Lawn Ranger #4

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

Started Tinkering today with my latest aquisition, a 1965 Lawn Ranger. When I bought this tractor a few weeks back , The weather was warm and everything seem good on this ranger. I pushed this tractor in the corner for a couple weeks and after our cold weather hit suddenly the Transmission is "locked up" My first thought was something is wrong with the internals of the trans. I also thought maybe its frozen.

Well today I verified the second....a frozen transmission . One of the things I thought I'd do was warm up the garage , attatch a 200watt magnetic heater to the bottom of the trans. casing and drain and refill with some fresh lube. well , for about 30 minutes nothing came out...OK, it gets worse. Then slowly,but surely, water starts dripping out the drain hole. Last time I check just a few minutes ago there was about a quart or a little less of Nice clear water with a little oil mixed in. The water still dripping out last time I checked. I was going to use this ranger to play in the snow but I'm guessing that wouldn't be a good Idea for a while.

Forgot to post some pics of the ranger when I got it home but here it is today. And i'm kicking myself for not checking the trans oil. The good part is I made and installed the missing linkage piece for the lawn ranger snow plow ,but it may be a while before I get to use it.

Here are some pics of the tractor and the water just starting to drip from the transmission.

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

Notice one pic shows the water starting to drip out, The farther away pic shows the pan starting to fill up with water.

[sorekiwi 761]

You might be surprised at the condition of the gearbox. My Ranger had sat in a cornfield for years and when I picked it up the transmission was locked solid (in April!).

I drained the trans fluid and got nothing but crystal clear water. My theory is that over the years it got so much water in there that it floated all the oil off the top and out through the axle seals.

I refilled the trans with some sort of flushing fluid (I dont remember exactly what, but I think it was a Kerosene/ATF mix) and left it in gear in the bed of my pickup truck. Drove around for a couple of days and the rocking back and forth free-ed up the trans. I pulled it apart then and found it absolutely fine inside - no pitted gears, no bad bearings at all. I had already bought bearings for it but I didnt use them. Cleaned everything up and put it back together with new seals. Its been fine ever since.

[Wheel-N-It 2,967]

My Son-In-Law's 312 was FULL of water when I bought it. No problem though, just drained it out and refilled the gearbox with Lucas 90/140weight. Shifts good, and trandsmission is quiet as a mouse. Don't worry bout yours, It should be fine.

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

I hope everything is OK. I'm sure pushing it accross the garage with the rear wheels skidding wasn't a good thing.

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

On another note, Here is a pic of the linkage piece I needed and made for the plow. Thanks Lane!!

[dclarke 4,011]

Flush it out and fill it with oil Terry, I bet it'll be fine.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Don't worry Terry... that little bit of dragging it around didn't hurt it. I remember well the first time I had that problem too. Only I wasn't intending to use it... it was just in my way in the garage... went to roll it out of the way and whammy... frozen transmission.

via Tapatalk

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

Well, sounds like its not as bad as I thought it would be. I think I might split it apart this spring and do a clean and inspect. went out to the garage,it still draining water slowly.

[sorekiwi 761]

Wonder if you could pour some hot water through the gear lever hole to speed it up? I mean its already got water in it, is a bit more going to hurt it?? :scratchead:

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

Wonder if you could pour some hot water through the gear lever hole to speed it up? I mean its already got water in it, is a bit more going to hurt it??

HMMM, might be a Good idea. But if it wasn't so late, I'd attempt it right now.

[Lane Ranger 10,530]

Terry: Lift piece looks great. Glad it will work for you. I will post a picture of one of my Lawn Rangers with the plow and you can just see the lift piece on it too!

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

Terry: Lift piece looks great. Glad it will work for you. I will post a picture of one of my Lawn Rangers with the plow and you can just see the lift piece on it too!

Lane, Was I correct in how I made and installed it??

[Lane Ranger 10,530]

I think you were so correct you should make a couple more and sell them!

Looks ok to me on the set-up . Have you had it plowing any snow yet??

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,128]

I think you were so correct you should make a couple more and sell them!

Looks ok to me on the set-up . Have you had it plowing any snow yet??

Not yet, still thawing out the trans and waiting for the delivery of a fuel shut off valve for the gas tank. should be ready next weekend.......Just need some snow!!!! :occasion-snowman:

[Kevbo 80]

Nothing a flush a refill with some Lucas gear oil can't fix! From what I have heard, a decent flush includes Kerosene then ATF 2x then fill with gear oil. Make sure you run through all the gears before you drain from each flush.

[Wheel-N-It 2,967]

Kevin is right. It does not hurt to flush the transmission twice. (Thanks Kevin). We don't have to worry bout a transmisssion freezing up solid here but water in them is never a good thing. The one on my recently purchased C125 is draining now. It did not have water in it but the oil was way too thick. I had to put a pint of MMO in the transmission then drive it around for a while to thin the old oil enough to drain out properly. I'll probably put the cheap stuff in it for the first refill. Then this Spring drain it again and refill with Lucas.