RS 800 General transmissions on a Ariens 

[@Edobi808]

This exact issue happened to me with the same transmission. Thank you for your video because it helped me out so much to find the issue

[@andrewblackmon8021]

Just bought identical mower, with 20hp engine, same exact issue, sold to me on marketplace for the same exact 200 bucks. Look forward to the plastic futures of smaller ride mowers !!! Good vid!!

[@fredreinhard2091]

Of all the repair videos that relate to the RS 800 Transmission Repair this is the best one. I have a ARIENS 21 HP and now will be able to repair it; if the parts that are broken are external. As mentioned if internal out-of-luck!

[@118armando]

I’m glad I can help bud but basically yes any external parts could be replace anything internal you’re really out of luck I’m just really surprised they put these plastic transmission on

[@LethologicaGaming]

Thanks for the video. Mine failed in the same spot but in a different way. The locked bearing caused the whole bottom black cap that holds the bearing fused with the bracket that shifts it to close.

[@stevehudson4151]

Just remember to put superglue on your screws before reinstalling them. That is per the manufacturer. Great Video.

[@JourneyOnLife]

Yep. My exact part on my Poulan pro broke by 1 1/2 yrs. Still under warranty. They put a better made one in and been working 5 more years no problem. Plastic is good and all but not everything should be plastic or whatever : ) although they charged $900 to Poulan or whoever. It was a rare part at the time very expensive.

[@jamesgraham7083]

Mine broke inside. $700 to fix!! This was for my back up residential mower, with hardly any use. Plastic was/is a bad idea.

[@Thomas-ul3uy]

Repairing the third one of these transmissions. These are not difficult to work on. It is a plastic composite, weight saving. The problem is owners of mowers not keeping mower cleaned off in all 3 I have repaired. Mulching blades tend to cause more build up of debris under mower vs high lift discharge blades. These transmissions are fast too. The shifter cam if debris gets under the cover, it will not shift into fwd or reverse smoothly, then operator keeps stomping on pedal and that breaks the shift cam.

[@IndRepair]

I see this all the time! If they are kept clean they work pretty well but not being greaseable is an issue!

[@Thomas-ul3uy]

@@IndRepair they use this transmission in mower models overseas in Europe, General Transmission from what I read is a French Company. The design is good and works well if kept clean, a very fast transmission. The videos posted on youtube all say its unserviceable transmission, but the external shift parts and wheel seals are serviceable. It does require a special tool to remove the forward pulley though. The original owner of this mower with this transmission, if they register the mower online, the CVT belt was advertised as a lifetime warranty item. Not sure about the labor for a shop to change it is covered. The claims this company has had with these transmissions though they may have changed the belt warranty. I'm sure a lot of shops have refused to work on these because of time and not fully understanding how the transmission operates. The transmission uses a particular grease also and the gears inside are a strong composite material and the grease that comes out is usually negligeable. Tech help gentleman I spoke with say the transmission will operate without grease, but it is added in production to make gears less noisy. Even with grease, this transmission still makes a gear noise.

[@Thomas-ul3uy]

@@IndRepair kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYezhH-XgpKsas0si=ImHxJmJxQ89y7n5V

[@IndRepair]

@@Thomas-ul3uy I agree, I have a review on the transmission and it really is not a bad design except that with the vibration the seals come out keep a good eye on them and blow off the transmission every couple mows (or every, especially if mowing sticks and stuff). I see 4-5 every year fail but usually just the upper kit like the because of the debris stuck in it and stomped on by the customer since the pedal gets stuck

[@guyina4x499]

I just came across one of these. It failed at 450 hours. The driven pulley on mine was broken. And upon inspecting the drive pulley I saw it was ready to fail also. That lower bearing was bad. Also needed the seals. The parts are about $250 now for both pulleys so I scrapped the tractor. After i removed the engine.

[@rogermcdonald1607]

Nice job Mando! Thats not the quality you would expect from Ariens. I was just thinking about you and have thought your probably really busy. Hard to make videos when your busy as hell! Hope everything is good with you and your family bro! ✌👍🎥🇺🇸 Roger

[@shanerowland4421]

Cheers mate iam from Australia and i have the same problem

[@118armando]

@@shanerowland4421 they are all junk

[@joelcoronado4222]

You installed the new bottom part backward, the adjustment screws was supposed to face out for adjustment. 🤔🤔🤔I didn't see the screws after you install it....

[@darianfranklin8520]

I've got an Ariens mower with the rs800 transmission about 600 \700 hrs on it use it for a tractor in the off season. Pulling logs and brush and a rake only problem i had was a few axle seals its one tough transmission in my book my neighbor has the same tractor has lots of hrs with no problems

[@baileyhatfield4273]

I have a guy who at a whopping 135 hours is saying it goes to nothing when going up Hills. I went up a driveway with a 5 10% grade and Its loading the engine making it surge/bog

[@mittengrownmedz]

Trans normally isnt the issue. Its normally in the variable drive setup.

[@williamblake8650]

I moved my battery to bavk of mower so i can pressure wash the area that traps debree anf kills this transmission.

[@Thomas-ul3uy]

Those screws should have lock tite on them, the removable version of lock tite

[@dalehenthorn5065]

I have a Husqvarna with this transmission. Mine has forward but no reverse. Wonder if it could be a similar issue?

[@nuancolar7304]

Profit....that's the reason they do it. The C-suite executive teams of these companies are bonusing themselves lots of cash for the money they save by going plastic. Oh...by the way...that would be YOUR cash.

[@kenbhola1057]

Based on the amount of possible "dead" transmissions discussed in these comments, I'm hoping that someone might want to sell me a Primary Variable Speed Drive Pulley for my Craftsman 19.5 HP 42” LT2500 Lawn Tractor. (Sears Craftsman Model Number 944.602630). As discussed here in 2009 (for this one year only) Craftsman decided to use the problematic (plastic) General Transmission (GT/Gentrans) RS800 Transaxle. The tag attached on the transmission reads General Transmission 415663 (87007 C4) and 415663C0100033. It is a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)) and not a hydrostatic drive.

[@miketohal4954]

They are junk, if you don't keep them clean.and they are a pain to clean. you have to remove the tran. and remove components down to the cover and clean.

[@Brookerbass]

You could’ve gotten to all of that through the battery box. It’s tight but doable

[@philliphall5198]

I laughed at the jd owner who brought one of these pieces of junk 😮 But I fixed it and he sold it fast 😅

[@118armando]

@@philliphall5198 I hate them so much lol

[@larrycook4159]

Great explanation!

[@118armando]

No problem bud

[@NickSmith-rc4kv]

I have a Husqvarna YTA22V46 uses the a variant of this RS800 transmission. That plastic piece you needed to replace has completely melted/worn down and the two screws on the left side holding the whole piece in place…snapped off. Any idea if the sell just that part of the casing or you think the whole transmission needs to be replaced?

[@118armando]

Sorry bud replace it

[@jasonannas8151]

Yo I'm having a hard time finding that belt

[@MrCordero68]

Why he didn’t clean !!!!😮

[@jontheguy595]

RS means real shitty 😂

[@118armando]

Ha ha ha ha ha you got that right

[@philliphall5198]

I agree

[@darrellmossman7317]

Where can I get drive clutch for a rs800 rearend

[@kennyechols2027]

How do you take the front one off

[@roberttarpley7833]

Did you have too take off the tires

[@118armando]

I would less weight so the trans can just hang there

[@philliphall5198]

I only will buy a used one for the engine, which is 100 bucks with good tires There totally junk period Pull engine, deck and wheels Rest In mostly scrap

[@kennyechols2027]

How do you take that off

[@kennyechols2027]

How do you take that

[@markyax1467]

Besides being poor quality why wouldn’t you use a sealed shielded bearing instead of an open one that with moisture will fail in no time John Deere uses the same transmission

[@Lecknye1961]

There is your dinner

[@philliphall5198]

Find a older model mower with old style trans burns speed Order new motor and seat Done for 10 years

[@williamblake8650]

Those plastic transmissions should be banned for good. Thry actually cost more to repair than aluminum ones.

[@philliphall5198]

There just junk period Don’t waste your money Buy aluminum ones

[@sharonoliver-k7e]

Wow junk have one 180 hrs no reverse what the hell plastic!!!!!!!!!

[@dalehenthorn5065]

My Husqvarna has 146 hours. Same issue, no reverse.

[@baileyhatfield4273]

​@@dalehenthorn5065got a guy he has 134 hrs, says it stopped while going uphill (I think). Works fine on normal ground, slightest incline it makes the engine surge (carb, fuel system perfect)