How to replace the Tuff Torq transmission fluid in Husquarvana riding mower YTH2348

[@GApawpawandnana]

My manual says change every 25 hours. Has to be a misprint. I’m a 61 year old widow trying my best to learn maintenance on all the yard tools and home appliances. I put a new fan motor in my central heating area unit last month. I’ve not had central air and heat in seven years. I was able to figure it out myself. My husband even had the extra motor sitting on the shelf in his workshop. I just never knew what it was until I started investigating. Keep up the great videos I truly appreciate your time and effort.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Thanks for the comment. The manufacturer of the transmission told me every 200 hours. Maybe the manual was referring to the oil in the engine? The manuals usually do not mention changing the oil in the transmission since this is a large job.

[@AStanton1966]

There's no way you need to change any fluids on this style tractor at every 25 hours. You may want to change the engine oil at 25 hours for the first 25 hours of operation if the engine is new. Basically, you change the oil once every season. The plugs, fuel filter, and air cleaner change maybe every 100 hours or so. The manufacturer says that the transmission oil is for the lifetime of the tractor. But I think changing it every 200 hours or so is a good idea. Oil is always cheaper than a new engine or transmission. And don't forget to grease the fittings on the front wheels every season as well.

[@carolinesoles4848]

By stepping on the brake and then locking it, that will give you belt slack to make it easier to remove the belt.

[@rogerlevy57]

Note to anyone doing this for the first time, take plenty of mobile phone pics, so the reassembly is easier. I had one bracket left over after putting it back together, and it took me an hour to find where it went. It was held on by the left hand side main transmission bolts, and was a bracket to hold the mower deck anti-sway bar. Note that YHT husqvarna lawn tractors have the transmission facing this way on the video but on CHT models it faces in the reverse and all connections are on opposite sides, and that front support bracket is at the rear, but has bolts to release it one on each side through the chassis, so the wheels have to be removed to get at them. I took the sump pan off so I could see how the wear was going on the gears, and to clean the internal sump oil filter, which is a fine mesh screen. there should be three other magnets in there to clean as well. After 250 hours total run time, the wear was minimal, but there was some metallic powder in the oil and black sludge on the magnets. While I had the sump pan off, I found the two places where there is provision for sump drain plugs to be drilled and tapped. I highly recommend this, because it means that in the future I can do the oil change each 100 to 150 hours, (with the recommended Mobil syn 5w 50 oil) without removing the transmission. Just take off the belt, fan and pulley, then the sump fill plug. I tapped the drain hole to take a 10mm bolt, cut the bolts about 12mm long and used two fibre washers. I uses about 2.2 Litres. These trannies are made in Japan by Yanmar, they recommend the 5w 50 oil and that the drain plugs be installed by the lawn tractor manufacturer, but they don't bother. They also often use 5w 30 oil when they fill it which is cheaper, and don't bother to tell you that it should be changed after 50 hours. Nice.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Excellent contribution for others to read, thank you.

[@yoda90025]

Thanks for the video. I got my mower second hand and have no idea if the old owners maintenance it at all. Not to mention it was recently under flood water. Doing a full rebuild/replacement on as much as I can. Your video has been the best I've seen so far dealing with the transmission. Appreciate it greatly.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I put it up because there was nothing else out there to help me at the time, I am glad it helped you.

[@MrSFSTUDIOS]

Good work! I did the same thing for my Craftsman. Works much better now.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

thank you!

[@mrfixzit1019]

Nice work... Leaving the wheels on is the better way to go, it's much easier.... Thanks

[@Andrewsnotes1]

thanks, it definitely helped the process, but I couldn't get the wheels off!

[@jkepps]

Great concise video. I appreciate the extra time it too to edit the video and add the pictures!

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@daveharper6333]

Did your labor pay off? Did it work properly after this repair?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I didn't have an issue prior to changing the fluid. The transmission appeared to have more power afterwards.

[@susanf.8466]

Great video! Next time please say what type oil to add back into the axel. Ex: 90wt gear oil. Again, great video!

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I used the oil Tuff Torq supplied, I usually use OEM as much as possible even though pricey.

[@AStanton1966]

In lieu of the Tuff Torq, you can use a multi grade full syntenic 50w engine oil. I just came back from Napa Auto Parts and bought the last 2 quarts of their 5W-50 synthetic oil. Apparently, it's a tough oil to find.

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

Is there a way to change the fluid without removing the transmission itself, maybe sucked out with a pump? Thank you, John.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

You cannot get access to the fill hole since the frame of the mower sits over it. If you check the recommended fluid replacement intervals of the machine this transmission is mounted onto, there are none! So it was never made easy to replace the fluid.

[@Irish_I-never-got-caught]

You 100% CAN change it without removing the transmission but you’ve gotta take the back left wheel off then push left foot pedal to loosen the belt and pop the cap off. Then suck old out pump new in and clean magnet put cap back on, boom done! There is a video of it on here if ya look. If you can’t find it let me know

[@elijahbey3366]

Exactly. All these people knock themselves out putting in drain plugs on the bottom of the trans case, but it does no good because the only way to fill it back up is to remove the entire trans unit.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

From what I can determine this transmission is used on several brands of ride on mowers, which does not accommodate serviceability of the transmission. This is why when you ask the manufacturer of the mower, they tell you the transmission is not serviceable, and the fluid does not need to be changed.

[@Sertao2013]

How do you know which model tuff torq you have ? Is it stamped somewhere on the transmission ?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Google this 'mower name' and transmission.

[@larryccarter5169]

Andrew ,your video was extremely helpful. But my lgt2654 Husqvarna is still struggling uphill.All pulleys and drive belt were recently replaced.Could it be the transmission has to be replaced.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Sounds like a replacement of transmission or machine is in the future.

[@rogerlevy57]

I suggest that you check that the oil level is correct first. without moving the transmission, take off the belt, fan and pulley, then knock off the fill plug and check that the level is and inch below the top, sitting on the casting that you see there. if the oil is very low, they behave badly. Next, make sure that you have properly bled the oil into the pump using the recommended method. There is a lever that has to be pulled to do this on the front ( or back depending which way the tranny is orientated). with the tractor jacked up, rev the engine and put it in forward, then reverse several times. then return the lever to run position and repeat this. Next, are all your back idler pulleys and guide pulleys running freely? I am just removing all mine and re greasing them. I didn't think this was possible until I saw a YT video, each one has a rubber seal that CAN be removed with a seal pick or jewellers screwdriver, so that they can be cleaned with solvent and compressed air, Just remove one side on each. If it still has no power, then consider the pump/motor replacement kit, which should be about $600. Each pump has 5 pistons, working on a swage plate. One person on YT said they contacted Tuff Torq in Tennessee and just bought the parts that actually wear out, and it turns out it is usually the pump body, not the pistons. so thats a way of saving money. Removal is easy, getting it all back correctly takes some finesse with extremely small parts that just fall out if you are not careful. Watch the overhaul videos several times before you attempt it. Put grease on the small parts so they stay put when you reinstall them.

[@larryccarter5169]

@rogerlevy57 Thank you Roger, all the above has been done. Ordered my transmission From Mulligans. Thanks for the information be blessed.

[@marcushall8041]

What is that other cap on top of the differential @3:41. It looks like an oil cap...?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Possibly an air breather cap. Transmission fluids expand as they heat up.

[@darrellcuellar7861]

I had the same question

[@rogerlevy57]

Yes an air breather, leave it alone.

[@silvercommander]

Show the front of the oil container you uses

[@daveschooley8514]

Was this done for problem, did it fix the issue? I have loss of power on hills? But only 166 hours?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

There was no problem, I did this for maintenance. Some of those cheaper residential mowers transmissions do not perform well on hills. Mine could not handle what I consider a small slope so I did not mow in that area. 99% of my land was flat.

[@PplCantDriveOkc]

mine quit moving all together after same issue, I've checked everything else. this is my last resort to fix

[@Andrewsnotes1]

@@PplCantDriveOkc Unfortunately these transmissions are the cheapest many dealers install and they are not designed for hilly terrain or more than a few hundred hours run time. For the cost of the fluid it doesn't hurt to try to get some more life out of it.

[@glennhansen9642]

I did the same thang to my 2004 husqvarna remove rear end removed hex bolt turn it up side down and drain it than put new fluid in it but it back .now it wont go forward or reverse. You can spine top fan .axle don't move like it's in neutral. All i did was change fluid I am at a lost to what could have gone wrong. It was geting slower why I decided to change oil it but it move ok. And grass staring to grow.and grow

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Did you push back in the transmission disconnect wire at the back of the unit? it sticks out the back of the tractor

[@granch4211]

Well did you is it working now

[@motoa955-lb9cv]

What is the torque specs for the bolts that hold axel to the frame?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Snug and then tighten another 90 degrees.

[@rogerlevy57]

20 ft pounds

[@larrykeesee1442]

WHERE DO YOU BUY THE TRANSMISSION OIL?? RETIRED LARRY IN INDIANAPOLIS...

[@Andrewsnotes1]

tufftorq.ordertree.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=+transmission+oil

[@rogerlevy57]

Use mobil full syn 5w 50, as recommended by Yanmar who make tuff torq

[@rogerlevy57]

Or Castrol 5w 50. perfect

[@RhinoXpress]

Tuff torq uses 5w 50 for their transaxle oil. So any 5w 50 full synthetic will work.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

thanks, I wasn't sure and decided to go to the source.

[@RhinoXpress]

@@Andrewsnotes1 yeah I used amile full synthetic 5w 50 oil great stuff been around since 1902 reasonable priced with all the latest additives to meet high-end performance spec. I got it on Amazon.

[@Sarah_Swede]

Nice Vid, thanks.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Glad you liked it!

[@josegarielfigueroa9566]

Por favor raider husvsrns r16 4x4 94cm

[@patrickpk6299]

You know you're gonna have to replace the tires at some point lol. Should have got the wheels off when you had it apart

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Wheels were siezed onto the shaft. Sold the machine not too long after for a zero turn.

[@bullrambler]

Great video but more details would have been helpful.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I tried to keep the video short and to the point. There are other videos on YT with a complete teardown of these transmissions. Thanks for watching.

[@skiprope536]

Such a dumb ass design. Great video. TY.

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Thanks!

[@skiprope536]

@@Andrewsnotes1 I have 410 hours on mine yth 22v46 xls..runs great locking diff. I have no problem doing what you have done. Just the time element. But…if it gets me an other 400 hours..so be it. From what I have read..you have to top off to a specific level?

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I believe top up to within 1 inch of the cap. I actually filled to the top and put it in service before I figured this out. Replacing the transmission fluid will extend its life, but other parts of the mower may fail like mine did which made me sell it and upgrade. I always try to keep my equipment running, but eventually the hassle is not worth the savings.

[@skiprope536]

@@Andrewsnotes1 aTY

[@Anarchy-Is-Liberty]

Pronounced: Whoss-kvarna - Like using the word "who"👍

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Thanks

[@JohnDacus-i8m]

Your volume TO DARN LOW RE DO LOUDER, way to low, I'm not deaf, but was on this video

[@Andrewsnotes1]

Thanks for watching. Did it help you? Raise the volume on the device you are watching.

[@JohnDacus-i8m]

@@Andrewsnotes1 I'm engineer level silly my volume was all the way up. Your voice trails off lower more than once. You must of turned from the mic on your device. Make it louder, OK, OKAY

[@Andrewsnotes1]

@@JohnDacus-i8m ok!

[@Irish_I-never-got-caught]

I could hear him fine I’m guessing the issue is on your end not the person who made the video

[@phillipalv8641]

Just buy a real mower, not this junk

[@Andrewsnotes1]

I did. But not everyone can afford a high end mower. What do you own?

[@Irish_I-never-got-caught]

@@Andrewsnotes1he’s just jealous! Probably has a $200 craftsman from the 90’s 😂

[@Andrewsnotes1]

@@Irish_I-never-got-caught 🙂

[@rogerlevy57]

Probly best to avoid John Deere, they cut corners a lot and quality has gone way down. They even had a transmission with plastic gears. Note that ALL diggers and so on run on Hydraulic pumps and motors just like tuff torq, and no one complains about them. The problem is that the manual does not say anything about oil changes and what oil to use. Dealers often give the impression that the oil in a new transmission is good for the life of the mower. This is basically a lie, because the manufacturers in the USA fill them with 5w 30 oil, which Tuff Torq will tell you needs to be changed after 50 hours for 5w 50. The dealers don't want you to know that it maintaining these things is a lot of work, eg removing the whole back end just to change the oil. Also the USA manufacturers don't bother to install drain plugs, ever though Tuff Torq cast in two holes where they can be drilled and tapped very easily. Its just shear laziness by the industry, but with a bit of work you can make these thing last for 20 years. Note every digger owner knows the hydraulic oil change interval for his digger, something like every 150 hours or every twelve months. Ignore this at your own peril.