Hydro-Gear ZT-2200 EZT- Center Section Repair Pt 1

[@vincevesper167]

The drain-hole idea is simply brilliant! Great video, great instruction! Thanks!

[@ifixitall-24-7]

thanks a lot. glad to help

[@vincevesper167]

Your spray-can lid is also a great idea - I filled mine with cement to keep it's shape, and to add a bit of inherent weight to counter my force, and had a couple of them set up with different grit-size emery cloth....

[@ifixitall-24-7]

your way is better,, i'll do that to.

[@philliphall5198]

I like your thinking and how you plan on resurfacing the damaged areas

[@ifixitall-24-7]

thanks,,, one more part of this multi-part series coming really soon.

[@philliphall5198]

Thanks for the information and sharing this video 😊😊😊

[@ifixitall-24-7]

your very welcome

[@nhojcam]

wonderful video! thank you! i am taking delivery on a new ZT1 50 this week and will be doing 100 hour fluid changes on the ezt-2200 hydros. i will remove and add a drain port / plug kit between the first and second bottom bolts (from front) on the inner cover. i just need to confirm no interference with the internals. why a manufacturer is even allowed to sell a piece of equipment full of oil without a drain plug should be frigg'in illegal. kinda goes to 'right to repair' thinking. thank you for your video. it is very helpful.

[@ifixitall-24-7]

more to come,, watch all the parts.... there is one element to these trans units that bugged me and i am fixing that also. if you are about to open one up or have,, dont close it up till you call me at 304 772 4082. those springs on each piston will be the topic.

[@nhojcam]

@@ifixitall-24-7 thank you! i will certainly keep this in mind. probably all i will do is pop the outside covers, add the drain kits to the bottoms, clean up the aluminum shavings and the bead areas, RTV the mating surfaces and close. as far as the springs, about the only thing i've heard to do is to just run really good 20w-50 (like amsoil hydro oil) in the units and change it out every 100 hours or so. i live in FL, so i mow between 65 to 75 times per year.

[@ifixitall-24-7]

​a new spring is 1.990' long. i joined a few message boards about mowers and many people are saying these springs in thier "used" condition are at .045 inches shorter. the springs are getting WEAK !!! up there is a so called thrust washer between thespring and piston. my idea is to shim the thrust washers tomake up the difference in spring height. SURFACE TENSION is critical on these center sections. My repair brought back my trans to about 85% along with new 20/50 oil. This is result caused me to seek out where the remaining 15% hides. its my belief the springs are the only remaining common denominator. I am doing this i just need to "do" and record it for the channel. I assure you **NO** one has looked at this yet. If you call tech support they will tell you they cant state the spring lenght because its a patent secret.​

[@kbk7478]

you may be able to drain the transmission, but how are you going to refill it?

[@ifixitall-24-7]

see other parts to this series. there is a fill port

[@philliphall5198]

I think some one will come out with a tool to sand it with a drill, I can allready see that it can be done 😊

[@kenbudd3]

What were the symptoms that caused you to do this? I am having problems too.

[@ifixitall-24-7]

i am headed soon to do a final part to this series but i mention the symtoms several times in the other parts of this series. symptom = all is well when thigns are cold,, but gradually lets say over 10min or so you can start to feel one side or the other being less reactive to handle angle. if you continue you will eventually end up with a situation where you are getting nearly zero action out of your handle(s). i opened mine and found very little reason to say my trans is trash. doing some research i am concluding the springs in the motor and pump drives are becoming weak with time and thus becoming "shorter" over time as well. in the parts break down there is a shim or what is called a "thrust washer in behind each spring. i plan to add a washer to each spring to each piston and reassemble. this should increase my "surface tension" as it is refered to in order to maintain presure and drive. MY pump spring "used" height 1.880, but an ebay seller replied to me and said his new spring height is 1.927. this tells me i am certainly on to something. I am getting a **********LOT****** of people reaching out to ne about this so i know i am over due to shim up my springs and test and post results

[@philliphall5198]

@@ifixitall-24-7to much spring pressure can be a bad thing also

[@ifixitall-24-7]

@@philliphall5198 yes,, thats why i will replace the existing thrust washers with thicker ones.,, stepping up just a little

[@philliphall5198]

Could you use a blk marker on the surface and then lightly sand and see if it’s flat and all the markings gone ???😊

[@ifixitall-24-7]

thats a good idea actually

[@philliphall5198]

@@ifixitall-24-7I use a peace of HD glass for surface to sand on and allway replace center section 😊 Works great 😊

[@ifixitall-24-7]

@@philliphall5198 now thats a great reference surface to use. i think i have something lying around i can use as well if needed

[@ifixitall-24-7]

exactly, i totally forgot about doing that

[@philliphall5198]

Would be nice if it was steel and not aluminum center section, there plan was to sale new ones every few years 😢😢😢

[@ifixitall-24-7]

the pistons are like tool steel,,, so i agree,, would be "nicer" if the center section surfaces were replaceable,,, held down with fine thread machine screwes made of bronze or brase?/ a plate so to speak like 3/16'' thick