I know I can just drop the transaxle a bit to remove one of the axles to repair brake piston seal, but how much does it need to drop and what must be removed?? Can the hydraulic line to the transaxle remain attached? If not, do I have to drain hydraulic fluid tank? I'm working on gravel so don't want to remove complete transaxle. Any tips on doing this would be appreciated, but I don't have access to a concrete floor or pad.
Drain the transaxle and remove the suction tube, remove shifter rods ( be careful to tie them in place, if they slip the detent ball in the shifter mechanism in cab will drop out and that's no fun to replace ) . Drop drive shaft, 4WD linkage, reverse alarm , bracket holding rear wire harness. There is a tube on the transmission valve that has to be removed, it's a bugger too if the fitting spins in the valve. Best accessed with the floor out RH side of machine. Brake lines removed I don't think I forgot anything. Now.....That said it's so much easier to deal with dropped right down and out and check the other side as well it's basically ready to remove. There is no short cut to just drop it down far enough to remove one axle. It's a long trip to do just one piston and they were bad for scoring the piston bore. The hydraulic tank does not feed into the transaxle. I'd use a sheet of thick plywood and remove it out the LH side of the unit. PS make sure you have it high enough on stabilizers and front bucket to slide it out. Chain your stabs to prevent leak down and axle stands under front axle.
Appreciate your quick response. I'm going to try and remove just the one axle (left). I realize I may have to remove complete unit eventually to have the piston bore resurfaced; I'm hoping not. It seems to me that with everything disconnected I can still start the engine and use backhoe if need be, perhaps to pull the transaxle out from the rear, of to raise and lower the machine. Is that so?
If you drained transaxle and disconnected suction tube don't run unit. You will run the charge pump dry and cause damage.
Thanks for that. I'm leaning towards removing the whole unit, as you suggest. What exactly does the suction tube do? I can't figure it out from my books.
Suction tube on the RH side of the transaxle feeds the charge pump/torque converter.
I probably seem pretty ignorant here, but if it transfers axle fluid to the torque converter shouldn't there be a return line? I wish you were closer; I'd send you the unit for rebuild (I've got 11 vehicles to care for).
Here is your transaxle circuit, suction hose pointed out. There is a return on top of transaxle and a pressure line into the transaxle valve.
Now I understand! Thanks so much for your help.
That's what we are here for.
This forum has been an amazing asset to me over the years. A couple of years ago I got great tips on replacing the hydraulic hoses on my extend a hoe. Big job for me; worked out perfectly.