Rotary mower greasing

[RWTschoeke]

newbie here. Coming up to first 8 hrs. of use on my Woods Heritage HC72 rotary cutter and reccommended greasing of every 8 hrs to include tailwheel and PTO shaft universal joints. Is this routine maintenance able to be done with mower attached to tractor or do I need to disconnect PTO/remove shielding to get at universal joints and shaft junction? Was able to find zerk fittings on tailwheel and tailpin. And how about gearbox oil? Looks a little low but have read somewhere not to fill to top.

 

[flusher]

newbie here. Coming up to first 8 hrs. of use on my Woods Heritage HC72 rotary cutter and reccommended greasing of every 8 hrs to include tailwheel and PTO shaft universal joints. Is this routine maintenance able to be done with mower attached to tractor or do I need to disconnect PTO/remove shielding to get at universal joints and shaft junction? Was able to find zerk fittings on tailwheel and tailpin. And how about gearbox oil? Looks a little low but have read somewhere not to fill to top.

Gearbox--generally 80W gear oil. There should be a hole on the top of the case with a pipe threaded plug--that's where you fill. On the side of the case there should be a smaller plug that you remove before starting the fill. Add oil until it starts to drain out of the side hole--then you're gearbox is filled to the correct level. Reinstall both plugs and tighten--but don't overdo it.

The zerks on the pto shaft U-joints should be accessable without removing the safety shield on the pto shaft. Sometimes that shield has holes to access those zerks. And sometimes the zerks are rotated out of position so you need to reposition them or switch to a different type of zerk with another angle.

I use my 6-ft Hawkline brush hog to mow about 6.5 acres. Takes about 3 hours and I do this 4-5 times a year. I lube the mower before each session--grease and oil are cheap--gearboxes aren't.

 

[clemsonfor]

My Gearbox on my cutter says 90wt as most are i thought? Maybe he means 80-90wt, but it really dosent matter i dont think. Flusher listed correct filling procedure. All that the bearings need it to be bathed in oil the oil is carried up as they rotate and the gears sling it around as well. i grease at least every few times i use it. NOw if i use my hog for like 1 hour i wont grease again the next time. If i say run 4 hours one day and 4 the next i will grease after im through. My ujoints i have to pull the cover up on the shaft to grease otherwise its really hard and you waste it as most wont go in cause you dont have a good connection. I have the hole in the cover but it dosent align no matter what and is too small to get the hose in? But like i said my cover slides up or down the shaft if you give a slight jerk.

You cant over grease a rotary cutter excess grease in the tail wheel or the ujoints will just squeeze out. NOw i mean you cant grease it too frequently to hurt anything. If you pump and pump and pump and grease every 2 hours your just wasting grease, you wont HURT anything. But as the grease pushes out it will take any contaminents in that area with it so pusing all the old out before you stop is a good practice.

 

[franklinute]

Just leave the driveshaft hooked to the tractor to grease the joints. On some tractors it may be easier to remove the shaft from the tractor and turn the joints for easier access to the fittings. I also put a little grease on the shaft where one slides into another but I only do this about twice a year.

 

[flyingcow]

Just leave the driveshaft hooked to the tractor to grease the joints. On some tractors it may be easier to remove the shaft from the tractor and turn the joints for easier access to the fittings. I also put a little grease on the shaft where one slides into another but I only do this about twice a year.

+1......

 

[sw03]

I grease my 60" MMM on my BX24 every blade change, about 5 hrs. PTO shaft gets hit about 3 times a year. I installed Amsoil's best gear fluid at 4 hours on the deck...180 later...looks mint. Not gonna change till about 300 hours on deck. Why, it is sealed and way cooler then the org fluid.

YMMV

 

[RWTschoeke]

Thanks for all your input. Got the mower greased this weekend; needed to remove shaft from tractor to access near U joint zerk, but could get at far one through the access panel for shear bolt. I've gotten comfortable in that compartment having changed a few shear bolts in my first few days of mowing.
Another question: how often do you sharpen the mower blades? Still cutting OK but not a very sharp edge like I keep on my smaller lawn mower.

 

[Soundguy]

ditto what flusher said. i've never had to remove a mower to grease and lube it.

ditto on the check plug unless it has a dipstick.

many have a breather cap on the fill plug.. some are open breathers.. some are 'checked' with a bb and spring.

make sure the breathers are open or pressure can build up and blow out seals.

check manual for gear oil type. 80w90 is most common.. for sever duty machines or stuff in hot weather.. I go 85/140

i have seen some ggear and chain boxes that even spec a pourable grease... etc.. those are much less common.

soundguy

 

[clemsonfor]

Thanks for all your input. Got the mower greased this weekend; needed to remove shaft from tractor to access near U joint zerk, but could get at far one through the access panel for shear bolt. I've gotten comfortable in that compartment having changed a few shear bolts in my first few days of mowing.
Another question: how often do you sharpen the mower blades? Still cutting OK but not a very sharp edge like I keep on my smaller lawn mower.

They should be dull so that they shatter small trees and not cut them off like pungy sticks to puncture your tires!