Mowing Mower gear lube

[vettman]

It's time to change the lube in the mower gear box on my ZD 326. Manual calls for 90-wt. oil. I'm having trouble finding any single wt. gear oil, so was wondering if it would be okay to use 80-90w oil. Anyone care to share an opinion?

Thanks

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I'm no Lubrication Engineer like many on TBN but I believe you'll be fine with the 80/90. I used 80-140 on my F3080 deck,
I believe the gears are bathed in oil and I believe the important factor is the gears stay lubricated and don't run dry and I believe about any lubricant will work as long as it is keeping the gears lubricated.
I hope my beliefs are right and that my equipment will continue to operate for many more years with the lubrication that I have been using and plan to continue using.
Now you and I will hear from the Lubrication Engineers as to the error or correctness of my beliefs.

 

[fredhargis]

It's very hard to find single weight gear oils any more (at least at the places I frequent)....on my MMM the manual also called for 90 weight, I went with 80-90 gear oil. As I recall, the front axle also was spec'd for 90 weight and I used 80-90 there as well. Did your gear box have the drain plug cleverly position right over the drive belt? I had to remove my belt just to avoid getting it soaked with the oil I was draining :confused2:.

 

[vettman]

Yep, the drain plug is directly above the belt. How much would it have cost to put a short right-angle adapter at the drain to direct the used oil to an area where it could be collected without a mess. Think I might just buy some of those oil soaking pads, and let it drain on the pad.

Based on feedback from you pros, I will drain and refill with Valvoline 80-90W.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I sort of curved a piece of thin coated paper (cereal box or anything like it) and pushed it up under the edge of the drain and then let it drain on to paper towels with a dip pushed down in the middle and kept replacing them as they got saturated. I kept the top bolt on to keep it from draining to fast and then as it slowed, I removed the top bolt. If I did this often I'd find a little short piece of pipe threaded to the size of the bolt and install it to drain past the belts.

 

[vettman]

I was thinking about bending/flaring a short piece of brake line, assuming I could find a flare nut fitting that would screw into the drain. In fact, there might even be a metric bleed screw that would fit, then you could just attach a short piece of tubing and direct the flow to where you could catch it, just like bleeding your brakes.

 

[fredhargis]

I thought about that, but I'm willing to bet that finding something in metric to fit the drain hole is going to be tough. If you know different, or figure something out I'd like to know how so I can do it....what a pain taking that belt off.

 

[Soundguy]

napa sells 90.. but IMHO.. i'd use 80w90 or 85/140 in super hot areas.

soundguy

 

[sw03]

I just use Amsoil's best gear fluid and change every 300 to 500 hours. I know my 60" MMM is about 12 degrees cooler on my IR meter (on gear case)

 

[Soundguy]

napa has a valvoline 75w90 that should work as well..

soundguy