2360 Snowblower gearbox lubrication

[dnw64]

On my 2300's front mount snowblower there is a gearbox to slow the pto speed for the horizontal auger. There is what appears to be a grease/Zerk fitting in the top, but it is unusable - looks like it's been ground down a bit. However, when I removed it, it doesn't really look like grease in there - it's nowhere near full, and it looks more the consistency of gear oil (all I can see is the top of the worm gear).

Additionally, there are two small allen screws/plugs - one about halfway down and one on the bottom. This suggests to me that they might be drain and overflow plugs for liquid gear oil.

And one related item. On the actual horizontal auger shaft there is one Zerk fitting on one side, and a hole where it looks like there may have been one on the other side. When I pumped up the Zerk, grease came out the other hole. So I'm not sure if there was and/or should be a Zerk over there or if it's really not necessary. It seems to me like with the amount of exposure that gets it would be best if it were sealed.

For the first time ever, I may actually be ready for winter when it arrives.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

I assume what you are seeing on top of the gear box is a breather vent, not a grease fitting. Also makes sense with the drain/fill ports.

Visit AGCOpartsbook.com. You can view as a guest and can get exploded views of the entire assembly.

 

[dnw64]

 

[dnw64]

You are correct. Shows it's a 5PSI Breather Vent.

Now I just need to figure out what kind of grease/oil it takes.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Now I just need to figure out what kind of grease/oil it takes.

I assume its gear oil....helpful I know...probably same stuff as in the mower deck gear box. Assuming I don't find any contrary information, I'm going to use Amsoil Severe Gear 75-90W...because I have some extra laying around.

 

[irvingj]

Probably courting disaster, dnw64, but I've never opened that up to check gear oil... but I don't seem to have any leakage, either. All I do is remove the rear chain cover, spray some Hondalube on it every so often and grease a fitting in there, and then remove the quick-hitch sub assembly and flip it on its side so I can get at those grease fittings on the pillow-block bearings.

On the auger shaft, yes, there should be a grease fitting at the mid-point of each side. I also have the same piece (correct, it's a vent) on the top of my gearbox.

Interesting that all other blowers I've seen are red; mine's black.

 

[dnw64]

Any idea what thread size the horizontal auger shaft zerk is?

 

[irvingj]

Don't know the size, but Ive used fittings from an auto parts store assortment pack that seemed to work OK. (Left over from YEARS ago when I still had my '72 Blazer...) I've also swapped some of the straight ones for angled fittings to make it easier to get at them (esp. on BH), so my guess is that std. US fittings were used.

 

[Toyboy]

I assume its gear oil....helpful I know...probably same stuff as in the mower deck gear box. Assuming I don't find any contrary information, I'm going to use Amsoil Severe Gear 75-90W...because I have some extra laying around.

Any good gear lube will work. Remove the two allen screws on the side to drain it. Replace the bottom screw, remove the vent and use that hole to refill the oil until it starts coming out the top side screw. Button it up and your good to go..
I drain and refill mine every couple years and use marine lower unit lube.
Brush the snow off the vent every time you use the blower to make sure no melting snow finds it's way into the gear box.

 

[dnw64]

...so my guess is that std. US fittings were used.

Yeah, the problem is that McMaster has at least half a dozen sizes of "US standard" threads...

Guess I will take out the one that's there and assess it.

BTW, my limited observation is that this tractor has metric design, which makes sense being from Canada (I believe?).