from the archives: Repost of Slammer's Rules... 1. Carefully evaluate the size mower you need and buy at least one size larger. 2. NEVER buy a mower from ANYPLACE that will not let you test drive it or at least a similar model. Ergonomics are just as important as performance and capability. (Vitally important!) 3. DO NOT base your purchase on price or brand name alone! Do proper research and find all of the available models that fit your criteria and haggle, save, or trade to get the right equipment for the job. Do not compromise! If you follow these three tips you will end up a happy camper with just the right unit for the job. If you disregard this advice your gonna end up with One or the other of the following problems: A. Buyers remorse. Stuck with a piece of junk or simply a unit inadequate for the task at hand. Or.. B. A teed off spouse when you start shopping for another tractor just 3 - 6 months down the road because you didn't buy the right unit in the first place. Now go forth and shop and try and have fun!

The topic of drain & fill of modern day hydro trannies has been discussed time and again in this forum. Using the forum search feature (found near bottom of tractor forum home page) will produce quite a few threads for your perusal. But, you need to be aware that you might need to put in "different key words" and do separate, multiple searches to find all the threads. Example, you might do a search using words like "hydrostatic oil change" or "hydro fluid change" or "hydrostat oil drain" or "hydrostat slipping" or "hydrostat overheating" or "hydrostat won't pull". Try to avoid using words like Toro Wheel Horse or any other words that are "too general" or you will be directed to every thread that has the word Toro or Wheel Horse in it. I'm not giving you a "brush off", it's simply that there is just too much info and too many variations for what you might have to do on your TWH to drain & fill the hydrostat. Do some searches, get familiarized with the search feature and read about what has been suggested in the past while you wait for a more specific response in this thread. You will probably also read about the correct way to operate your hydro and some other tips, do's & don'ts for hydros as well. Welcome to the tractor forum.

could be a park brake assy froze up in the engaged position.. look up under on the tranny sides - you should see the park brake mechanism/linkage. if it does not move easily, spray it good with some rattlecan brake parts cleaner and re-adjust per manual. If still prob, post back.

Linkage like that usually has a friction washer made of a phenolic material to hold the lever where you put it. If there is any oil or WD40 or lubrication on the lever or that washer it will slip and the lever won't stay. Remove the washer and clean it and the surface is rides on with alcohol or contact cleaner and reassemble. There's a possibility the washer cracked and fell out or has worn so thin it needs to be replaced.