Help for creeping Sundstrand & stiff hydro lever

[2burning]

I have been wanting to make a few small posts for a couple months and finally broke out the digital camera to make them. I realize these are quite cheesy compared to the large projects others have going. I was always a little annoyed at the creeping of the Sundstrand hydros I have, and one of them tended to 'run away' going down a hill. I had already put on new Wix filters and new fluid. So another item I tried (and this was an idea I had gleaned from the site here!) was stacking washers on the spring for the hydro linkage, as below. One already had 6 washers in it, I put 10 in the other one. Ignore the dirt, imagine that they are nice clean tractors :>

Another was to put new roller cam part # 1650592 - the small orange $5 part that rides in the guide. The next thing was to take the hydro lever off and grease up the pivit where it goes through the frame. While I still had the gate for the hydro lever loose, I flexed the hydro lever out away from the console, so that it takes much less side pressure to move through the gates. If you flex it too much though, the starter safety switch won't activate so go easy. This makes it easier to navigate the gate and switch back and forth from forward to reverse. After this was done and a careful adjustment for centering the lever as explained in manuals, I have ended up with machines that are much less prone to creeping. The one machine still likes to run away while going down a hill though :< It does eventially catch and slow down. I just have to be aware of it - it is not too bad.

[Roy]

I put a piece of copper tubing beside the spring on my Sovereign. Held it in place with nylon tie wraps.

[2burning]

There you go, sounds like the copper pipe idea is easier than the washers. It was quite a challenge to compress the spring, hold 10 washers in place and drive the roll pin back in place.

[roma3112]

I went through the same thing that you dod for my sovereign's hydro. it seems that this was one of the quirks to these machines. Here is a link to the thread I started some time ago, it has some useful info. http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24902&SearchTerms=creepy

[Kenh]

It's nice to know good minds think alike! I just went through the same thing with my 7116. I didn't use any washers though. I just cleaned up and re-lubed all the linkage and after some careful adjustment was able to adjust out 99% of the creep. I just have to remember to push the hydro lever forward in the nuetral stop or the tractor will creep about three feet per minute backwards. I found this out after the first time the tractor backed around the corner of the house and I thought somebody stole it as the engine stalled and couldn't hear it running! Ken

[jlasater]

I wrapped a piece of car heater hose around the spring on my 716H. Still has a little cushion and works well.