Grease vs Gear Oil

[Rockin' G Ranch]

My Agric tiller gear box leaks so bad that I can't keep it full for long jobs. I don't want to tear it apart to change all of the gaskets and oil seal. What do ya'll think about just filling the gear box with grease?

 

[Mighty Dodge]

Grease being thick wont flow to the bearings or other internal parts, gears, chain, etc. It's best to fix replace the seals, gaskets etc. That way you can also check the other internal parts to make sure the parts are in good order and show no unusual wear.

M.D.

 

[ampsucker]

yeah, i would skip on the grease. too thick.

if you just want to get through the season, i would get something like STP motor honey or equivalent. it is thick as molasses but still flows and flows better when hot. it will still lube but won't leak as bad.

work it through the summer, then rip it apart and fix the seals this winter when you have some down time and want to work next to the wood stove in the shop....

amp

 

[Kays Supply]

Lucas additive straight, is what they put in leaky 4x4 front ends and tillers etc. It is a patch like mentioned above.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My Agric tiller gear box leaks so bad that I can't keep it full for long jobs. I don't want to tear it apart to change all of the gaskets and oil seal. What do ya'll think about just filling the gear box with grease?

NLGI#2 has worked well for me for many years in a bushog in heavy use that shakes it a bit. NLGI1 would probably be fluid enuf for a tiller to shake it into the bearings. Maybe mix in a little gearoil occasionaly
larry

 

[Bird]

I, too, would be reluctant to use grease instead of gear oil, but I had a neighbor who said he filled his with grease when the gear oil leaked out and that he'd been using it that way for 10 years.

 

[Jimbrown]

How about some of the grease they put in the bottom end of outboard motors. Ought to work just fine.

 

[Bird]

How about some of the grease they put in the bottom end of outboard motors. Ought to work just fine.

Jim, I've changed the oil in the lower unit of Evinrude, Johnson, and Mercury outboard engines and none used a thicker oil than the 80W-90 gear lube. In fact, I think they were all considerably thinner.

 

[madpogue]

What do folks think of that Farm Oyl brand "Fluid Gear Grease" for gearboxes and the like? Comes in a bottle like 90w, but it's thicker, more like grease. Seems to be a good compromise combination, flowing like 90w-ish oil, but thick enough not to leak past housing gaskets and shaft seals. We bought a used 5' KK rotary cutter last year, and the gearbox content looked something like Kahlua (obviously mixed with water). Replaced it with that Farm Oyl stuff, and have run it for 50 hours, so far so good.

 

[Glowplug]

There is a such thing as NLGI #00 grease. It's sort of a semi-liquid state, like a slime. It will flow like an oil but is much more viscous. It's basically what they put in the Rhino mower gearboxes. Works really well for leaky gearboxes. I know that Texas Refinery Corp. makes some that looks to be a superior product. It is called Millenium 2200. I actually had thought about getting some and replacing all my gear oil with it.

 

[Rara Avis]

My Agric tiller gear box leaks so bad that I can't keep it full for long jobs. I don't want to tear it apart to change all of the gaskets and oil seal. What do ya'll think about just filling the gear box with grease?

I don't think it'll work...Oil in the soil is not the best way to till...Fix it or buy another gearbox...

 

[snoboy]

Well who'd of thought...

AMSOIL Semi-Fluid 00 Synthetic EP Grease is recommended in the following agricultural applications:

Rotary mower gear boxes

AMSOIL - Semi-Fluid 00 Synthetic EP Grease (GSF)


I'm sure most all lube mfgs. have the same thing.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

There is a such thing as NLGI #00 grease. It's sort of a semi-liquid state, like a slime. It will flow like an oil but is much more viscous. It's basically what they put in the Rhino mower gearboxes. Works really well for leaky gearboxes. I know that Texas Refinery Corp. makes some that looks to be a superior product. It is called Millenium 2200. I actually had thought about getting some and replacing all my gear oil with it.

I talked to Patty at Texas Refinery Corp and she recommended using the 880 Crown and Chassis Grease (NGLI #00). They only sell to end users so the product must be ordered directly from them. A 5 gallon pail cost $100 plus shipping.
After learning that I oversee offshore drilling rigs she offered to send me a free quart to try out. I will keep the group informed of the results.

 

[Soundguy]

My Agric tiller gear box leaks so bad that I can't keep it full for long jobs. I don't want to tear it apart to change all of the gaskets and oil seal. What do ya'll think about just filling the gear box with grease?

Use a 0 or 00 grease.. like JD cornhead grease ( made for corn head gear boxes )..

I guess mighty dodge and amp sucker have never seen a flowable grease.

soundguy

 

[snoboy]

Just curious here, is this semi fluid grease better than using gear oil? What's the benefit? No leaks? cooler operation? I'm interested. I aint gonna by 5 gallons but I'm interested.

 

[Soundguy]

Some applications spec a nlgi 00 grease. JD makes their own brand of 'cornhead grease' for instance.

I have a large rotary mower that states you can use 85/140 or 200/300w or 00# grease in it.

Flowable grease generally doesn't leak out of a weapy/leaky seal like a gear oil would.

Regular grease will form a cavity around a moving part.. and unless it melts or is vibrated enough to slump and be picked back up.. it can starve the gear of lube running in that hollow cavity. 00 grease will slump and slowly flow and thus fill voids and be picked back up by gears and bearings... etc.

For a system needing gear oil.. go with oil... Grease in an oil system is a bandaid. ( depending ont he application.. it works not very well, or pretty good.. all things considered ).

Soundguy

 

[Glowplug]

I talked to Patty at Texas Refinery Corp and she recommended using the 880 Crown and Chassis Grease (NGLI #00). They only sell to end users so the product must be ordered directly from them. A 5 gallon pail cost $100 plus shipping.
After learning that I oversee offshore drilling rigs she offered to send me a free quart to try out. I will keep the group informed of the results.

That looks to be an excellent option as well. I didn't know that the 880 C&C Grease was available as NGLI #00. Usually TRC lubricants have to be ordered through distributors. Actually one of the members here, DieselPower, is a distributor. I have been meaning to get some grease from him for a long time now. Actually I was going to buy Moly 880 C&C grease as a general purpose grease including for my loader and get the Millenium 2200 to fill my gearboxes with. The Millenium 2200 has a Timken OK load rating of 65! Now I'm no lubricant expert but that just seems crazy insane for a flowable grease!!

 

[born2ride]

I, too, would be reluctant to use grease instead of gear oil, but I had a neighbor who said he filled his with grease when the gear oil leaked out and that he'd been using it that way for 10 years.

i have a friend that goes that with all his stuff... seems to work for him .. i would not recommend it

 

[SPYDERLK]

i have a friend that goes that with all his stuff... seems to work for him .. i would not recommend it

It seems that it works long term on farm machinery for everybody that does it. Nobody recommends it tho.
larry

 

[RichNJKubota]

I have a gearbox that still leaks after a new seal and careful inspection. I think the shaft is a little wiggly. Not really reparable. I'd need a new gearbox. So I put a few shots of grease in with the gear oil. That did the trick. Not a single drop since.