Lawn Mower Hydrostatic Transmission Oil

Many mower manufacturers will allow the use of 20w 50 motor oil in their transmissions.

Lawn mower hydrostatic transmission oil.

I initially thought this was a hydrostatic drive but after additional research it seems any mower with a smartdrive has a gear driven trans rather than a hydrostatic. I have a john deere lx176 lawn tractor and am confused about its hydrostatic transmission oil. Hydrostatic transmission often abbreviated to hydro drive is a propulsion method used since the early 1970s mostly on lawn tractors and mowers. The manual states that the hydrostatic transmission oil should be sae 10w30 engine oil with api classifications of se cc or cd but i don t know what those classifications mean.

John deere states that operating outside of the recommended oil air temperature range may cause premature hydrostatic transmission failure oil must be changed when its anti foam additive decays. By far the most common reason for hydrostatic transmission failure is old hydraulic fluid. Their products are installed by sears in its craftsman range and by john deere. The mower will steer and it will be propelled forward and backward.

While motor oil will work in many hydrostatic transmissions there is a better option. How to check fluid in a craftsman hydro transmission. The hydrostatic transmission in your lawn tractor requires servicing that includes draining the old hydrostatic oil changing the filter and adding new hydrostatic oil. There s no question that motor oil will capably work in mower hydrostatic transmissions.