NH 617 Disc Mower short Gearbox life

[crbearden]

My NH 617 was not used much by the previous owner. He only mowed about 120 acres or less a year. The gears between the right angle drive box and the cutterbar were replaced by the previous owner because there was not any grease in the box. I ran it about 200 acres and the gearbox fails and it is dry. I did not know where to check this box for lube, and thought it was lubricated by the upper gearbox. I replaced the box with a new module and cut approximately 200 acres of prairie hay last year, and then changed all bearbox oil this spring and filled them with Mystic JT-7. I made sure the replaced module had lubricant. I cut less than 120 acres and it failed again. a friend that works on hay equipment for a large dealer and delivers hay equip all over the West. He said that they do not send a mower out without Lucas oil additive in the gearboxes. This box is $350 to replace. Does anyone have any ideas? I cannot afford to keep this up.... The bearings appeared to be good on the other shafts. Is the lack of Lucas oil the problem???

This is in Oklahoma if it makes any difference.

[leonz]

My NH 617 was not used much by the previous owner. He only mowed about 120 acres or less a year. The gears between the right angle drive box and the cutterbar were replaced by the previous owner because there was not any grease in the box. I ran it about 200 acres and the gearbox fails and it is dry. I did not know where to check this box for lube, and thought it was lubricated by the upper gearbox. I replaced the box with a new module and cut approximately 200 acres of prairie hay last year, and then changed all bearbox oil this spring and filled them with Mystic JT-7. I made sure the replaced module had lubricant. I cut less than 120 acres and it failed again. a friend that works on hay equipment for a large dealer and delivers hay equip all over the West. He said that they do not send a mower out without Lucas oil additive in the gearboxes. This box is $350 to replace. Does anyone have any ideas? I cannot afford to keep this up.... The bearings appeared to be good on the other shafts. Is the lack of Lucas oil the problem???

This is in Oklahoma if it makes any difference.

I wonder if the previous owner replaced the seals on the geearbox?


Were the gear box seals replaced as well? its sounds as if the seals failed on you.
New seals last long time as long as the shafts are good-they do wear because of
the rotating shafts.

If you cannot find the fill or level plugs they must be buried under paint or dirt.
It sounds as if the gearbox has either a very heavy coat of paint on it hiding the
fill and drain plugs or a lot of dirt hiding the fill and drain plugs.

NOW the plugs may be oil plugs that require an allen wrench to remove them to
add lubricant or to check the oil levels which may explain why you cannot find the plugs.

Edit: if the bearings were bad and the original owner did not repalce them that would
shorten the seal life signifigantly also .

[bigbull338]

bottomline its time for you to get a new cutter.that cutter has major probs.