tip snowblower on side to drain gearbox?

[escavader]

The only was i could see to drain the gear oil out of my PRONOVOST PUMA gearbox was to hoist it up on its side[one plug is all i saw].Kind of stupid design ,seems it ought to have one on the bottom for draining.
Almost ripped a gut flipping it up:ashamed:,its awkward and heavy to do.Had a perfectly good chainfall 6 feet away,guess ill go that route next time:laughing:
Has anyone else run into this issue with their brand?
After two winters use oil still seemed clean,just doing preventitive maint. on it.Old man winter will come knocking on our door soon.
ALAN

 

[PILOON]

Actually a suction pump would have been the way to go.

On the other hand why drain? just heep it topped up to specs.

I say this because in all probability you have over 100,000 miles on your car differential and probably transmission as well while your blower worked for maybe 25 storms/year for a couple of years or so.
How often did you change your car fluids? Other than engine oil.
Your blower box in all probability hasen't come close to doing equivilant to 5000 miles, at best.
Most blower boxes use same lubricants as do a differential.

Just a thought.

 

[escavader]

Actually a suction pump would have been the way to go.

On the other hand why drain? just heep it topped up to specs.

I say this because in all probability you have over 100,000 miles on your car differential and probably transmission as well while your blower worked for maybe 25 storms/year for a couple of years or so.
How often did you change your car fluids? Other than engine oil.
Your blower box in all probability hasen't come close to doing equivilant to 5000 miles, at best.
Most blower boxes use same lubricants as do a differential.

Just a thought.

GOOD MORNING PILOON
Good thoughts,i thought of them as well

.As far as the suction pump,i do have one,but was afraid of any filings that might be left behind in the bottom.
Yes i tend to overkill things on maintanance,but since reading all the boxs on the METEORS blowing up in the last year,i figured id better change it,and i switched it out for mobile synthetic gear oil.
Im glad i did it now actually,i soon realized i missed alot of missing paint on the bottom of the unit,when i touched up all the paint,
ALAN

 

[jonsstihl]

thats what I did to my puma-64

I just have to ask why not. it takes half a pint of oil, to me that is cheap peace of mind.

mine had a lot of fillings in it the first year and not so much the second year.

I actually store mine on its side so it takes up less space.

 

[TGF]

I siphoned my RC gearbox out, will probably do the same with my SB in the spring.