gear oil vs. grease?

[Eliot]

I have a Howse bush hog now leaking at the gear box, any truth to replacing the gear oil with grease? thnx

 

[jlsmith]

Its better to replace the seal and go back with gear oil but you can use grease if you wanted too.

 

[drizler]

DON"T DO IT. Nothing much to doing new gskets. High speed gerboxes need the right stuff in there, GL5. Keep filling it nd let it leek if you must just don't try to use grese or you could lose the whole gerbox. Sorry bout the busted key..............

 

[WH401]

Is the gear box over full? A lot of times that can cause a leak past the seal. If it's something that just started lately while it was sitting stationary then it would obviously need a new seal. Either way, if the manual calls for gear oil than only use that and nothing else. Some bush hogs require grease, some gear oil, use what ever is recommended.

 

[JTKub]

Like drizler says, a grease filled gearbox is fine for a slow moving application like a lawn tractor transaxle, but something high speed would live a shorter life on grease.

Joel

 

[drizler]

Do check the level as being overfull or even occasionally under use it will blow or drip out the top vent. All of em as far as I have seen will fill up to the hole in the side and when it runs out it's full, thats all and its full. It should be about half way upthe side of the housing. Instead of GL5 I use marine outdrive synthetic in mine. No real difference outwardly just better and more resistant to moisture breakdown problems and here in NY we need all the help we can get. You really don't want to blow that gear box. You can't really get parts for them or it's not worth it price wise and they are expensive. Take care of it or you will cry.

 

[CCOUGHRAN1]

I just got off the phone with Howse asking about this same question. I have a new 75 hp gearbox they sent me, and I wanted to see what oil or grease to use if it should happen to be a little low....

Bradley @ Howse told me they fill the gear box with "00 grease" He said if I had trouble locating the 00, then they recommend topping off with Shell 85w140 oil.

I mentioned that my original gear box was leaking a little past the seals. He indicated that with some heat build up, the seals might leak. I read between the lines, and gathered they are cheap seals from the gear box mfg. and that if I don't want to see any oil or grease leaking, I might want to replace with better seals.

 

[Soundguy]

there are breather caps on some gearboxes.. and if they get plugged.. it will allow pressure to build and make the seals weep.

the manual for my howse 10' mower calls for gear oil or nlgi oo# grease. ( JD cornhead grease is 3$ a tube and is 00# )

I run a mix of gear oil ( 85-140 and 00# grease in my mower gearboxes. have for years. ).

In a gearbox with leaks.. it's quite common to run grease. just remember to use oo# so it slumps back and covers the gears.. not #2 or #4 as it will make a cavity and not slump as easy..

soundguy

 

[brucew44guns]

There's good answers here, 00 grease is a semi-fluid, oily sloppy grease that does slump back as the gears turn. Shouldn't be any extra wear using it in there. It would be my opinion that the gear box on a mower is a "slow" turning box, not "high speed". 85-140 in any brand is good when you have a leak, or straight 140.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. if jd cornhead grease wasn't good.. what do you think those corn headers would be doing

soundguy