Last summer, I got a new John Deere 1025R 2021 equipped with a 54D MMM. Since I already have a separate mower, I primarily use the 1025R for tasks involving the bucket and an Artillian grapple. That said, I did make use of the 54D mower deck briefly last fall, putting in about an hour of operation before the season ended.
When winter came, I detached the mower deck and stored it upright. This spring, I noticed a small oil spot, about the size of a silver dollar, on the rubber mat beneath the unit. Upon inspecting the oil level by removing the fill plug, I discovered there was less than 1/8 inch of oil left in the gearbox.
Unless the rubber mat somehow soaked up several ounces of oil, I’m puzzled about where all that oil could have gone. Also, isn’t such a significant amount of leakage through the vent unusual?
Has anyone else experienced something similar? What did you find out? Is there a way to stop the vent from leaking or a better method for storing the deck?
What exactly do you mean by “upright”? My 62D doesn’t leak from the vent when it’s stored with the front edge raised. It’s possible that the oil level was already low to begin with.
In that position, there really shouldn’t be any leakage. I’d suggest refilling the oil and using the deck as usual, just checking the level periodically.
If you aren’t sure whether it was full initially, it’s hard to determine how much oil was actually lost. Refill it now, and before putting it away next winter, check the level again. This will help you see if there’s any actual loss happening over time.
If you refill it now and find it low again before storing it next season, there’s likely a leak that needs attention.
I keep mine stored in the same orientation as shown in the picture, and I’ve noticed it does leak from the vent. To address this, I remove the vent and replace it with a plug during storage. When I’m ready to use it again, I swap the plug back out for the vent.
To ensure I don’t forget to make the switch, I keep the vent stored in a plastic bag attached to the gearbox.
