grease in a rotary cutter gear box?

[mikehaugen]

I'll admit, I have never seen 00 grease. If it is that thin, are you getting the advantage of it not leaking through the worn/damaged seals?

 

[Soundguy]

I'll admit, I have never seen 00 grease. If it is that thin, are you getting the advantage of it not leaking through the worn/damaged seals?

yes.

0 and 00 grease are considered a flowable grease. they will 'slump' .

regualr gun greas like #2 if you filled up a gear box.. it would extrude away from the gears onthe first revoloution and leave a cavity after that. the 0, 00 and 000 slump and keep getting pickefd up and distributed... unless a seal is hogged out and has visible space between it and the shaft..it will usually still hold the grease.. even the thin flowable stuff.

Lots of machines use 0/00 great. manu types of lawn and golf course equipmetn use it. I have a drop seeder that has a sealed gearbox that was 'lifetime' grease filled.. not even a provision to add lube ( untill I added a zerk.. )

 

[skylarkguy]

Thixotropic...great word...had to look it up

 

[greg_g]

Not if you use grade 0, 00, or 000. They are thixotropic. Might lube better on worn gears.

Let me clarify then. Grease is a poor substitute for good seals in PTO mower transmissions originally sold with gear oil inside

//greg//

 

[Soundguy]

Let me clarify then. Grease is a poor substitute for good seals in PTO mower transmissions originally sold with gear oil inside

//greg//

i don't think anyone debates that it is better to run oil in a box designed for oil. the grease is a bandaid fix.. and better than no lube.

the proper splint for a broke leg is something medical grade.

a stick and a belt are an AWESOME fix when you don't have the rigth stuff for whatever reason..

 

[sandman2234]

Good response Soundguy,
Just to add to it, during the middle of growing season, when every minute is already taken, tearing down a gearbox and ordering seals, or making a special trip to town to hopefully find them at your dealership can be averted for the rest of the season till a more optimum time to repair. Looking at it from that angle, the flowable grease is a BETTER SUBSTITUTE for the original oil, because when a seal goes bad, keeping oil in it is impossible, which makes the oil worthless.
David from jax

 

[Soundguy]

yep. some people don't look at the short game.. only the long game.

for some of us. short game has to conclude.. get mowed.. etc. and then for the long game. IE.. fix it right before it wears out.

 

[bindian]

My first tractor, a Ford 3055, came with a rusted out 6ft John Deere brush hog. It's gear box would not hold oil. The back side of the gearbox was just a plate held on with a snap ring. I tried to get a rebuild kit for it from John Deere, but was told that gear box was discontinued, along with any kits or parts. Then I was told that JD brush hog was made in France and to buy a replacement gearbox, I needed to buy a whole new hub assy. It was all costing more than then the mower was worth. Then the parts guy told me his bat wing had a leaking gearbox and he always put grease in it. I then put regular wheel bearing grease in it until the day I sold it. But I only had a few acres to mow at a time.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The bottom seal has been gone on my 6' cutter for years and years.... I've been putting half a tube of grease in it (as needed) ever since and it just keeps on keeping on!

It the box would hold gear oil, that's what I'd be putting in it!

SR

 

[mopar440cu]

Great thread! I think i will give it a shot and put "00" grease in my Deere MX-6 bushhog gearbox and see if it will not leak so bad. I picked up more acreage and really need it working. However; not to sure what the word "thixotropic" means? Lol Good Lord, I guess I will have to find the ole dictionary I have on that word, but a Country Boy can survive. LOL