Rear Finish Mower mower gearbox oil looks watery

[Rocketcaver]

I took a peek at the oil in the gearbox of my Bush Hog RDTH 60 finishing mower, and the oil is kind of milky looking and on the thin side.
Is this normal?
I got the mower used, it seems in great shape.

Later...

Oh, never mind. I found a thread on this that I had missed before.
Looks like I need to change the oil.

 

[jimbo64]

I took a peek at the oil in the gearbox of my Bush Hog RDTH 60 finishing mower, and the oil is kind of milky looking and on the thin side.
Is this normal?
I got the mower used, it seems in great shape.

Later...

Oh, never mind. I found a thread on this that I had missed before.
Looks like I need to change the oil.

water usually is what makes oil milky-not sure of what the source would be on a bushog gearbox

 

[leonz]

High humidity and a hot gearbox which will attract moisture.

 

[Rocketcaver]

Haven't found a drain plug yet.
Maybe it's time to dig out the old turkey baster.

 

[teg]

Same problem with mine. I'm not sure if I wrote it up??? There is a lower level that needs to be drained. I did not do that with a 4' Woods mower and the oil looked as bad as before within an hour. So make sure you drain that lower half. Also, make a gasket for it....

 

[Soundguy]

dump in a pint of 90% rubbing alcohol and 8oz of tranny fluid.. mix well then vacume it out with a bulb or syphon pump.. refill with good oil and go. ( atf is full of detergents, alcohol is a polar solvent.. water is polar.. thus the alcohol disolves the water and lets it be carried in soloution with the oil, vs suspension where it can fall / settle out of the emulsion..)

soundguy

 

[Rocketcaver]

Good ideas all.
Those pics are great. I discovered that there is a lower level but couldn't figure out how to drain it, so the new oil mixed with the oil in the bottom and looks just as crappy.
I didn't see the vents that the second photo shows, I'll have to do it over and look for them this time. If I can get the lower section drained I'll try the alcohol and trans fluid to clean it out. I have a can of methanol, I assume that will work instead of rubbing.

 

[teg]

I didn't see the vents that the second photo shows...

look at the last photo for the location... or this one

 

[leonz]

I would do a little more digging around the base
of the mounting flange as I think there is a
pipe plug with an allen wrench fitting plug
in the neck to drain the lower level my brothers
hog has one from what I remember.

Other than the above you may end up spending a
short of time under the mower with a flashlight
and a scraper and a tiny flat screw driver to find
the drain plug as it may have a hole in the mowers
metal deck plating near the shaft.

 

[Soundguy]

uh.. the methanol will work.. but is sure hard on (some) rubber.

plus rubbing alcohol is like 79 cents at .. well.. anywhere..


soundguy