What is corn head grease and what can I use it for ?

pokerboy57 · Jul 19, 2014

I bought a case of JD Corn head grease after a suggestion from someone on here to use in the gearbox of my rotary mower. The sel leaks and I just don't want to fix it. I put the grease in the gearbox every now and then, the mower seems to work fine. If it last a few more years I'll sell it and it can become someone else's problem.

My question is can I use corn head grease for my JD3320 tractor lubrication ?

Soundguy · Jul 19, 2014

corn head grease is a poly urea based NLGI 0EP grease.

commonly used in corn headers and similar boxes. It is a semi-pourable grease suitable for some gear boxes as it will slump to prevent cavitation voids like a #2 grease might cause.

Some mowers spec a 0 or 00 grease.. but most spec oil. follow your specs.

I would not reccomend it as gun grease for grease fittings.

stick to a quality #2 for that.

RDrancher · Jul 19, 2014

I use it in my brush hog gear box, but that's it. I used it in my CTL's final drive (with a leaky seal) in place of gear oil to buy some time before replacing the final. I've also heard of guys using it in old tractor, car and truck steering boxes with leaky seals. If you've seen the video on it you'll notice that it turns fluid under heat and stays fairly firm close by which controls leaks.

MHarryE · Jul 20, 2014

John Deere started using it when the developed their corn head gearbox row units back in the 70's because they couldn't get oil to stay in the front seals (the corn stalks press the row units apart putting a lot of stress on the front bearing/seal area. Gleaner went through the same thing when they developed their gearbox corn head in the 1980's and ended up with the same solution. That particular grease works but I one disadvantage is that you can't drain the oil and with it wear particles. That's not a problem if it doesn't wear out. That grease is super for the job it foes but it is not for heavily loaded slow rotation joints like loader pivots, etc.

Soundguy · Jul 22, 2014

hard to drain? Not really. just have to use solvent.

Texasmark · Jul 26, 2014

Back when I had old mowers, I used to use Lubriplate 105 which is an engine rebuilding initial lube available at most auto parts stores. May carry a NLGI 0 rating. It's half way between 140 and NLGI #2. Never heard of Corn Head and wouldn't know where to get it if I did.

I currently use it in my '63 Ford 2000s steering gear box as it leaks out 90 wt and I don't feel like ripping it all apart and changing the seals.

Mark

RDrancher · Jul 26, 2014

Texasmark said:
Back when I had old mowers, I used to use Lubriplate 105 which is an engine rebuilding initial lube available at most auto parts stores. May carry a NLGI 0 rating. It's half way between 140 and NLGI #2. Never heard of Corn Head and wouldn't know where to get it if I did.

I currently use it in my '63 Ford 2000s steering gear box as it leaks out 90 wt and I don't feel like ripping it all apart and changing the seals.

Mark

John Deere dealers usually stock it. I picked up a case at Ag Power.

jeclose · Jun 23, 2017

Soundguy:

You seem to know your grease

So this follow-on question: Can I safely substitute SAE 80W 90 GL5 Pennzoil "Gear Plus" gear oil for the gear-driven wheel drive of my self-propelled JD mower? It's an old SP-21 - at least 40 years old. The product is marketed as a multipurpose gear oil. I use it in my snowblower gear box - which performs basically the same function - transferring power from the engine to the auger, so is there any reason why I can't use this in the JD mower for a gear box with a similar purpose? Right now, the gear box has non-flowable grease in it; this gear oil is a thick, flowable liquid unlike what is in the gear box now.

Soundguy · Jun 23, 2017

If the box was designed for 0/00 grease, that's what id use. Plenty of lawn equipment lower units use 0/00 grease.

Its possible the grease in there now separated and a liquid component leaked.

If possible I'd clean out and replace with good 0/00 grease. Otherwise, you might tho the mix by adding some gear oil. Add too much and expect leakage though.

jeclose · Jun 23, 2017

Not sure what this mower calls for; it was my father's, and is at least 40 years old. Trying to get it running again, but don't have owner's manual with specs for gear case. John Deere dealer here recommended corn head grease, which led me to look it up and eventually led here. My one concern is that the liquid gear oil may leak out of the gear case, where a solid grease won't.