INPUT PLEASE: brush-hog gearbox question

[TSO]

Hi folks, looking for some quick help.

I recently picked up an old pull behind brushog and I've been "restoring" it (new tires, bolts, belts, hydraulics, PTO shaft, paint, etc...) to either use or sell.

Finally finished it today and hooked everything up for the first test run. The gearbox had been empty, as it was sitting for quite a while, so I filled it up with gear oil.

Turned her on and started cutting, and she cuts like a beast. Very nice, operates perfectly. However, she immediately started leaking gear oil like a flood ... from somewhere on the bottom of the gearbox. I'm assuming a seal is bad at the bottom shaft where the bottom pulley is.

Now, I wanted to see how she would do, so I mowed with her for about 30 mins, and everything was fine.

So here's the dilemma: obviously I need to take everything apart to find out where the leak is, and/or if the gearbox will be salvageable or will need to be replaced. But, I need to use it for most of the day on Sunday, & I won't have time to fiddle with it for at least a few weeks.

The gearbox lost all the oil during use, probably within the first few minutes.

QUESTIONS:
1) can I use it all day on Sunday without oil in the gearbox?

2) If I do, what is the worst case scenario for the gearbox, and what is the best case scenario?

3) since the oil is so thin that it leaks out immediately, can I fill the gearbox with a heavy grease that will stay in longer?

...........

I'll try to post pics if my phone will let me, but here's the info on the brush hog:

Ford 8ft twin blade cutter, hydraulic lift, cuts just fine behind my Massey 1648 (48 HP... actually, the tractor didn't seem to know it was there).

...........

 

[nybirdman]

Fill with heavy grease.They say "corn head"grease if you can find it.I filled my old BH with automotive grease and it works fine and runs cool.

 

[TSO]

Fill with heavy grease.They say "corn head"grease if you can find it.I filled my old BH with automotive grease and it works fine and runs cool.

If that gets hot, will it thin out and leak as well?

 

[Capricious]

Lots of threads about corn head grease in cutter gear boxes. here's one:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ush.html?highlight=corn+head+grease++gear+box

 

[TSO]

Just checked at my local farm supply store, they did not have corn head oil, but they had mystic # 2 ... will that work?

 

[Capricious]

Just checked at my local farm supply store, they did not have corn head oil, but they had mystic # 2 ... will that work?

Another thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/213399-0-00-grease-sources.html

 

[TSO]

 

[TSO]

Another thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/213399-0-00-grease-sources.html

Read that, thx ... ok so that guy was looking for # 0 or # 00 grease to replace corn head oil. There was mention that he mixed # 2 grease with 85 weight gear oil when in a pinch. So, does that mean that # 2 grease will be too thick? Or, can I still use it?

 

[tow653]

Try a dealer that sells and services harvesting equipment,ie combines.

 

[5030]

Read that, thx ... ok so that guy was looking for # 0 or # 00 grease to replace corn head oil. There was mention that he mixed # 2 grease with 85 weight gear oil when in a pinch. So, does that mean that # 2 grease will be too thick? Or, can I still use it?

Reason I mentioned corn head grease is, if the shafts have a ridge worn in them from a failed seal, there is really only 2 cures, grease or building up the worn part and returning the shafts and/or a wear collar/seal set and Corn head grease is a whole bunch cheaper. In fact, you can just use a premium syntheric grease with a high melting/pout point. Just make sure the box is full. I did that with my bandsaw in the shop. The seals gave out so I drained what was left of the 90 weight, drilled a small relief hole in the casting at the highest point, drilled and tapped a threaded hole for a zerk at the lowest point and pumped in grease, in my case Mobil synthetic (orange) grease.

Corn heaf grease is a bit thinner (and cheaper) but any will do so long as it's not a clay based grease because that will harden eventually.

It weeped a bit around the seal but it's been goling strong for about 6 years now and I use it quite ofteh.

 

[dusty3030]

You're over thinking it.
Fill it full of a decent grease and rock on.

 

[Xfaxman]

Just checked at my local farm supply store, they did not have corn head oil, but they had mystic # 2 ... will that work?

No, it needs to be 0 or 00.

#2 is not thixotropic, like corn head grease, it will just move away from the gear teeth.

 

[5030]

No, it needs to be 0 or 00.

#2 is not thixotropic, like corn head grease, it will just move away from the gear teeth.

That word is too big for this foeum. Just fill it and remove all the trapper air doing it how I stated above. Any grease will actually do. It can't 'move away' from the bevel gears because it has no air space to move into.

You run it on Sunday with no oil, Monday, you'll be buying a new gearbox 'cause it will sieze up.

 

[Capricious]

I have seen one comment that someone has used Libriplate #105 grease in a cutter gearbox. This is a thin white grease that comes in a squeeze tube (not a grease gun tube) and is sold as an engine rebuilder's grease and also as an outboard motor lower unit (non-shift) grease. I have used a lot of it in outboard motors but not in a cutter.

 

[5030]

Don'r overthink it. It ain't rocket science.

 

[Capricious]

More "grease in gearbox," for your weekend reading pleasure:


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/271324-grease-rotary-cutter-gear-box.html

 

[5030]

More "grease in gearbox," for your weekend reading pleasure:


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/271324-grease-rotary-cutter-gear-box.html

That word came up in that thread too. Sounds like an STD to me.

 

[Capricious]

Turns out the #105 is NLGI #0

https://www.lubriplate.com/PDFs/PDS/3_30-No-105_and_C-105.aspx


I have had my hands full of #105, and i have had my hands full of wheel bearing grease, and the #105 is MUCH thinner than the wheel bearing grease. The #105 comes in a plastic squeeze tube and is very easy to squeeze out of the tube. Wheel bearing grease would be much harder to sqeeze out.

The #105 does not "wash out" of outboard motor lower unit, I know that for a fact. But i would think a cutter gearbox would run a lot hotter- maybe that might make a difference.

 

[Xfaxman]

That word came up in that thread too. Sounds like an STD to me.

Thixotropic, the property exhibited by certain gels of becoming fluid when stirred or shaken and returning to the semisolid state upon standing.

"this grease is oil puffed up into a thixotropic grease which when comes in contact with moving parts like gears and bearings, it turns into the gear oil of specified viscocity. The rest of the grease forms a mould in the gearcase preventing the liquified oil from leaking past the shaft seals."

 

[Gator6x4]

To answer your question. No you cannot use the cutter all day without oil or grease in the gear box. You will probably make it an hour at the most with the cutter. Of course that leave the rest of the time to drink beer an contemplate the expensive gear box you just destroyed by running it without oil in it.