How important is the hydrostatic cooling fan?

[johncub7172]

I would never run one with out a fan. It's so easy and simple to replace you'll feel like a fool by not stopping to take the time. Now if you have new factory engine mounts, new coil pins and rag joints in the drive line, then removal and installation is a tad more challenging !

Now, my 1211 has a nice, big fan made of flex-rubber that don't break. One like that might be an option!

By the way, your local Cub Cadet dealership has them in stock for a mere $13.00 . I reused my old snap ring to boot!

[sawdustdad]

I agree with Jonathan, I'd replace it next opportunity. I've seen tractors with the entire hydro caked with dirt and crap, running fine. But heat will eventually destroy seals and fluid (age them more quickly) so the cooler the unit runs, the longer it will last between repairs/service.

Remember, the entire rear end becomes a big heat sink and radiator as the fluid circulates, so there is quite a bit of area to radiate the heat from the hydro.

My take: Winter operation, the fan is probably superfluous; summer operation, probably extends service intervals.

[IsaacSchuler]

I haven't run a fan on mine since i've owned it but i dont run it more then 30 min at a time. so if your running it longer periods of time or running it hard then run it with a fan. I do plan on putting a fan on mine but i haven't gotten around to it lol

[jimbob200521]

I'm surprised at the amount of variation in opinion on this subject. Not 100% necessary all the time but for a few bucks and a beers worth of wrench time, why NOT have one?

[13thstreetgti]

Because it is a pain to remove the drive shaft (for me at least) and I just took everything apart and it broke shortly after I replaced it.

I do appreciate the advice and will be replacing the fan.

I was just hoping to get some insight on the necessity of it. No one has any real information as to how much the heat actually reduces the temperature, so maybe I will wait until it warms up a bit more and do a before and after test.

Just because something came from the factory a certain way does not mean that the factory design is the best design.

[Mike McKown]

[QUOTE=13thstreetgti;320018.

Just because something came from the factory a certain way does not mean that the factory design is the best design.[/QUOTE]

How much good do you think the engine cooling fan did on this 16 Vanguard? I've seen hydros caked up just as bad.

[cub123]

I had the same issue, put a new fan on on the FEL 149, ran it 30 min. And it moved forward on the shaft and few apart. I've always hated the stupid clip setup, so I took a super fan I had laying around, I think from a 1872, trimmed the fins and drilled the driveshaft a bolted it on. Not an issue since, and it thicker than the original fan.

[Mike McKown]

You have me so confused I just don't know what to think.

Always go by the book and you can never be accused of not knowing what you're talking about. On the other hand, if you have the time, money and curiosity to experiment, go for it.

[Terry C]

I would put it on. I had to do it twice in one day to the same tractor. Replaced the fan started it up to watch it then started messing with the carb and all of a sudden there was a loud bang. The socket wrench that was sitting on the seat vibrated off and fell into the brand new fan cleaning off all the blades. Glad the kids weren't around or they would have increased their vocabulary that day

[13thstreetgti]

Ideally I would have some ground engaging equipment to really put a load on the hydro, but alas, I do not.

Do you think mowing a 2 acre lot with small hills will put on enough of a load to really illustrate the benefits of the fan?