Garden tractor experts; help please!

[penfold]

I've been roped in to assist an acquaintance with a Jonsered tractor mower that is failing to proceed. Not laid eyes on the thing yet so all I have to go on is the fairly useless operator instructions Jonsered offer and the cryptic reply that "It doesn't go anymore". It's an LT2118CMA and it appears to have some kind of hydrostatic drive. Anyone have any experience of these things or sister products and their usual weak points? No doubt identical mowers are sold as Husqvarnas and other brand names.

 

[mike 109444]

This is a guy I keep meaning to post a link to for those interested in garden mowers, lawn tractors , motor bikes, VDubs and MORE ! Very easy listening
am sure there is one of those machines in his many vids

 

[Rig Pig]

Mine is the older conventional gearbox type,
Check the drive belt is intact and top up the gearbox fluid.

 

[wristpin]

You first need to determine the make and model of the hydro box for specific information, but the simple checks are -
Oil level
That the drive to the box (usually a belt) is actually driving it.
That the control lever or pedal linkage is telling the box what to do.

My old business was the UK parts and service distributor for TuffTorq hydro boxes so if it's a TT, I've plenty of info.

 

[frank horton]

I've found it best to avoid machines with the auto box's, OK if u get a good un or buy new, warrenty will take care of it for a year..........
I need 5 auto box's of differing types but on the same theme for some used mowers that will go for spares shortly.......and 1 is a 2 year old Jonsered..!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
the cheapest place for a rebuilt box is the States around 500 squids but with the shipping and import duties make the machine a write off........in the UK a rebuilt box can be anything from £1,200 to 1,600.......
looking on the machine build labels under the seat they are all made by one of 2 plants/factories in the U.S.......just badge engineering..........remember Brit Leyland, all the same crap but different labels......hahaha........

ur mate needs to buy it real cheap cos u never know if it's a scrapper, always best to but a runner........also, some of the very latest machines have electronic controls, intergrated ign etc etc........more unreperable crap to go wrong.......

would I part with my 25 year old Stiga, manual trans, V twin side valve...........not on ur nellie......
good luck........Frank

 

[penfold]

He's not buying it, he's had it for years; false alarm, there doesn't seem anything wrong with it. The manual recommends letting it idle for a minute in cold weather before you try to drive it, it's freezing here at the moment so that may be all it was. Turns out "It doesn't go anymore" really means it stalls if you try to drive off immediately. I dare say topping up the transmission or even changing the oil would help but it seems to be ok once warmed up a bit.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Turns out "It doesn't go anymore" really means it stalls if you try to drive off immediately.

You often don't get the full/proper story when folk seek your help/advice.