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How do you lube a mower's axle drive?

#1

B

Bill Crowell

Hi; it's me again, still asking questions about my Toro 22" walk-behind mower.

My front drive axle gears lasted 7 years before they wore out. I've ordered a replacement transmission assembly, which is fairly expensive IMHO. I tried to lube the old axle gears with wheel bearing grease, but it doesn't seem to have remained on the gears.

How are you supposed to lube such an axle drive properly?

As always, thanks for all the help.

Bill


#2

reynoldston

reynoldston

Bill Crowell said:
Hi; it's me again, still asking questions about my Toro 22" walk-behind mower.

(My front drive axle gears lasted 7 years before they wore out. I've ordered a replacement transmission assembly, which is fairly expensive IMHO. I tried to lube the old axle gears with wheel bearing grease, but it doesn't seem to have remained on the gears.)

First of all I am just guessing on this. I am thinking that the gears are external and in the environment. If this is the case the gears are designed to run dry. Any lubrication on them will draw dirt and make then wear faster, unless you use a dry lube maybe.
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#3

B

Bill Crowell

No, the gears are enclosed in a small alloy case with a sheet metal cover.


#4

reynoldston

reynoldston

You will need open gear lubrication. It is sold in different containers included aerosol cans. At one time I was worked on manufacture product lines and used it there. Large gears we bought by the 25 gal. barrel and small gears such as yours we bought it in aerosol cans. I really don't know where you would buy it? You might try Granger or Mcmaster Carr. Also as I said before a clean environment or best to run dry.


#5

reynoldston

reynoldston

As I was thinking about it. You could use chain lube if you can't find open gear lube which is a lot easier to find. I buy that at NAPA in aerosol cans.


#6

P

possum

If you are talking about the open or semi open wheel gears then the advice above will do. If you are talking about the enclosed gear box then it is not. Most of the rinky dinky gear boxes on self propelled mowers lately have some cheap grease in them and are supposed to be lubed for life. A short life. The grease ends up as a clump at worst and in a blob with no grease touching the gears at best. For the most part the tranny is running with no lube at all on the gears most of its life. Try the same grease being used in snowblower gearboxes these days, the cheap ones. That is 00 grease. It goes under names like Shell alvania epr00, Stens 00. Snapper 00. Mtd sells it in several ounce tubes for about 15 bucks and so do the others. This stuff does not create a void around the gears, or fall off or dry up or burn up. I have a hard time finding it without ordering it online. Most techs just say to use greasegun grease, the box is lubed for life, or some other tale. Some guys use white lithium grease in those small tubes and have good luck, it is easier to find.


#7

reynoldston

reynoldston

If it is a enclosed gear case you could also use Lubriplate 105. This is the grease they install in real old outboard boat motors gear cases before they came out with the modern oil seals. It is thin enough to flow and thick enough to not leak.


#8

B

Bill Crowell

Thanks for all the advice.

OK, so here's my plan for lubing the new axle drive assembly: every time I sharpen the blade, I'm going to remove the cover from the axle gear housing, clean the gears and bearings thoroughly with solvent, let them dry, and then use 00 oil or Lubriplate 105 on them. I think it was the worn bearing on the pinion gear (input shaft) that caused the gears to wear, so I am going to be especially careful to clean and lube that bearing.

Incidentally, I'm wondering if chainsaw bar oil might also be a good lube for these gears. It's specially formulated to prevent being thrown off, isn't it?


#9

reynoldston

reynoldston

Bill Crowell said:
Thanks for all the advice.

OK, so here's my plan for lubing the new axle drive assembly: every time I sharpen the blade, I'm going to remove the cover from the axle gear housing, clean the gears and bearings thoroughly with solvent, let them dry, and then use 00 oil or Lubriplate 105 on them. I think it was the worn bearing on the pinion gear (input shaft) that caused the gears to wear, so I am going to be especially careful to clean and lube that bearing.

Incidentally, I'm wondering if chainsaw bar oil might also be a good lube for these gears. It's specially formulated to prevent being thrown off, isn't it?
Click to expand...

I just don't understand what you have. Do you have a gear case that holds lubrication with seals or a dry case with no oil in it? I don't know what the 00 is, but if it is the dry type no oil in it lubriplate 105 or bar oil wouldn't work it would be too light and will make a big mess. You need something that sticks like open gear oil or a chain/cable lube. Then your cleaning idea would work very well.


#10

P

possum

I do not think I understand either. I looked up the various Toro drive boxes and even looked at my old one. They all have one thing in common. a sealed box with the gears enclosed inside shaped so that the cover holds the lube and the wheel shaped gear as it runs picks up the lube from the pool in the box and lubes itself and the gear that fits into it as well. According to the sheet it says on rebuild to fill the box with a few ounces of lube , coat the gears with lube as well, close the box and go mow.


#11

reynoldston

reynoldston

possum said:
I do not think I understand either. I looked up the various Toro drive boxes and even looked at my old one. They all have one thing in common. a sealed box with the gears enclosed inside shaped so that the cover holds the lube and the wheel shaped gear as it runs picks up the lube from the pool in the box and lubes itself and the gear that fits into it as well. According to the sheet it says on rebuild to fill the box with a few ounces of lube , coat the gears with lube as well, close the box and go mow.
Click to expand...

If this is the case why in the world would would you want to take the gear cases apart, clean, install new lubrication every blade sharping? It just seem like over kill with a lot of problims. Do what possum said close the gear box and go mow.


#12

B

Bill Crowell

Reynoldston wrote: "If this is the case why in the world would would you want to take the gear cases apart, clean, install new lubrication every blade sharping? It just seem like over kill with a lot of problims. Do what possum said close the gear box and go mow."

possum wrote: "a sealed box with the gears enclosed inside shaped so that the cover holds the lube and the wheel shaped gear as it runs picks up the lube from the pool in the box and lubes itself and the gear that fits into it as well. According to the sheet it says on rebuild to fill the box with a few ounces of lube , coat the gears with lube as well, close the box and go mow."

I don't think that either of you read the earlier posts carefully.

I don't see what's so mysterious about a Toro front axle drive assembly. It's just a couple of steel bevel gears enclosed in an alloy case with a removable sheet metal cover. The question is how to make sure that the gears have constant lubrication. I never said I was going to take the gear case apart to lube it. As I stated earlier, the housing it has a sheet metal cover that is easily removed.

The reason I want to lube it periodically, as I also stated above, is because the gears don't last very long if you don't lube them, and they are expensive.

If you lube the gears the way possum says to, they throw off all the lube, run dry and wear out fast. Nor did he say what kind of lube the "sheet" he is referring to said to use. Hence the questions. I don't want to pay almost $100 again for a front axle drive if I can avoid it.


#13

reynoldston

reynoldston

As I said in the very first post I am just guessing. One place I sees dry gears in a sheet metal cover and then a sealed gear case? Two different systems with different lubrication needs. I will still say open gear lube or chain/cable lube. You want something to stick to the gears and not leak oil out of a sheet metal cover and make a big mess like oil or a light weight grease would do. I thought I have also said that in a earlier post. I though I have both systems covered. Other then that maybe send a picture of what you have.


#14

P

possum

Me thinks you are right. I gave poor directions and am overwhelmed by the complicated Toro axel drive assembly. If I were you I would try your local Toro dealer for assistance with this lubrication problem and see just what the factory suggest to solve the dry gears and how to increase the life of the Toro axel drive assembly.


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