Any Befco tillers on here?

[nisaacs]

I just bought a used Befco 11-250-23x tiller. I would like to change oil in the gearboxes but I don't see a drain plug or level plug anywhere...what are they thinking? What do you guys do? I do have a seal seeping on the output shaft of the pto gear box so I can empty the oil when I change it but how much to refill it? I guess on the chain box I need to pull the cover off? Then again, how much to fill it? They both have a fill plug/breather to fill with but no level plug.

I guess I can turn it upside-down, hang it from my loader and drain from the fill/breather plug. So much for USA made....

 

[arto98607]

What does the owners manual say about oil change etc.?


There are many different oil evacuators that would suck the oil out through the fill opening.

Here is one of the better ones from harbor freight:

 

[nisaacs]

What does the owners manual say about oil change etc.?


There are many different oil evacuators that would suck the oil out through the fill opening.

Here is one of the better ones from harbor freight:

I don't have any books. I checked with two places that sell parts but no books. I called the factory and the parts guys said to take the pto box off and drain it then fill to halfway up the pinion. The chain box you have to take the cover off and fill with 2.5# of grease. They did away with gear oil now. I elected to refill with 85/140. Grease is a pain if you have to go back in and work on something. Note the nasty chain case oil. You can bet if a gear box has been stored outside it will look like this every time. The top sprocket is 10t with 13t on the bottom. You can switch them if you want more rotor speed.

 

[crazyal]

If you're going to put anything other than grease on that chain I think I would weld a 3/4" bung onto the cover. That way you'll be able to check the level. If water got into it then I would expect the oil to leak out of it.

 

[nisaacs]

If you're going to put anything other than grease on that chain I think I would weld a 3/4" bung onto the cover. That way you'll be able to check the level. If water got into it then I would expect the oil to leak out of it.

The bung would have been an excellent idea but maybe next time. I have it all buttoned up. I didn't think of that at all, I was just mad because the factory didn't. I still don't know what the normal fill level is so I just added a quart and called it good.

Water can get in a one way seal easy, yet the oil can't get out because that is the seals design. The input shaft seal on the chain case is damp but the output/rotor shaft seal is dry. The two output shafts on the pto gear box are wet but the input/pinion is dry. I will probably need to reseal it some day. It works really well.

Next is the pto gear box. Since I have to remove it to change oil I think I will get the two output seals first and change them while the box is off. I think the main reason they are wet is because both boxes were overfilled with the water in there.

 

[arto98607]

Thanks nisaacs



I have an old 48 inch Maschio tiller with very similar chain drive and keep the oil level fairly low because othervise will leak out from the rotor seal.
Replacing the rotor axle seal looks like lot of work so I have been postponing it for many years...

Maschio does have a drain plug on the bottom.

I believe it's enough oil if the chain touches it on the bottom - at least that's how I have been running mine for over 20 years!

Little more oil level would not hurt for sure but...

 

[crazyal]

If you do replace the seal they make a stainless steel thin sleeve that will side over the shaft. I do believe it's called a speedi-sleeve. I would put them on the shafts at the same time.

 

[nisaacs]

If you do replace the seal they make a stainless steel thin sleeve that will side over the shaft. I do believe it's called a speedi-sleeve. I would put them on the shafts at the same time.

Yes, speedi -sleeve, good call. I hope this wont need them, it appears to have had very little use, just neglected and sat around outside. I am hoping it is just old/deteriorated seals.

Thanks arto, I will keep an eye out for leaks. I would guess that one quart will cover the bottom sprocket and the rotor shaft so that might be too much.

 

[arto98607]

The bung would have been an excellent idea but maybe next time. I have it all buttoned up. I didn't think of that at all, I was just mad because the factory didn't. I still don't know what the normal fill level is so I just added a quart and called it good................zip...............

I pulled out the owners manual for my Maschio A-120 (48") rototiller which has the same type chain drive and it's specs say: fill with .75 liters (~ 25 - 26 fl oz) of 460 gear oil!

I've always used 80W-90 which is thinner.

 

[nisaacs]

I pulled out the owners manual for my Maschio A-120 (48") rototiller which has the same type chain drive and it's specs say: fill with .75 liters (~ 25 - 26 fl oz) of 460 gear oil!

I've always used 80W-90 which is thinner.

Thanks arto, I may have to drain a little out. I filled with 32oz of 85/140 and I am getting a small seep at the breather. Or, maybe slow the rpm down a little. I have been running it above the 2600/540, more like 2900 All the seals that were wet are now dry and dusty, so maybe they will seal by just using the machine.