Fluids for T474HC?

[ptsg]

I assume TYM uses wet brakes

Wet brakes and a wet clutch pack for the PTO in most of their models.

 

[Torvy]

Historically, luxury vehicles were engineered to exacting standards, but were finicky about lubrication and environments. 'Tough' vehicles were engineered to be able to take a wider range of conditions and use lower quality fuels and lubricants (as availability may be tough in remote locations) Which type would you rather have for a tractor? No wrong answer here. Different needs for different folks.

 

[Rich_Z]

What you added didn’t drain out hardly any. You maybe would have used a 1/2 pint or pint at most . Your level on sight glass or dipstick wouldn’t have moved enough to notice. You’re most likely overfull

OK. So I searched through the pictures I took of the tractor when I first got it and parked it under the carport. That was 09-09-2023 or thereabouts. I was able to find a pic I took of the rear end and was able to zoom into the hydraulic fill sight glass reasonably enough. I just went outside a little bit ago and tried to duplicate the angle and framing of that sight glass as it is right now.

How much difference do you see in these two images?

So, which situation is most likely? (1) The hydraulic system was not filled enough to where there is an indication in the sight window, or (2) The hydraulic system was overfilled from the dealer to the extent that when the above mentioned attachments were added, it did not drop the fluid level down enough to show in the window. Or (3) any better idea that anyone has?

 

[Seven Gables]

Is it possible to stick a clean wire down in the rear axle through the fill port (makeshift dipstick) to see where the level actually is?

 

[dusty3030]

I can’t tell by the pictures when I zoom in I can’t see them well enough. Auto parts store will have some inexpensive dye you could add to verify or the dipstick idea.

 

[Rich_Z]

When I was supposedly topping off the hydraulic fluid, I was assuming that there wasn't all that much fluid used for the devices I put on the tractor. So I poured slowly into the funnel, watching the fill window closely the whole time. I had thought the level would just be barely at the bottom of the window, so I wanted to pour slowly enough just so I wouldn't overfill it. At no time did I see any sort of flid line in the window. I have machines that also have similar sight windows in them, so I am familiar with their use.

Thinking that maybe it was possible that the hydraulic could be more than a gallon short of being full, I ran out and bought another gallon. When I dumped the entire contents of the second gallon in, again watching the fill window closely, with no sign of a line of liquid in the window, THEN I started getting concerned.

It is not like I could have reasonably missed the fill line. Unless there is such a small difference between being almost full, and full, that such a threshold could be crossed with slow pouring the hydraulic fluid in at the blink of an eye.

 

[Rich_Z]

I can’t tell by the pictures when I zoom in I can’t see them well enough. Auto parts store will have some inexpensive dye you could add to verify or the dipstick idea.

You want a closeup? Well I can give you one from a pic taken on 09-30 using my big Nikon.

 

[ptsg]

As it's been suggested, get some dye for the transmission oil, John Deere sells it too and not expensive either (shocking, right?). Transmission fluid is very very hard to see on a sight glass, so with some dye it should clear all the guess out of it.

Heck, it's about time these oil brands would just put some color to it, just like ATF.

 

[dusty3030]

You want a closeup? Well I can give you one from a pic taken on 09-30 using my big Nikon.

View attachment 824514

You feel better about yourself now. The red indicator is fuzzy it looks like it has fluid in it but so is the rest of the picture to me. New hydro fluid is straw to almost clear so I can’t tell by a picture. Also welcome to my ignore list.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

OK. So I searched through the pictures I took of the tractor when I first got it and parked it under the carport. That was 09-09-2023 or thereabouts. I was able to find a pic I took of the rear end and was able to zoom into the hydraulic fill sight glass reasonably enough. I just went outside a little bit ago and tried to duplicate the angle and framing of that sight glass as it is right now.

How much difference do you see in these two images?

So, which situation is most likely? (1) The hydraulic system was not filled enough to where there is an indication in the sight window, or (2) The hydraulic system was overfilled from the dealer to the extent that when the above mentioned attachments were added, it did not drop the fluid level down enough to show in the window. Or (3) any better idea that anyone has?

I'm going to say it's "#2 Overfull".

My last hydro fluid was so clear you couldn't see any tint in it at all. Looked like water. My current fluid (just changed) has a tint in it, looks like a very weak ice tea. Your pictures look like what my old fluid looked like in my sight glass. I think you're over full. Probably going to be fine, just stop putting more in.

When I changed my hydro fluid at 300 hrs of run time, it looked just as clean and clear as the day it went in. I would expect that yours will stay just as clean also.

At this point, I don't think you need to worry about "ever" adding more fluid during normal operations. Just measure what you put in next time you service it and change fluids. I doubt you will get all the fluid out on a fluid service change, but most of it. So when it says (example) "10 gallons", you may not get all 10 gallons of the new fluid in the trans before you see the mark in the sight glass.

TLDR; I think you'll be fine as long as you stop adding fluid.