Advice needed...Lots of gear oil leaking from deck

[Jabroni]

I got my deck out today and attempted to take the gear box off the deck for servicing. After removing all of the fasteners, it still won't budge. Does anyone know how to remove the box from the center blade? The only thing I haven't removed yet is the blade nut. While poking around, I notice a small hex head plug on the top surface of the gear box. I attached a picture below:

On the side of the hex, there is a small hole drilled into the flat. I would swear this is where the gear oil was coming from. Is that possible? This hex head something-or-other is physically above the main shaft exit when the deck is stored on its side, yet it was all wet with gear oil. This make me tend to think the oil wasn't leaking from the main seal. Turning this little hex with a wrench doesn't seem to do anything. It just spins in the hole it's in. The mower manual doesn't mention this hex nut at all. What do you think?

 

[rdsaustintx]

The hex head something-or-other is the vent fitting. It might leak if oil is up against it. Check oil level.

I can't think of any reason to remove the gearbox for "maintenance".

 

[Jabroni]

There was no oil level....it was all over the floor of my barn! I wanted to remove the box in case the shaft seal needed replacement. It would be much easier to drop the gear box off at the dealer rather than having to load the entire deck in my SUV. The deck storage wheels are a really nice accessory, but orient the shaft and vent at the lowermost point, and is inviting a major leak. Perhaps it would be best to drain the box each fall before storage so this wouldn't happen again.

 

[Jabroni]

Epilog....

I refilled the gearbox with oil and let it sit for about a week in the normal, mounted orientation. No leak from the shaft or (as expected) the breather. This is good. Also heard from the Mower Deck Axle company, and the news was not good. Apparently, the drain out happens on a random basis, and Larry cannnot determine what causes it except to verify that it comes out the breather nut, and not the shaft seal. So all you owners with the axle stands, be prepared for a possible mess on your floor following a season of storage. Me, in the fall, I'm going to spend about 20 minutes, and remove the gearbox mounts, and spin the box around so the shaft and seal are oriented pointing up to prevent another mess fropm possibly happening.

 

[Toyboy]

If your that concerned about it leaking, wouldn't it be quicker and easier to just drain it before storage. If my deck starts leaking that's what I'll do. Fresh lube in the spring wouldn't hurt either.