So I am new here and have fallen into the addiction and need to upgrade the K46. This was going into an X300 until I just came across an X350. I was looking to go with a new K66Y and then found a good used K62 for $185 less than the K66Y. If I understand correctly the only difference is the internal pump between these two units. Which one should I go with. Good used K62 or $185 more for new K66Y. I know about the mods needed to make the 66Y work on the Deere. So adding that in as well. Thanks for any help and need to pull the trigger.
New member, need help with transaxle upgrade choice
ringo350
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So I am new here and have fallen into the addiction and need to upgrade the K46. This was going into an X300 until I just came across an X350. I was looking to go with a new K66Y and then found a good used K62 for $185 less than the K66Y. If I understand correctly the only difference is the internal pump between these two units. Which one should I go with. Good used K62 or $185 more for new K66Y. I know about the mods needed to make the 66Y work on the Deere. So adding that in as well. Thanks for any help and need to pull the trigger.
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Personally, I would go new. You will know the full history and operation on the unit and it should have some kind of warranty.
$185 is not a huge percentage of the total cost. If you found a used K72 for the same price, it would be different.
But, I have to ask, you are buying a new to you X350 and are the going to upgrade the transaxle in it? Unless you are getting it for close to nothing, you will be better off getting a machine that has the transaxle/equipment you need in it already. It will take a lot longer than you imagine and be harder to do too, and of course cost more than you think. If you are doing this as a learning experience, it could be priceless. So, be clear about why you are doing this and what you hope to achieve.
Make sure you have read all the various threads on this to see all the challenges people have had to overcome. It isn't a simple plug and play upgrade.
I have a spare K46 that I bought a decade ago because I was afraid the K46 was going to die on me. After a decade I bought an X534 because I was afraid the K46 was never going to die. A year later I bought a K66 and slowly gathered the rest of the parts because I got a good deal on the K66 and I was afraid I would regret not getting it. I still have the same K46 in my X300 and one day I might dedicate tge time to upgrading it, since I already spent almost all the $ I need to.
If you are getting a new machine, get the one you want. That is what I did with the X534 and the X749 that I purchased later.
But, I have to ask, you are buying a new to you X350 and are the going to upgrade the transaxle in it? Unless you are getting it for close to nothing, you will be better off getting a machine that has the transaxle/equipment you need in it already. It will take a lot longer than you imagine and be harder to do too, and of course cost more than you think. If you are doing this as a learning experience, it could be priceless. So, be clear about why you are doing this and what you hope to achieve.
Make sure you have read all the various threads on this to see all the challenges people have had to overcome. It isn't a simple plug and play upgrade.
I have a spare K46 that I bought a decade ago because I was afraid the K46 was going to die on me. After a decade I bought an X534 because I was afraid the K46 was never going to die. A year later I bought a K66 and slowly gathered the rest of the parts because I got a good deal on the K66 and I was afraid I would regret not getting it. I still have the same K46 in my X300 and one day I might dedicate tge time to upgrading it, since I already spent almost all the $ I need to.
If you are getting a new machine, get the one you want. That is what I did with the X534 and the X749 that I purchased later.
I thought about that. I would be opening the K62 up and doing a full service and inspection with new Mobil 1 15W-50. Well, Of course I guess that is narrowing the cost gap. I may be answering my own question now.....
With your help.
^Frogmore
Thanks Frogmore. I have done endless reading and watching videos on this upgrade prior to considering this. Appreciate the advice. I know what you mean. This X350 unit is mint but does have some issues with the transaxle. I would have been pulling it anyway though. I know the K46 will not stand up to what I'm going to do. I had planned to go with a K66 from the start until I saw this 62 and just didn't know a lot about it till I started researching it a couple days ago and I knew you guys had a wealth of knowledge as well. I'm just learning about all these different transaxles now. I've worked on several K46's and can probably get this one up and going it's just not enough. I'm a fabricator/custom builder and am building some rear implements that will need a stronger transaxle. I may also strengthen up the frame once I'm in there if I feel like it needs anything more. I'm not pulling trees or anything crazy, got a real tractor for that, just want to do smaller tasks quicker and easier than having to use the tractor and get in tighter spaces but with similar implements. I figure a K66 should be enough, I looked at the torque rating. I hear you on the K72. I didn't get a chance to see if he had any of those. He might.
This all started recently as me helping fix my Mom's riding mower in my shop and then my aunt gave me hers because she bought a new one and had another older one behind the garage and she wanted it gone. Bam, I had three. This was last week.....
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And I now have 14..... I need a bigger shop.
Thanks Frogmore. I have done endless reading and watching videos on this upgrade prior to considering this. Appreciate the advice. I know what you mean. This X350 unit is mint but does have some issues with the transaxle. I would have been pulling it anyway though. I know the K46 will not stand up to what I'm going to do. I had planned to go with a K66 from the start until I saw this 62 and just didn't know a lot about it till I started researching it a couple days ago and I knew you guys had a wealth of knowledge as well. I'm just learning about all these different transaxles now. I've worked on several K46's and can probably get this one up and going it's just not enough. I'm a fabricator/custom builder and am building some rear implements that will need a stronger transaxle. I may also strengthen up the frame once I'm in there if I feel like it needs anything more. I'm not pulling trees or anything crazy, got a real tractor for that, just want to do smaller tasks quicker and easier than having to use the tractor and get in tighter spaces but with similar implements. I figure a K66 should be enough, I looked at the torque rating. I hear you on the K72. I didn't get a chance to see if he had any of those. He might.
This all started recently as me helping fix my Mom's riding mower in my shop and then my aunt gave me hers because she bought a new one and had another older one behind the garage and she wanted it gone. Bam, I had three. This was last week.....
And I now have 14..... I need a bigger shop.
And if you find that it needs parts?I thought about that. I would be opening the K62 up and doing a full service and inspection with new Mobil 1 15W-50. Well, Of course I guess that is narrowing the cost gap. I may be answering my own question now.....
With your help.
IMHO, unless this is a personal challenge/hobby, get the new unit.
Although it sounds like a hobby otherwise, you'd just buy an X5xx tractor.
That was my desire too. The K46 doesn't have that much torque. The K66 is better, but you will be getting bigger tires so most of the difference is used by those. The K72 has more torque. I solved the problem with my X749. It has even more torque and AWS so it can really make use of it. Depending on what I am doing, I can make all 4 tires spin. I too have a real tractor for bigger tasks.
The frame on the X300 series is mostly the same as on the X500 series machines. There are some older machines in the garden tractor category that have "better" frames, but the frame on the X300/X500 series machines are not usually a problem. It does always depend on your intention for the machine.
I wanted something very agile to handle getting rid of grass in a packed gravel driveway. I have tried many techniques. My grading scraper does an excellent job. But, it is job/project to do it, since it is quite disruptive. The sleeve hitch mounted mini-landscape rake seemed like a good idea, but didn't do much. Same with the sleeve hitch box blade. Back dragging with the 54 QH blade and lifting the front wheels to provide extra weight on the edge does a good job of removing the grass without disrupting the gravel too much. It is, of course, more expensive upfront than a broken X350.
Well..... problem solved, sort of. I worked out a good deal on a used K66 and K72. So looks like I need to do a little more digging to see what will be involved for the 72 swap in the 350. Plus it has a locker. Looking forward to stuffing that under there. Need to find some service parts for these first.
Plus it has a locker. Looking forward to stuffing that under there. Need to find some service parts for these first.The K72 will turn your X350 into almost an X570. You can use the rear hitch plate from the X500 series, but they are not cheap and good used ones are not easy to find. Getting all the linkages from an X570 to enable the diff-lock won't be cheap either, but definitely cheaper than a new X570.
Thanks again Frogmore. With those rear hitches being so high what exactly do you gain by upgrading that piece? If it's just strengthening up the rear hitch area I can break up to 1/4" steel in my shop and weld up to the stock hitch plate to achieve that. Just want to learn what the benefit is for the cost.
The stock hitch on the X300 needs fabrication to mount the K66/72 at the right location. It sounds like you have the ability to do that fabrication. The first know conversion used the stock hitch, as did the last one I read about on this site, so it can be done.
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