Grading Steering Box Lubrication/Maintenance

Tom_Veatch · Oct 3, 2006

What lubricant should be used in the steering box on these tractors (YM2220D with a little over 600 hrs on the tach)? Nothing in the operator's manual about maintenance schedule, lubricant, or capacity of the box. So if you have any ideas, opinions, or even facts, I'd like to hear them.

Some past threads talk about 90wt gear oil, but a screwdriver dipstick brings back stuff that's a lot thicker than 90wt oil, It actually looks a lot like the "cup grease" I packed in my bicycle coaster brake, lo, so many years ago.

Difficult, if not downright impossible to get to the filler plug without significant disassembly, so, while I've got the tank out and have good access, I'd like to take care of any recommended maintenance on the box. I'm tempted to plumb a line (1/8" black pipe?) in to the filler hole if adding lubricant needs to be done more often than about once every 10 or 15 years.

With that in mind, does anybody know the thread size on the filler plug. It looks about like 1/8" NPT but ...

Gizmo36 · Oct 3, 2006

That is the first thing I do to one. Take the tank out and put 90wt in it.

Tom_Veatch · Oct 3, 2006

"Take the tank out and put 90wt in it."

Well, Gizmo, if it should be filled with 90wt, then I probably ought to pull the box, disassemble it, clean out the grease or crud or whatever, and refill with clean 90wt????

What do you think about the idea of plumbing a "remote fill" tube?

Gizmo36 · Oct 3, 2006

Eventually all of the gear oil will have leaked out or turned to a toothpaste like goo. Yanmar Tractor Steering Shaft Fix

Gizmo36 · Oct 4, 2006

What do you think about the idea of plumbing a "remote fill" tube?
I did not see this , I think I will look next time mine is low and see if I can.If it will work sounds good.

spyder2 · Oct 4, 2006

Tom_Veatch said:
What do you think about the idea of plumbing a "remote fill" tube?

Although it will probably make your life easier to add oil you need to ask yourself how often you will be required to add oil. A couple of years from now you will need to clean it out again before adding new oil. To some extent it also depends on what environment you use and store your tractor in. To my thinking a filler tube is another potential point for dirt/water to enter. Just my 2 cents.

Tom_Veatch · Oct 4, 2006

spyder2 said:
... A couple of years from now you will need to clean it out again before adding new oil.
...

I expect you're right. Now, if there were a drain plug, it might be different. As it is, without a "drain and change", the only time oil needs to be added on a regular basis is if there's a leak. Since that requires pulling the box for repair anyway, it doesn't look like a remote fill tube offers any real advantage.

normde2001 · Oct 4, 2006

I haven't tried it, but you may be able to remove the adjusting bolt and squirt 90/140wt in with a "Plews" squirt can, (available at Sears).

Tom_Veatch · Oct 4, 2006

normde2001 said:
I haven't tried it, but you may be able to remove the adjusting bolt and squirt 90/140wt in with a "Plews" squirt can, (available at Sears).

Well, there's sure got to be a better, easier way to service that box than the amount of disassembly now necessary to get to it. Pull the steering wheel, power-shift lever and panel. Disconnect about a zillion electrical connectors and the ignition switch, tach cable, and decompression cable. Remove the rear shroud and fuel tank. Now I can finally see the steering box... (and understand why design engineers are frequently the target of vile curses).

I'm planning on pulling the box today, cleaning it out and refilling it. While I've got it out and open, I'll take a look at whether an in place removal of the adjusting screw can be done without danger of messing something up. That at least might offer the ability to drain the oil before it turns to gunk. Another option might be to drill and tap a port in the bottom of the box. Then, with a remote fill tube, the oil could easily be changed, oh, say annually.

I'm assuming that everyone agrees the proper lubricant is 90wt gear oil rather than some kind of heavier grease.