang near brand new. My parkers I changed at 20 hrs was clean, then at 270 hrs was clean.

 

[racinjason]

So I have some Napa 15w-50, how much zddp should I add? STP or I have some Lucas assembly lube? 2oz?

I have a noisy but well working EZT I need to change.