Rescued by a crapsman (sort of)

[deerhunter 0]

I was mowing my lower field last Friday evening. I had the hayban 44" pull behind off set behind the 716H. I was making my 3rd pass when all of a suden it shut off, No nothin, when I hit the key. I lifted the hood looked at the key switch & found the wire burned off that goes to the amp meter. Well here comes my neighbor to my rescue on his 6 year old crapsman. I ran up to the house & got the ATV to pull the AC back up to the shed. He pulled the hayban up for me. No way I was letting him pull my AC with that thing. So he was kind a giving me grief about my old mower so later in the conversation, I said how's that thing running. He said not good, I've had to use my moter-in-law's the last two times I cut. 6 years verses 30+ He can keep his crapsman!!!!!!! All mine need was a new wire & an electrical connector!!!!

[Al 6]

Hi, I hope you didn't pull the tractor over 100 feet and tnen VERY SLOW with out the engine running. The bypass is only for incidental movement, like pushing accross the garage etc. If you tow these hydros with the engine dead, they have NO oil in the hydro unit and the motor in the hydro is geared to the rear wheels. The motor will be destroyed. The slippers on the pistons will be torn off and the motor destroyed. A few hears ago we had a customer that towed his 7117 3 blocks, about 1500 ft, about a dollar a foot $1500. If the motor in a Sunstrand is torn up, and the pump is fine, the ONLY way this can happen is towing. Even on a new tractor Simplicity WOULD NOT warranty a hydro with the motor torn up and the pump fine, because this is towing damage. Al Eden

[rsachs 0]

Al, would the same apply to a Vickers hydro? Not that I have to worry about a warranty, just good information to know!

[Al 6]

No, Because it actually disconnects the pump from the rear end by shifting a gear. Al Eden

[deerhunter 0]

Al The answer to all your above questions is yes. So now I'm scared!! I going to show my ignorance here and ask which hydro is on the 716H. Can you tell I've never really had a hydro problem? (Wow am I inviting Murphy or what?) The reason being is that this is not the 1st time I've towed this machine. If I had to guess, I towed her approximately 600 feet for the time in question. I made the electrical repair the next day & finished mowing my bottom lot without any problems. Is there anything I can do from a prevenative point of view, change filter & fluid?

[D-17_Dave 12]

You have a Sundstrand pump. They quit useing the Vickers when they went to the 3400 series. A few were used finishing off the supply I think in the early 700's. But all the later models and that includes of course 900's used the Sundstrand's.

[firefoxz1 4]

Thanks Al. That explains why it is easy to push a Vickers hydro disengaged and not a Sunstrand. That's two things I learned today, well over my limit,LOL.

[UCD 14]

The 3400 series had Vickers hydro's. The very early 7000 series had Vickers. I had an early 7016H I bought new that had a Vickers.

[Jovee 0]

What is the visible difference between the two if one were to bend down and look? Sounds like the vickers is more user friendly though -Joe

[firefoxz1 4]

The quickest easiest way (or the thing I look for) is the Vickers has a little shift rod by the hitch to freewheel and the Sunstrand has the push down bar/handle under the seat pan.

[Jovee 0]

I dont have either in anything here (yet) but its good to know which to look out for when the time arrives. Tim, I hope everything is ok with yours. I have a few Craftsman carcasses up here you can drag home and take out any frustration on;)

[Chris727 1,925]

Another notable difference is the small radiatior and the big round filter can, or is it a fluid reservior? on the top of the vickers which the sunstrand does not have. Also I think the hydro unit itself on the vickers is mostly cast iron while the fins on the sunstrand are aluminum.

[Jovee 0]

Theres an oil cooler on a small tractor rearend ??

[PGL 431]

How do you move the tractor to a place you can work on it? Lift the back before towing or on a trailer?

[deerhunter 0]

Well tomorrow evening I plan on mowing again. Wish me luck since I flat out invited Murphy over for the holiday.

[dlcentral 1]

Damage is done to the swash plate retainers,,they break like glass in a million pieces if press is not relieved,[from the 2 buttons under seat pan].I've fixed many where they towed em down a hard syrface[road] MAYBE just maybe the slippery grass surface saved you![I hope]Al would know,,,but can you still get the retainers to fix these deals??,