# These "Sealed for Life" Tuff Torq's... BullS#%T.



## mogwan (Feb 26, 2011)

Today I started the day changing the TT K65 oil at 507 hr. on my second 2254HV TT diff. 

15 yr ago, when I bought it second hand, Deere said it was sealed for life- but I recently found a Tech Bulletin for K65's (which are now NLA from TT and $2500 here in Australia from JD.)

I found the Document, which is called "*Procedures for Changing Oil in Tuff Torq’s K61/K65 Transaxles*" along with their recommendation for Diff oil changes under 'commercial or harsh use' conditions: "Change Diff Oil at 50 Hrs. using 3.5 liters of 5-50 Synthetic Motor Oil. Diff oil should then be changed every 200 Hrs."

Well- Thank you John Deere! At 507 hr, the original factory oil was the colour of very strong coffee and seemed considerably thinner than a 50W... it was more like a 20-30W.

It took a total of 30 min. to pull the sheetmetal, clean the casing fins and filler area, drop the old oil (after 20 min of operating the tractor beforehand) and refill to 65mm below the top of the filler pipe. The K65 needs no priming procedure so I was immediately good to go.

Any of you on the fence about this- DO IT- Cause Deere won't tell you to...


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Hello again mogwan,

With earlier sealed-for-life models, the only way to change the transaxle fluid was to remove the transaxle from the tractor and turn it upside-down to drain the fluid. Some owners developed this procedure, it didn't come from Deere. I guess the intent with the earlier models was to throw it away and buy a new one.


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## mogwan (Feb 26, 2011)

Sixbales,

Living in Australia for 15 years has taught me a lot about saving, recycling, and making 'dead' stuff work again. The JD Dealer wanted $2500 for my first replacement Tuff Torq. I had one mailed from my cousin in North Carolina. it weighed two lb. less than the 66 lb. overseas max. weight. the Aussie Post Office wasn't impressed that the synth oil leaked out in transit and wrapped it in a huge plastic bag.

We learn to live and make do with a lot less...especially when a gallon of house paint is $80, a 4X8 3/4" piece of Plywood more than $100. 

We save scraps and bits... I have a barn full.

For several years, Ford Australia said their sedan trannys were filled & sealed for life... No one believed them.


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## mogwan (Feb 26, 2011)

Howdy Sixbales,

Well, I did a "Bush Mechanic" job on the dead Fuel Shutoff Solenoid. Deere laughed when I inquired about a replacement. So now the solenoid has no shutoff needle and is only a fuel drain plug. I put a petcock between the pump and carb intake to kill the gas flow & shut down the engine. My Deere guy said there may be a low voltage 'power to the spark plugs' circuit I could rig with a toggle switch to shut down. and no worry about fuel bowl overflow into the cylinders when stopped as there's no gravity feed effect.

After sorting out the solenoid, I mounted a new set of Oregon 'Gator' blades shipped from the US two weeks ago, then levelled the deck after greasing everything greasable.

The Tuff Torq is running 50% faster and making power like a new box. What a huge difference. I got the nicest, even cut in fifteen years and in 1/2 the time.

I wish Deere had advised doing this- as the old Synth oil had broken down to a viscosity closer to a 20W; and when cutting on hot days-avg temp is now 86º until end of March-the diff was noisy with much less power and on its way to premature failure.


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