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John Deere 165, 175, 185 - Eaton Hydrostatic Transmission

The hydrostatic drive John Deere 165, 175, 185 tractor is equipped with an infinite speed transmission. The transmission is mounted on the differential case which contains a two-pinion bevel gear differential. A single control lever controls both speed and direction as well as braking. A neutral-start switch (activated when brake pedal is depressed) prevents the engine from starting when control lever is in forward or reverse position. A dump valve is incorporated to allow the operator to push the tractor manually. The cooling fan cools the hydrostatic fluid in the transmission. Power from the engine is transmitted through a drive belt to the transmission. Power is transmitted from the transmission to the brake shaft, output shaft, and differential and axle. Power to the differential, transmitted through the pinion and bevel gears, turns the axle and wheels.

Remove differential and hydrostatic transmission assembly

Remove mower from John Deere 165, 175, 185 tractor. Put transmission control lever in neutral. Drain differential. Remove rear wheels. Remove fuel tank. Remove heat shield. Remove two nuts. Remove transmission linkage and key from transmission. Loosen three cap screws fastening differential to frame. Disconnect brake linkage. Remove four nuts fastening differential to frame. Remove three cap screws and lower differential and transmission assembly. Remove traction drive belt from transmission sheave. Remove differential and transmission assembly.

John Deere 165, 175, 185 tractor - Remove Eaton transmission

Remove four cap screws and washers. Remove transmission and gasket from differential. Replace shaft seal - Clean exterior of transmission to prevent contamination. Drain transmission fluid. Remove seal using JDG213 Seal Remover. Lubricate inner surface of seal. Press seal into position over shaft with JDG214 Seal Installer. Remove and inspect fan and sheave - Remove and inspect fan. Replace if damaged. Remove two Allen-head screws and transmission sheave. Inspect sheave. Replace if damaged.

John Deere 165, 175, 185 tractor - Disassemble Eaton transmission

Oil reservoir has a left-hand thread. Drain transmission at reservoir. Remove reservoir. During assembly, cover and body must be in their original positions or transmission output rotation will be reversed. Make line across cover and body to mark correct positions for assembly. Remove two Allen-head screws. Rotate JD 165, 175, 185 tractor transmission so that cover is on top of body. Loosen cover. If cover does not separate easily from body, tap cover and body with plastic hammer. Lift cover off body. For proper ball positioning when assembling, put numbers on rotor before removal. Use a wide rubber band to hold pistons in place. Remove rotor. Remove retaining ring from output shaft. Remove gear. Remove key and spacer. Remove output shaft. Remove retaining ring. Remove bearing and oil seal. Remove retaining ring from input shaft. Remove key from shaft. Remove dump valve shaft. Remove pivot pin assembly. For proper ball positioning when assembling, put numbers on rotor before removal. Use a wide rubber band to hold the pistons in place. Remove rotor. Remove cam ring. Remove button. Remove input shaft and bearing assembly. Remove oil seal.

Inspect body and output shaft assembly

Inspect body. Replace if cracked or broken. Inspect bearing and output shaft. Replace if damaged. Inspect cover - Inspect cover, especially around control shaft. Replace cover if cover is broken or cracked. Inspect input shaft assembly (John Deere 165, 175, 185 hydrostatic transmission) - Inspect retaining ring. Replace if damaged. Do not separate bearing from shaft unless damage is found. Inspect input shaft and bearing. If damage is found, remove snap ring and remove bearing from shaft. Install bearing and new snap ring on shaft. Inspect control shaft assembly - Remove and discard oil seal from control shaft assembly. Inspect dowel pin and control shaft. Replace if damaged.

Replace control shaft assembly

Measure distance between center of dowel pin and end of control shaft. Use this dimension to locate dowel pin from outside of cover. Drill 11/32-in. diameter hole in line with center of control shaft and dowel pin. Remove dowel pin using a punch through the drilled hole. Remove retaining ring and washer. Remove control shaft. Install a 1/8-in. countersunk hex-head pipe plug in drilled hole. Pipe plug must be even with outside surface of case. Lubricate new control shaft. Install in cover. Install washer and retaining ring. Position keyway as shown before install doweling pin. Install new dowel pin through shaft until 28.6 mm (1.13 in.) of pin extends above shaft. Install new oil seal.

Inspect rotor assemblies

Inspect for burrs or scoring in bore. Inspect ball pistons and springs. Check rotor bushings for wear and scoring. Apply a thin film of oil on ball pistons. Put corresponding ball piston in numbered hole of rotor. Close inner port of rotor with finger. Push on ball with thumb. Should feel spongy and not stick. Repeat step for each ball piston. If one ball in rotor set rolls or does not FLOAT in rotor, replace complete. If any irregularities are found, replace the rotor assembly. Install springs and ball pistons in their original positions. Secure with a wide rubber band. Inspect pump race - Inspect line where ball pistons contact pump race. If irregularities found, replace race. Install flush to 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) recessed from edge of cam. Inspect motor race - Inspect line where ball pistons contact motor race. Replace race if not smooth or free of irregularities.

Inspect pivot pin assembly (JD 165, 175, 185 hydrostatic transmission)

Remove and inspect dump valve bracket and spring assembly. Replace if damaged. Inspect both pivot pin assembly journals. Replace assembly if any irregularities are found. Inspect dampening pistons. Replace if scored. Shake pivot pin assembly to inspect check balls. If check balls do not rattle, check valve assembly is faulty. Replace valve assembly.

Replace Dampening pistons

Firmly tap outside edge of piston pin assembly on work surface to dislodge pistons. If piston did not come out, see adhesive to fasten cap screw to it. Pull piston from the bore. Remove back-up rings and O-rings from pistons. Install new back-up rings and O-rings on pistons. Lubricate outer surface of pistons. Push pistons into bores with smooth face up. Replace check valve assembly - Remove coil pin. Tap holes in check valve bodies using a 5/16-18 NC tap. Pull check valve bodies out using a long cap screw or threaded puller. Remove and inspect check balls and retaining rings. Replace any defective parts. Install retaining rings and check balls. Install new check valve bodies. Be sure to allow for coil pin clearance. Install coil pin. Install dump valve bracket and springs.

Assemble Eaton transmission (John Deere 165, 175, 185 tractor)

Lubricate inner surface of new seal using clean lubricant. Install seal. Install input shaft and bearing assembly. Install button. Install cam ring. Check cam ring movement. Cam ring must move freely from stop to stop. If binding occurs at either stop, rotate cam ring insert 180°. Check movement again. Align internal spline of pump rotor with external spline on input shaft. Install rotor. Remove rubber band. Do not force rotor assembly on pivot pin assembly. Rotor assembly must turn freely. If not, recheck installation. Install pivot pin assembly. Install dump valve shaft. Tighten to 4 Nm (30 lb-in.). Install retaining ring to cover. Lubricate inner surface of new seal using clean lubricant. Install seal with rubber lip toward counterbore in body. Install output shaft in body so that cross pin fits into groove. Support output shaft from below so that cross pin of shaft is tight against body. Install bearing and retaining ring. Check that output shaft rotates freely by hand. If not, recheck installation. Install washer. Install key in shaft. Install gear and retaining ring. Align slot in rotor assembly with cross pin on output shaft. Install rotor assembly and remove rubber band, if used. Install cover to body. Align body and cover marks. Install two Allen-head screws and tighten to 20 Nm (177 lb-in.). Install new seal ring to oil reservoir recess in cover. Install oil resrvoir and tighten to 14 Nm (124 lb-in.).

Install fan and sheave

Install sheave to input shaft and fasten with two Allen-head screws. Install fan on input shaft. Fill transmission reservoir - Remove plug and reservoir cap. Fill reservoir with recommended engine oil until fluid flows from vent. Rotate both input and output shafts to release air trapped in transmission. Add oil to reservoir until oil re-appears at vent, then install and tighten plug. Refill reservoir to cold level FULL mark on units with dipstick or until oil is 140 mm (5.50 in.) below top of reservoir. Replace reservoir cap.

Install Eaton transmission (JD 165, 175, 185)

Install gasket and transmission on differential. Install four cap screws and washers. Fill differential assembly with 0.7 L (1.5 pt) of SAE 90 oil. Install differential and hydrostatic transmission assembly - Position differential and hydrostatic transmission assembly under frame. Install traction drive belt on transmission sheave. Lift right side of rear axle and install strap, nuts, and washers. Lift left side of rear axle and install strap, nuts, and washers. Install three washers and cap screws. Tighten all differential and hydrostatic transmission mounting hardware. Connect brake linkage. Install key and transmission linkage. Tighten nuts. Install heat shield. Install fuel tank. Install rear wheels. Remove blocking from tractor. Check oil level in differential. Oil should be a short distance below plug hole. Adjust transmission. Install mower.