Do I hurt my 1025R by not using low range when mowing up steep hills?

crazydane said:

THANK YOU! Didn't occur to me to re-check the Hydro fluid after adding my loader (it came on a pallet and I installed it myself). Filling the lines and cylinders apparently drained out enough Hydro fluid to where the dipstick was completely dry when I checked it this morning. Engine oil level is fine and about 1/2" below the full mark.

I have a 5 gallon bucket of regular Hy-Gard that I use on my big tractor. The dipstick on my 1025R says to use Low Viscosity Hy-Gard, so I guess I'll swing by the dealer today to pick some up. Might as well get a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff so that I'm ready for the 50 hour service.

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When you are adding Low Vis hydro fluid, add no more than 1 quart at a time. I use the 5 gallon buckets for Hydro fluid and I picked up a cheap plastic kitchen measuring pitcher from the Dollar store, in which I pour all fluid to add to the tractor. The rear hydro will go from not appearing on the stick to being overfull very quickly. That's why add no more than 1 quart and watch for it to reach the dip stick. Once it appears, the fluid level will be reached shortly thereafter.

Keep in mind the dip stick on the rear end assumes the tractor is on level ground, etc.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a jar of the hydro fluid red dye when at Deere getting your low viscosity fluid. The red dye makes reading the dipstick easier and it also makes seeing any leaks or drips easily identified.

John Deere part number MT3668 is a very small jar which will be half full of a red dye concentrate. The small jar will treat a 5 gallon bucket or the entire tractor hydro system. Add it to the tractor when adding fluid and pick up a spare bottle to treat the new 5 gallon bucket as well. It should be about $7 to $9 for the dye.

Note, this is the RED color dye, not the Infrared tracing dye which is also sold for tracing leaks, etc. It makes reading the dip stick much easier and it also helps significantly for those machines which use a sight glass on the hydro housing.

crazydane said:

As for when to do the initial change of the Hy-Gard, the sticky in this forum seems to suggest that it is a very good idea to do it at 50 hours and not wait until the 200 hour mark?

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There was some concern for some time that the process in which the rear hydro case was sealed against porosity, that the rinsing and cleaning process after the treatment might not have been complete and there might have been some of the porosity sealing material residue on the case when it was filled at the factory.

By changing at 50 hours, it flushed the hydro fluid out that might have been contaminated with the "porosity sealing product" and it also allowed the cleaning of the screen to remove the excess RTV which was also a concern at the time. Both conditions have been remedied now with the porosity sealing of the case and also, there is much less excess RTV in the case the last year plus.

Changing the fluid at 50 hours won't hurt anything and only costs you the time and money, which I think is well spent. Deere doesn't advocate the 50 hr service any longer and hasn't had it in their material now for probably close to 18 months or even longer.

I changed at 50 and then at every 150 hrs. That way you can keep an eye on the fluid quality, the magnets and the screen.

Levi said:

As for brakes on going down hill, I have one spot where I use just enough pressure on the brakes so the diff lock engages to help me NOT lose rear wheel traction. All while in 4x4. Yes it works. I do this so I have my foot on the brake petal in case I need to stop because just getting off the forward petal doesn't stop it at that spot.

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Often, people complain (not YOU, Levi, but your post reminded me of this point.....) about the height of the actual brake pedal on the 1 series and how those of us with long legs have to pull back to lift and push the brake pedal.

When you just want to apply a little consistent brake pedal on a hill, etc. keep your heel planted on the floor mat and push on the pedal arm itself beneath the brake pad, where it comes up out of the floor (instead of on the actual brake pad) and it works even easier when you are trying to lightly use the brake pedal when you want to use it to either engage the diff lock or slow down the tractor on a hill or slope.

I happened to do this yesterday when going down a steep hill and it worked easier than trying to push the actual brake pedal pad slowly and gently........If you want to set the parking brake, pushing the pedal pad gives you the most leverage. But to simply apply the brakes lightly and progressively, the vertical arm worked well when I was applying it.

I set the parking brake every time I get out of the cab (habit from doing the same on my 455 for years, to keep the engine running since there is no "N" to shift into like on the 1 series).