On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:47:03 -0000, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

Here's the upshot on the John Deere 455 with the non-func tranny.

Check out the hydraulic schematic on www.tufftorq.com if you're
interested in seeing the logic; chase down through the service links
until you find the service manual for the K92 transaxle.

The prior "mechanic" had welded shut the actuator pins on both "tow"
valves. For good measure, he brazed the balls in their seats.

The tranny had low-power forward, but no reverse. Since the same motor
and pump provide both directions...

Look at the drawing, and you'll see that the hydrostatic gets its fluid
charge through the two valves he welded shut. It can suck some fluid
through the "anti-cavitation valves", but would never be able to fully
purge the circuit of air unless the charge is provided under pressure --
which it could not be with the tow valves soldered shut.

With some small trepidation, I ordered new valves - $353 worth - and
screwed them in.

Tractor runs great. Now I have to pull it all apart again to fix the
fifteen other leaks that showed up after about a half-hour of mowing! AND
the twenty or so worn out bushings in the chassis. AND the wiring
harness. AND..... G

Hey! The tractor went for $15K new, and I got it for (net, now) $353.


Sounds great to me. I've been through this more than once. Yes it's
a lot of work but you have to look at what it would cost to replace
it. Let me put it this way. I've worked on lawn mowers for 35 years
now. I've owned a Dixon and used many different mowers. I've yet to
find one that will do a better job of mowing grass on a less than
perfectly level lawn and make it look good (in fact if everything is
set right you can take a lawn with pot holes in it and make it looked
like it was groomed). I admit that the Dixon was easier to use. In
fact it was the least work I've ever done to mow a lawn. But if I fed
it unlevel ground it made it look like some one took a weed eater and
tried to mow the lawn. That's why I currently use a 37+ year old mower
to mow my lawn.