# rear differential, craftsman 917.251572



## Ed Fitz (Jun 24, 2021)

My tractor wont go forward or reverse. makes a strange noise now. The number on the rear end is150073, Hydro Gear.


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## Hardhead18 (Sep 17, 2021)

Most of the lawn/garden tractors with hydrostatic transaxle have a keyed wheel. I'm not sure your make/model. This is the cheapest and what you want. If you had to choose a drive failure. 
1: Jack up the rear end and put in gear
2: see if the axle is turning and not the wheel.
If the axle is not turning, I would have to assume it's the drive/driven gear set in the trans axle. 
Basics: make sure your fluid is full. It's a fancy hydraulic pump. Can't have air in its circuit. 
Hope this was useful information.


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## Hardhead18 (Sep 17, 2021)

Hardhead18 said:


> Most of the lawn/garden tractors with hydrostatic transaxle have a keyed wheel. I'm not sure your make/model. This is the cheapest and what you want. If you had to choose a drive failure.
> 1: Jack up the rear end and put in gear
> 2: see if the axle is turning and not the wheel.
> If the axle is not turning, I would have to assume it's the drive/driven gear set in the trans axle.
> ...


Sorry Fitz, I just reread the title. I believe Craftsman drove the right wheel.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Ed Fitz said:


> My tractor wont go forward or reverse. makes a strange noise now. The number on the rear end is150073, Hydro Gear.


Did you buy this tractor from new?, do you have the operators manual and is it powered by 25HP engine?.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Check your transmission disconnect rod .....


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

*"wont go forward or reverse. makes a strange noise now"*

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that 150073 Hydro Gear has a planetary differential gear set in it. They made a heck of a lot of noise when they failed and that gear set was the weak point in the drive portion of the unit. It's not a complicated trans axle to rebuild, but that differential gear set from Hydro Gear is over $600 if it has failed, and it's a 25 year old mower. Hope it's something simple, but if it is making "rumbling" noises, that was usually the problem...... 

See Part #'s 49 & 65 in the link below....

HG 150073 Parts Diagram


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