TuffTorq K46 Repair Guide with Pictures

pooleo · Jun 4, 2013

RBLapham said:
Go over to the paper mill and get some *%^#. Or to Getty street
No I once had a peerless transaxle and tried with 120W and it didn't help, even tried trans stop leak. Synthetic 5W50 is the best oil to use. Did you do a rebuild? or what have you tried?

I tore down, sanded/milled the center case faces, put it back together. It was working great

rburke65 · Jun 4, 2013

What do you mean "again"? Did you rebuild it before? How many hours? No expert here......

pooleo · Jun 4, 2013

rburke65 said:
What do you mean "again"? Did you rebuild it before? How many hours? No expert here......

Look back a few pages. About 3 hrs ago, in tractor hours. Not human hours

Cburlette · Jun 4, 2013

I just finished rebuilding an K55 transmission from a JD STX38, thanks to LotsofGreenGrass for this great resource. One difference from the K46 and from the Snapper K55 service manual found here: http://tinyurl.com/snapperk55 is that the fixed swash plate must be installed up-side-down relative to the K46. Also if you buy the motor shaft kit you must use the new shaft for proper function. The old motor had short teeth in the cylinder and long splines on the shaft, the new kit reverses that arrangement, with short splines on the shaft and long teeth in the cylinder. I did not change out the shaft and and was not happy with the outcome. A quick chat with Duane at Tough Torq convinced me to crack open the transaxle and change out the shaft, with a good outcome.

Craig

rburke65 · Jun 4, 2013

Pooleo.....sorry about that.....I was not in the 'tractor time zone'!!

granadaman1980 · Jun 6, 2013

I have some problems with a Husqvarna LGT 2654 Lawn Mower. I have a Tuff Torq K46BN transmission. The problem is that the axle broke on the left side. It has the wheel hubs and broke inside the wheel hub. I called Tuff Torq and the directed me to Husqvarna. Husqvarna doesn't want to cover it even though its a factory defect. They want to push it back on the Tuff Torq. Its my girlfriends parents mower and they are wanting to get it fixed. I am not happy with the situation at all. I told them today. They don't have to worry about me ever buying any of their products. The mower was purchased at Lowes. The mower was made in 06 according to the manufacturing date that is posted on the serial number at Partstree.com. The mower was bought in 08. Tuff Torq will not admit or even look at the pictures of the transmission. I could understand it was a pump or something due to wear and tear going out.
The guy at Husqvarna customer service was implying that they didn't take care of the mower. Gee I don't think an axle is a maintenance part. It has signs of not being a clean fresh break all the way through. So thanks to Tuff Torq and Husqvarna. I have 3 options or 4 actually. 1. try to get it welded, 2.replace the manufacturing defective axle $80 plus the hub assembly that sits around the axle, plus S&H and time, 3. buy the transmission assembly for anywheres from $616.81 plus shipping and handling to over $868.87 plus 15% on shipping and handling, or 4 buy a new mower. Definitely will not be a Husqvarna. We have a Toro and I am glad to have it. We also have a Cub Cadet Model #2185. I have had no problems out either of those mowers. The Cub Cadet has had some work done, but to be expected since it was built I think in 1994. I really hope that if any you out there buy a new mower. Look at your warranty. You would think that it being a manufacturing defect and having several people who weld for a living and know what they are looking at tell me this. You would think that they would honor the warranty and make a happy customer. I will send some pics when I get it figured out for you to see for yourselves.....

wactbn · Jun 6, 2013

granadaman1980 said:
I have some problems with a Husqvarna LGT 2654 Lawn Mower. I have a Tuff Torq K46BN transmission. The problem is that the axle broke on the left side. It has the wheel hubs and broke inside the wheel hub. I called Tuff Torq and the directed me to Husqvarna. Husqvarna doesn't want to cover it even though its a factory defect. They want to push it back on the Tuff Torq.

I'm no metallurgist, but it appears to be a defective axle. Warranties suck. That's why I've started to buy used at bargain prices, and service myself. Forums like this have really helped me with finding parts and rebuilding hydrostatic transaxles.

Metalmaster10 · Jun 8, 2013

wsp617 said:
My question is why can't Tuff Torq build a tranny that lasts? My JD LA140 has a junk tranny and it has less than a 100 hours on it. I'm planning on using this thread to repair mine this Spring but I'm not happy about it.

Several things...
First, thank you LOGG, great job!
I am getting ready to open up my k46 for the second time. The first time was 2 years ago. Broke the left axle. All the dealers wanted to sell me a new transaxle for around $1,000.... NO!
I contacted TuffTorq directly and got the axle, new filter, and the synthetic fluid delivered for less than $100. After a THOROUGH cleaning internally and replacement of parts it was back in order. In fact it was more responsive with the 5W50 synthetic than the day I bought it new!

Next:
After a lengthy talk with tuff torq in a mindset like this quote from wsp, I have changed my mind! I truly believe they can make great stuff... The OEM's won't buy it! People talk about the bullet proof k66 upgrade... That is a Tuff Torq.
Here was what I found out. The k46 is built to have a drain plug to change fluid... None of the OEMs will pay the extra $.25, yes a quarter!
TuffTorq recommends synthetic oil... The OEMs use conventional
TuffTorq recommends changing the fluid at (if memory serves correctly) 10 hrs, 100 hrs, and then every 200 hrs and the k46 is built to be trouble free for 1,000 hrs! My OEM owners manual did NOT say this, but called it a maintenance free transaxle! This is the 3rd I have seen. It gives TuffTorq a bad name, but the OEMs get to sell more machines because 3 years down the road it's "broken" and might as well go buy a new mower....

If we would have known this from the start and followed these maintenance recommendations, I bet very few of us would have had these problems. But the big box store brands...about anybody competing in the "homeowner" priced mowers won't put the good stuff on, it will cut sales

motorcity · Jun 8, 2013

I need help. I'm in the process of rebuilding a K46. And I have 3 shims, shown in the picture. I know one goes on the end of the motor shatf and another goes on the end of the pump shaft, when the go into the center case. But I don't know where the 3rd one goes. 2 of them are larger than the 3rd one.