I've not owned a 445 but have had some JDs. I'm guessing that your hydrostat is leaking. It probably shares fluid with the power steering cylinder. So low hydrostat fluid would make it steer hard due to lack of fluid in the hydraulic steering cylinder. Was the filter put on correctly (just a guess where it might leak)? Perhaps check and fill the fluid if needed and see if the steering improves. A flashlight really helps me see under my tractor... eyes are getting old. You may need to add fluid, run the tractor around a bit, and then check it again. Don't overfill... the distance between the fill and full marks tends to be just a few ounces of oil. Wish hydrostat makers would allow more tolerance for fluid capacity. A big question on the engine is it smoking from gas or oil or coolant? Oil smoke tends to be more blue... gas smoke tends to be more black, coolant more white(steam). Problems with the fuel injector can cause extra gas to be used and the engine will smoke from it. Bad piston cylinder rings allow oil to bypass and will cause oil smoke. If you can't tell by the smoke color then I'd check to see how much oil it is burning. If it does not use much oil then it is probably a fuel problem. Given the age of your tractor the engine gaskets are very suspect. Bad gaskets can cause everything to leak. I mow up and down the steep parts of my property. All my JDs have been good climbers. I'm a bit paranoid about rolling as those 1000 lb machines will kill you if it pins you under it. If you spend a couple hours looking over your tractor and don't find obvious solutions have the work hired out. I work with machines all day long but usually have someone work on them when they need it. There are guys in my area that make a living doing small engine repair because the dealer is pricey. A decent small engine shop could probably fix you up cheaper then the dealer. If you can just look and have an "ah-ha" moment then fix it yourself... a loose filter or something like that.

My research tells me it is hardy to zone 9. Many times, small "microclimates" can be found in zone 8 that are more like zone 9, but they can't always be counted on. Chances are, you may be able to get this palm to survive one winter only to lose it the next. A greenhouse would be ideal, otherwise find a spot inside where you can winter it over and enjoy them as indoor houseplants. Best of luck, Sandi Here is a link that might be useful: Fan Palm Link

Ok so a week later and no real signs of growth, ALTHOUGH, this morning it looked like the center was maybe 1cm (yes a full cm) taller than the rest. Meaning it has come up, since I cut it all very smooth and flat. SO, we will see.. It all looks like the rot got in the wind/air and just browned everything though. Or maybe it just browned on its own because it is exposed tissue?

With the variable speed and X13 blower motors the amount of energy used to circulate air is minimal. I would not run any fan on the regular 'high' stat calling for heat for circulation. I run mine in circulate mode in the winter and in auto in the summer purely because circulate tends to keep the humidity higher in the summer. In the winter I run a pellet stove in the basement when it gets stupid cold so the circulate mode helps bring more of that heat upstairs but also aids in pulling moisture out of the humidifier. With a newer system to me it is just comfort based as some houses will have more even temps with circulation and others it doesn't make a huge difference.