How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172?

   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #1  
2

2dawoodz

Bronze Member
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Sep 14, 2009
Messages
70
I changed the 80w90 gear oil in a friend's Bush Hog rotary cutter (SQ172) last year in May and has approximately 12 hours on it. Manual gives no schedule on changing the oil just refill to bring level to check plug hole. How often should this gear oil be changed?
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #2  
My LP BH says the same thing. Just refill, nothing about changing the oil.
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #3  
I plan to change the gearbox lube in my BH286 every time the bottom seal gets taken out by a stray piece of barbed wire.
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #4  
How often have you changed the oil in the differential on your vehicles? I only change gear oil when repairs are made. Never done as preventative maintenance but it won't hurt anything but your wallet to do it.
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #5  
I change mine every few years, maybe 4-5 or so, unless it gets contaminated with anything, especially water (looks like hot chocolate or a milkshake).
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Fallon said:
I change mine every few years, maybe 4-5 or so, unless it gets contaminated with anything, especially water (looks like hot chocolate or a milkshake).
Click to expand...

That is what the original gear oil looked like when I drained it last year. I think I will go ahead and change it again since the last change may also still contain some contaminants. After that I will go to every other year. Thanks for everyone's feedback!
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #7  
I changed mine over to a full synthetic after the first year of use..

Now I pull the top off the gear box and look at it before every use - but i only change it when it starts to look milky (from water contamination, due to condensation im guessing)

b
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #8  
If you're worried about a lot of contaminants, you can always give it a wash and rinse with fuel oil, then put good oil back. I believe many oil changes are based more on ritual and marketing than lubricant performance. Unless it gets dirty, your average joe just doesn't put the time and heat in to break modern lubricants down. Now if its a "daily driver" someone's making their money on, then changes are cheap insurance... if not I'd just watch the level and make sure its clean. Change it when it worries you.
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #9  
I used my oil extractor to suck the oil out. Need to do it right after it's been used a little bit, to get the oil warmed up. Otherwise, the extractor won't work.

Ralph
 
   / How often to change gearoil in BH rotary cutter SQ172? #10  
I have a few things I could use

A transfer pump a turkey baster.
 
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