With extensive research and design work, backed by a long history of providing transaxles with superior power and efficiency, Hydro-Gear’s hydrostatic drive systems are often the first choice of residential and commercial equipment customers across the country. Each of the company’s hydrostatic drive systems is designed to be relatively lightweight, especially when compared to the total amount of power that they offer when paired with large power equipment purchases and other machinery.
The company’s ZT-2800 and ZT-3100 drive systems offer two of the best ways for homes and businesses to enjoy superior smoothness, speed, and efficiency throughout any type of work. The primary differences between these systems almost always come down to size and power, making them suitable for slightly different kinds of commercial and residential buyers. Before selecting either of these efficient transaxles, it’s important to understand the key similarities and differences that make them suitable to different applications and installations.
Similarities Between the ZT-2800 and ZT-3100 Hydrostatic Drive Systems
The vast number of similarities between these two key models mostly deals with design, architecture and the unique layout of the system. Both the ZT-2800 and its slightly more powerful counterpart, the ZT-3100, are designed to be a fully integrated transaxle system. Both come with a seven-pump displacement system pioneered by Hydro-Gear, and both systems pair that displacement pump with a seven-piston motor system. As with almost all of the hydrostatic drive systems designed and sold by Hydro-Gear, both the ZT-2800 and ZT-3100 come with a mechanical gear reduction system, through which all power is routed and properly disbursed during operation.
Both systems value operator integrity, and they seek to reduce the number and scale of vibrations translated to the operator during work by using an infinitely variable control system. This allows not only for superior smoothness during driving, but also for better use of equipment power and a far greater range of available speeds to utilize when going either backward or forward. Both systems leverage the power of a single shaft output, measuring about one inch on both transaxles. This makes both the ZT-2800 and the ZT-3100 more powerful and adaptable without increasing their size. When it comes to fitting these transaxles into existing power equipment pieces, this compact design really makes a difference in terms of compatibility and long-term utility.
Key Differences Between these Two Drive Systems
Perhaps the most significant difference between these two systems is their target audience. The ZT-2800 hydrostatic drive system is a high-end variant targeted to consumers, designed to power large and rugged power equipment pieces that include everything from riding mowers to larger lawn tractors and beyond. Its design is therefore compact enough to fit into these pieces without much adjustment, and it’s designed to take into account the general preferences and fatigue levels of the amateur home landscaper and power equipment operator. By contrast, the company’s ZT-3100 transaxle system is fully designed for the commercial buyer. That means it’s slightly larger, slightly more versatile, and designed to be used in modestly larger equipment common among professional landscapers and commercial customers.
The specifications offered to buyers by each of these systems differ in both slight and significant ways, depending on which metric is being measured. The residential ZT-2800 can output up to 300 pound-feet of torque, while its larger and more commercial-targeted counterpart can output up to 350 pound-feet of torque. The ZT-2800 has a maximum forward speed of 8 miles per hour, while the ZT-3100 goes a bit faster at a maximum speed of 9 miles per hour. Both systems can handle pretty heavy vehicles, but the ZT-3100 wins out with a maximum vehicle weight of just about 1,200 pounds. By comparison, the ZT-2800 can handle only about 1,000 pounds before its features and utility start to suffer.
Despite their relatively different levels of power and performance, both the ZT-2800 transaxle and the commercial-targeted ZT-3100 weigh just about the same. In fact, only half a pound separates them: The ZT-2800 comes in at 32 pounds, while commercial customers will find the system weighs just 32.5 pounds. Considering the ZT-3100 produces more power and can handle slightly heavier equipment types, which might make a superior value even for those residential customers who want to give themselves a larger margin of error during installation and use.
For OEM Hydro-Gear Transaxle Parts and More, Visit ShanksLawn.com
Though each of these transaxles is designed to be as powerful as they are durable, each of them is bound to require occasional maintenance and even the occasional replacement part. That’s where Shank’s Lawn Equipment comes in. The company’s selection of OEM parts for Hydro-Gear transaxles and drive systems is robust. By using the website’s online parts lookup tool, buyers can find the part they need based on the specific model number of the drive system or by the exact part number required for the replacement. It’s convenient, and a great way to make sure that each drive system lasts well into the future. And if you are in or near Chambersburg PA, stop by and visit with one of our Hydro Gear experts.