Posthole Digger Post Hole Digger (SpeeCo) lost all the oil!

Mapenninger · Oct 18, 2017

I attached my phd to my tractor this evening and loaded it on my trailer. When I set the auger point down to begin strapping the tractor down, I noticed oil draining out the bottom of the auger. Appears that all of the oil from the gear box exited the auger where the screw point joins the auger. What could have caused this? I'm brand new to this site. Thanks for any feedback you can give.

Phillip w · Oct 19, 2017

My best guess is a seal. There should be a shaft coming out of the bottom of the gear box that the augur bit bolts on to. Where that shaft is exiting the gear box, there should be a round seal. Sound like that is your culprit. It should be noticeable if you take your bit off. The good news is the seal probably cost 10-15 dollars. The bad new is it is probably a pain in the neck to replace that seal. Hope this helps and welcome to the site.

MESSMAKER · Oct 19, 2017

Might try Corn Head grease. Long history of use in rotary cutters when the seal goes out. It only thins out when heated a little. Does not leak out.

Phillip w · Oct 19, 2017

MESSMAKER said:
Might try Corn Head grease. Long history of use in rotary cutters when the seal goes out. It only thins out when heated a little. Does not leak out.

Yeah I agree. I did that in an old mf ground powered rake that the seal went bad in. It worked great. I totally let that old trick slip my mind.

JRobyn · Oct 19, 2017

True "corn head grease" is a John Deere "part", only available at a John Deere dealer. But your local Tractor Supply will sell you a nearly equivalent grease upon request.

Fallon · Oct 19, 2017

I put some pourable grease into the gearbox on my flail mower rather than replace the gearbox seals. I'm sure it doesn't lube as well, but not that bad. I'm also sure even with inferior lube that the gearbox will outlast the rest of the flail.

As long as the bearings in the gearbox aren't shot (leading to busted seals), grease is the easy option. Replacing seals is the more right option, but not the only one. I'd replace seals on nicer newer gear & wuss out with grease on older or cheaper gear.

MESSMAKER · Oct 22, 2017

I am yet to hear the reason why gearboxes don't come with Corn head grease in them from the start. It seems like a better product to me.

countrybumpkin · Oct 22, 2017

JRobyn said:
True "corn head grease" is a John Deere "part", only available at a John Deere dealer. But your local Tractor Supply will sell you a nearly equivalent grease upon request.

Cotton picker spindle grease.

pmsmechanic · Oct 22, 2017

countrybumpkin said:
Cotton picker spindle grease.

Center pivot gearbox grease. I buy it in 20Liter pails. $100 CAD.

Fallon · Oct 23, 2017

MESSMAKER said:
I am yet to hear the reason why gearboxes don't come with Corn head grease in them from the start. It seems like a better product to me.

Low viscosity oil robs less HP as things spin & lubricated slightly better. Probably not enough better to make a noticable long-term difference to durability, but it's there. It's also easier to drain & replace when needed. Heavier contaminants (metal) will mostly eventually settle out of oil, but are much more likely to stay entrained in grease.

So generally oil > grease, except for the whole staying put with poor seals aspect. With all that being said, grease isn't that bad in older equipment. New seals for my flail mower would have been $70... I paid $100 for the whole mower. Happily went with grease & expect the gearbox to still work when the rest of the mower falls apart.