[tonymazz]

I own a new X500 has about 20 hours on it so far....so I am up-to-date on my break-in oil change etc....but am wondering about the Trans-Axle oil change.

Manual references the 50 hour mark to drain and refill but am confused about a couple of things and thought I'd tap your experienced perspective...

1. Manual says pull the mower deck...but I see no reason to do it...as there is no filter behind the plastic cover i.e. like the x530's etc. I can see pulling the deck to aid in more room for the filter removal...but I have a no filter to removed just drain and refill....why pull the deck ? Am I missing something ?


2. Speaking of pulling the deck...I am somewhat intimidated by pulling the deck on this...(I have not tried as there is no reason), but is it fairly straight forward and easy thing to do ? Just curious....or is it a heap load of work ?

I suspect pulling the deck once per season to grease the zerks would make it easier to get at the middle ones .....

Thanks for your help !!!

Tony

 

[Voyager6]

I own a new X500 has about 20 hours on it so far....so I am up-to-date on my break-in oil change etc....but am wondering about the Trans-Axle oil change.

Manual references the 50 hour mark to drain and refill but am confused about a couple of things and thought I'd tap your experienced perspective...

1. Manual says pull the mower deck...but I see no reason to do it...as there is no filter behind the plastic cover i.e. like the x530's etc. I can see pulling the deck to aid in more room for the filter removal...but I have a no filter to removed just drain and refill....why pull the deck ? Am I missing something ?


2. Speaking of pulling the deck...I am somewhat intimidated by pulling the deck on this...(I have not tried as there is no reason), but is it fairly straight forward and easy thing to do ? Just curious....or is it a heap load of work ?

I suspect pulling the deck once per season to grease the zerks would make it easier to get at the middle ones .....

Thanks for your help !!!

Tony

Having just changed my oil in my x540 transaxle last week, the 54 inch deck does not have to be removed to change the filter. You have to release the belt tension arm to gain space, though, but that is 100 times easier than removing the whole deck.

Deck removal is fairly easy. Just remove tension on the deck drive belt and then lower the drag arms and turn your gage wheels so they point sideways.

Pull the J hooks that hold the rear of the deck on the drag bars on both sides. Work the deck forward and backwards and release the front bar (may want to remove the bar from the front).

Set the rear drag bars to the upper position via foot pedal and lock. Start pulling the deck out, but you will have to turn the front wheels to clear the front of the deck. You may have to adjust the wheels a couple of times and work the deck back and forth before it comes out.

 

[Harryc]

The X500 has no hydro filter. Those instructions in the manual are for the hydraulic X5XX units, .e.g X540.

 

[FigNewton]

1) I was wondering that myself when I did my 50 hr service a few weeks ago. I had the deck off to sharpen blades, but it really didn't seem necessary if all you were doing was changing the fluid. Maybe someone else can confirm.

2) The first time it took an hour. The second time about 10 minutes. Now, I can get it off fairly quickly. The biggest problem I had was pulling the j bolts out far enough. I actually had to loosening the nut on one side. After you figure out the process and do it a couple of times, you'll be a pro.

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