triktor4411
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- Jun 15, 2018
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Hi,
I have this worldlawn 28" belt drive 3-speed walk behind mower. 2006/2007 model. Only a homeowner used it on his lawn, then he bought a bigger house needing lawn service and I bought this from him a couple years ago.
I don't think he ever changed the transmission break-in oil (after first 80 hours, then every 300 hours). It might not even have had 80 hours on it.
The transmission works perfectly but I want to change the lube, especially if it's never been changed after broken in.
Manual has conflicting info.
First says 'drain and refill the transmission yearly, use one pint SAE30'
Later in the same manual it says
TRANSMISSION
Service Interval
The first service time: 80 hours
The next service time: every 300 hours
"Put 0.25L #18 hyperbolic gear oil into the transmission"
After some investigating and contacting worldlawn, #18 hyperbolic gear oil is just regular gear oil like 75w90 or 80w90. If you google #18 hyperbolic, there's no info on it, but WL contacted their factory and confirmed it's just chinese wording for 75w90 or 80w90.
I also put a dipstick in the fill port and it seems to be oil (not grease or thick bentonite) although there's a little bit (very little bit) of thicker globs mixed in almost like grease but I'm guessing the thicker globs are still just oil which has thickened from use (it's mostly oil though with very minimal 'globs').
Anyway, just wanted to note that it more than likely is gear oil used and not thicker grease or bentonite. Another clue is that this trans has black plastic/rubbery seals where the axles exit, and gearboxes which use thicker grease/bentonite usually just have press fitted metal seals because that lube is thicker and won't leak as easily hence they use cheaper seals.
Anyway before I go way off topic, just wanted to note that it more than likely IS gear oil and not something else (confusion stemming from #18 hyperbolic gear oil originally).
So anyway, as mentioned, the manual says use 16oz/pint SAE30 but then it says use 8oz 75w90. That's half the amount but 75w90 is probably thicker than SAE30 but still..
This info is from an older manual I saved from worldlawn's site a year ago and it has since been deleted and they now just have one manual which covers all the older models from around 2006-2011.
The newer models from around 2011-present use grease in the transmissions. But the new manuals still say to use 80w90. The parts diagram sketch looks like a similar transmission as mine but the WL rep told me it's supposed to use grease and that the manual needs to be corrected (still hasn't been updated for a few weeks BTW, still says use 80w90 in the newer models).
So, that 5 mins of reading above aside now, World lawn told me to put 8oz of 75w90 or 80w90 in the gear box but I think it might be a typo from the past being passed on. It seems to me that it should need more than 8oz. And as mentioned, the older manual also said use 16oz SAE30.
For scale, the size of this gear box is about the size of two 12oz soda cans laid side by side. The fill cap is about the diameter of a US nickle. Doesn't it seem like I should add more than just 8oz? I bought full synthetic 75w-90 BTW but not sure how much to change it with.
There's no leaks and it works perfect, and if I put a dipstick in, it has to go down about one third of the way down the fill port (or about 2 inches) before the dipstick touches oil. So it isn't filled to the max (would limit expansion and I don't think max fill would be correct) but it definitely seems like more than 8oz. I can also just see how much drains out and use that measurement and add about .5oz to account for any oil still left in the gearbox after draining.
So in simple, in general, for a gearbox like this how high up should I fill the oil? Keep it the same level it is (about two thirds filled up)? Fill it almost to the top and leave about 3/4" of air for expansion? There's no vent port/cap BTW.
I tried finding videos etc but most gear boxes use bentonite thick grease or searches just show car transmissions or hydrostatic mower fills.
Much thanks in advance.
p.s should I also add an oil additive to make it even better, if so what?
I have this worldlawn 28" belt drive 3-speed walk behind mower. 2006/2007 model. Only a homeowner used it on his lawn, then he bought a bigger house needing lawn service and I bought this from him a couple years ago.
I don't think he ever changed the transmission break-in oil (after first 80 hours, then every 300 hours). It might not even have had 80 hours on it.
The transmission works perfectly but I want to change the lube, especially if it's never been changed after broken in.
Manual has conflicting info.
First says 'drain and refill the transmission yearly, use one pint SAE30'
Later in the same manual it says
TRANSMISSION
Service Interval
The first service time: 80 hours
The next service time: every 300 hours
"Put 0.25L #18 hyperbolic gear oil into the transmission"
After some investigating and contacting worldlawn, #18 hyperbolic gear oil is just regular gear oil like 75w90 or 80w90. If you google #18 hyperbolic, there's no info on it, but WL contacted their factory and confirmed it's just chinese wording for 75w90 or 80w90.
I also put a dipstick in the fill port and it seems to be oil (not grease or thick bentonite) although there's a little bit (very little bit) of thicker globs mixed in almost like grease but I'm guessing the thicker globs are still just oil which has thickened from use (it's mostly oil though with very minimal 'globs').
Anyway, just wanted to note that it more than likely is gear oil used and not thicker grease or bentonite. Another clue is that this trans has black plastic/rubbery seals where the axles exit, and gearboxes which use thicker grease/bentonite usually just have press fitted metal seals because that lube is thicker and won't leak as easily hence they use cheaper seals.
Anyway before I go way off topic, just wanted to note that it more than likely IS gear oil and not something else (confusion stemming from #18 hyperbolic gear oil originally).
So anyway, as mentioned, the manual says use 16oz/pint SAE30 but then it says use 8oz 75w90. That's half the amount but 75w90 is probably thicker than SAE30 but still..
This info is from an older manual I saved from worldlawn's site a year ago and it has since been deleted and they now just have one manual which covers all the older models from around 2006-2011.
The newer models from around 2011-present use grease in the transmissions. But the new manuals still say to use 80w90. The parts diagram sketch looks like a similar transmission as mine but the WL rep told me it's supposed to use grease and that the manual needs to be corrected (still hasn't been updated for a few weeks BTW, still says use 80w90 in the newer models).
So, that 5 mins of reading above aside now, World lawn told me to put 8oz of 75w90 or 80w90 in the gear box but I think it might be a typo from the past being passed on. It seems to me that it should need more than 8oz. And as mentioned, the older manual also said use 16oz SAE30.
For scale, the size of this gear box is about the size of two 12oz soda cans laid side by side. The fill cap is about the diameter of a US nickle. Doesn't it seem like I should add more than just 8oz? I bought full synthetic 75w-90 BTW but not sure how much to change it with.
There's no leaks and it works perfect, and if I put a dipstick in, it has to go down about one third of the way down the fill port (or about 2 inches) before the dipstick touches oil. So it isn't filled to the max (would limit expansion and I don't think max fill would be correct) but it definitely seems like more than 8oz. I can also just see how much drains out and use that measurement and add about .5oz to account for any oil still left in the gearbox after draining.
So in simple, in general, for a gearbox like this how high up should I fill the oil? Keep it the same level it is (about two thirds filled up)? Fill it almost to the top and leave about 3/4" of air for expansion? There's no vent port/cap BTW.
I tried finding videos etc but most gear boxes use bentonite thick grease or searches just show car transmissions or hydrostatic mower fills.
Much thanks in advance.
p.s should I also add an oil additive to make it even better, if so what?