3-Point Hitch Gearbox heat

[ah64_ip29]

I'm still a tractor newbie. We cut with our Land Pride 72" mower deck for the first time this weekend. How hot should the gearboxes get?
The mowing deck gear box was hot after mowing, but touchable, though I wouldn't want to leave my hand there too long. The tractor PTO housing was hotter, really too hot to touch for any length of time at all. I wouldn't think this would be normal.
Kubota L5030HSTC
Any thoughts? Thanks for the help, as always,

 

[Wolfy]

For that size tractor, a 72" mower sounds undersized. The gearbox will get warm normally, but an overload of power could overheat it. Be sure to check the oil level often, anyways.

 

[leonz]

I'm still a tractor newbie. We cut with our Land Pride 72" mower deck for the first time this weekend. How hot should the gearboxes get?
The mowing deck gear box was hot after mowing, but touchable, though I wouldn't want to leave my hand there too long. The tractor PTO housing was hotter, really too hot to touch for any length of time at all. I wouldn't think this would be normal.
Kubota L5030HSTC
Any thoughts? Thanks for the help, as always,

If you can still touch the gear box you are OK the thing to remember is to leave the tractor in low gear and the 540 R.P.M., engine speed for the mower to avoid overloading the gearbox and belts as the belts are your first line of defense.

Please remember to grease the spindles and use only enough grease to push out the old grease-5-7 pumps per spindle each day of mowing and use one or two pumps only for the P.T.O., shaft spiders/crosses.


Just be sure to keep the gearbox free of clippings as they will hold in the heat created by the gear box delivering rotary energy to the belts and spindles.

 

[Toolguy]

If you can touch it without burning your hand then it really isn't "Hot". Engine oil can easily exceed 200 degrees and still do it's job. Gearbox oil is a lot thicker and should be able to take even more heat without breaking down. I don't think you have any thing to worry about. As long as you keep the gearbox oil levels up to spec everything will be fine. Good luck.

 

[kuboman]

I'm still a tractor newbie. We cut with our Land Pride 72" mower deck for the first time this weekend. How hot should the gearboxes get?
The mowing deck gear box was hot after mowing, but touchable, though I wouldn't want to leave my hand there too long. The tractor PTO housing was hotter, really too hot to touch for any length of time at all. I wouldn't think this would be normal.
Kubota L5030HSTC
Any thoughts? Thanks for the help, as always,

Gear box heat is a direct relation between speed and torque. The more torque the more heat and the same with speed. It is quite normal for a gear case to run too hot to touch. Generally anything over 140* is too hot to touch and that is not going to damage the gear box. Yours sounds normal. As long as it has enough oil it will be just fine.:thumbsup:

 

[ah64_ip29]

"the thing to remember is to leave the tractor in low gear and the 540 R.P.M., engine speed for the mower to avoid overloading the gearbox and belts as the belts are your first line of defense."

I was in M range on the HST. Should I stay in L while mowing?
I wasn't too surprised by the mower deck gearbox, it was the PTO crankcase heat that was surprisingly hot. I will measure it next time to see how hot it is getting.

 

[LD1]

You can mow however fast you want and still get a good cut. It shouldnt make much difference to the gearbox.

And it sounds normal to me. Like others said, "hot to touch" really isnt THAT hot.

And someone mentioned engine oil reaching 200+....

....actually, engine oil is designed to reach 220-230 as its normal operating temp. This is to bring it above the boiling point of water/condensation so it can boil it off and be sucked up by the PCV

 

[TripleR]

"the thing to remember is to leave the tractor in low gear and the 540 R.P.M., engine speed for the mower to avoid overloading the gearbox and belts as the belts are your first line of defense."

I was in M range on the HST. Should I stay in L while mowing?
I wasn't too surprised by the mower deck gearbox, it was the PTO crankcase heat that was surprisingly hot. I will measure it next time to see how hot it is getting.

I usually mow in M on my L5030 HSTC unless I am on a pretty hilly section.

 

[Soundguy]

ditto on the above, and remember to keep the oil to the correct level .. and if there is a vented plug.. keep it clean or the seals can push out..

soundguy

 

[OrangeRidge]

Botton temp is trans after 2 hours cutting ( upper is sun shining on
the built in probe )

 

[ah64_ip29]

Thanks guys, I haven't had a chance to cut again yet, but I'll let you know what I find. I assume the gearbox probably takes 90W oil. I've noticed they are selling 140W oil now at the auto parts places.

 

[easygo]

Yes. The gear box takes 90w oil. The gear box on my 6' mowing deck also gets rather warm to the touch and a bush hog that I use occasionally does the same. You are all set.

 

[Soundguy]

down here in florida, I tend to put 85-140 in my mower gearboxes.. or even fill with 90w and use 85/140 ( same brand ) as top off oil..

soundguy