Rotary Cutter - Gear Box Lubrication?

[davefr]

I have a 60" General brand brush cutter that I bought second hand. I can't find an owners manual for it. The oil looks milky from condensation which I understand is common. What lubricant would be best to use. I've read 85-90, 140 or corn grease. Is there a consensus on what would be best? TIA

 

[cbg8670]

Iv ran 85-90 in all mine. Never had prolem

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

My grandaddy ran burnt motor oil in his for fifty years or so. Still works fine. I hope the motor oil wasn't bad for it...ha ha.

 

[bodin1968]

John Deere GL-5 75/90 Synthetic Gear Lube TY26375​

in my MX6

 

[Sawyer Rob]

ANY brand of 85-90 or 140 will work just fine, it doesn't need to be any spl. brand.

SR

 

[RalphVa]

I extracted the oil from my Frontier RC2048 last year. It did have some water in the bottom. Put JD GL5 75-90 as noted above.

 

[Xfaxman]

I have a 60" General brand brush cutter that I bought second hand. I can't find an owners manual for it. The oil looks milky from condensation which I understand is common. What lubricant would be best to use. I've read 85-90, 140 or corn grease. Is there a consensus on what would be best? TIA

I vote for corn head grease for a used machine.

 

[kirkawilson]

I use this because my RC gearbox seal leaks badly.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/super-s-cotton-picker-spindle-grease-00

 

[deserteagle71]

I have a General also, and if yours is an SE-5 model then it was made by Rhino. Here is the owner's manual for that model, and a screen shot of the recommended lube for the gearbox.

SE5 05-05 Book.book | Manualzz

manualzz.com

 

[Xfaxman]

I have a General also, and if yours is an SE-5 model then it was made by Rhino. Here is the owner's manual for that model, and a screen shot of the recommended lube for the gearbox.

View attachment 753344

More info about NLGI grease grades: Determine Grease Consistency | Nye Lubricants

NLGI Grades 000-0​

Greases that fall under these grades are categorized into the fluid to semi-fluid range and tend to be less viscous than others. These grades of grease can be beneficial in enclosed and centralized applications, where grease migration is not an issue. For example, a gear box requires a grease within this NLGI range to continuously replenish the lubricant into the contact zone.

NLGI Grades 1-3​

A grease with an NLGI grade of 1 has a consistency like tomato paste, where a grease with an NLGI grade of 3 has a consistency more like butter. The most commonly used greases, such as those used in automotive bearings, would use a lubricant that is NLGI grade 2, which has the stiffness of peanut butter. Grades within this range can operate in a higher temperature range and at higher speeds than NLGI grades 000-0. Greases for bearings are typically NLGI grade 1,2, or 3.