How and When to Change Your Bush Hog Gear Box Oil

[@HeyGunPeople]

*GOOD TIP HERE* - I make a New contact on my phone for all my machines. I have my truck, my M/C, golf cart, tractor, generator, etc. Then in the notes section I put Vin number, lic plate, model, oil, filter ID, and TIRE PRESSURE.. if I do maintenance I put what I did when. That way I always have my phone, I back up phone and if I am at a store and need something, I open up phone and have air filter size, oil wt, ect... it works good Since I usually fill up more tires at one time, I have a separate contact name Tire Pressure, I have all tires pressure on all vehicles, I hate trying to find and read tire PSI on bikes, lawn mowers, golf carts etc... comes in handy. Good vids, thanks for putting them out.

[@TractorMike]

NICE!!! I may steal that one :).

[@upstategearheads]

Only thing I would add to it Mike is that I would run the brush hog for a few minutes prior to changing the oil. If it's been sitting for a while the water will settle to the bottom and that will be the most difficult part to change, and the warmer oil will have a thinner viscosity making it easier to suck out

[@MrDdaland]

FYI, in case some of you are wondering about the "Death to Locust" - Missouri is home to several species of thorny trees (not unusual to see 5-6" long spikes" that are rather troublesome, as they will rapidly spread out new seedlings in a pasture Playa hell with tires .....

[@jeffstrains4014]

@@MrDdaland We have those here in middle Tn as well always go after then when I see one sprouting up somewhere

[@hightail5313]

I noticed your bush hog is a few inches wider than your tractor's width. After taking out too many fence posts and scarring too many trees I found a mower that stays inside my tractors footprint. Thanks for the oil change tip Mike!

[@AppalachiaDreamin]

You always want a brush hog wider than your tractor footprint! That save you from running twice in the same line when mowing large fields.

[@charlesrose7212]

Get down! We even got some “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”! You’re awesome, Tractor Mike! 😀

[@TheJeepinDad]

Precisely what I needed and when I needed it. Gold! Thank you!

[@jimmccullough1051]

Great tip on marking with a paint pen. I have done that on mower decks with the blade bolt size, and any other tools needed. Nothing worse than lifting mower deck, supporting, and crawling under to find out you brought the socket for the other mower deck, because, of course, they couldn't all be the same size.

[@boydmasonlake1995]

Good stuff! Please give us reminder of your road trip

[@heavymetalrockman]

Nice how-to vid Mike. Only suggestion I could add is to wrap that oil level plug with some teflon tape to prevent leakage and to make it easier to remove for the next time.

[@martykoch7179]

I change mine after using it for a while. I also change it after the last mow of the season so as not to leave contaminated oil in the case and potentially rust the gears.

[@rgrubbs]

Very helpful and right on time!

[@m9ovich785]

Pick Me up one Your way out West... Central Wisconsin, Just North of You... Once I Retire, That will be My 1st trip, Back to the Pacific North West. Live there 1967/68 Tacoma. 1 year off Base, 1 Year on Base. McCord AFB. as an 7/ 8 Year old Kid I just loved the woods. Camping with My Father on Vancouver Island, Waking up to a Bear looking in the side window of our 66 Ford Fairlane Station Wagon. ...

[@TractorMike]

Those kind of memories are the best! Thank you for your service to our country.

[@leovogelgesang4398]

I am a grease guy.. After changing gear oil for a few years straight, I filled my gear box with grease. I add a half a tube every spring and no problems whatsoever.

[@Cynical1800]

What kinda grease?

[@RurallyRetreated]

Although we are a little long in the teeth, we are new to tractors and implements. Your content is invaluable to us. We thank you for sharing your years of experience and wealth of knowledge!

[@richardlarock382]

I just. Rolled my mower over with the loader and a chain, I think I got most of the watery oil out

[@StephenBauerHomestead]

I am not sure of why I never heard of changing oil in the bush hog. I have had mine for 17 years and it runs perfectly. I just keep it topped off. Thanks for the video!

[@matthewjenne3555]

Great video. Thanks Mike

[@andya1787]

As always, Mike, thanks for your excellent and helpful videos. BTW- good to see you write with the proper hand...;-)

[@stevewarner8880]

Mike, as I have commented before. I have that same cutter. I do one thing differently. I remove the 4 small bolts out that hold the top cover on the gearbox. Actually I remove 3 and back one off and swing the cover out of the way. This allows for a better inspection of the gearbox internals and easier manipulation of the suction gun. When we had seals leaking on gearboxes at the state Highway dept we would take the top covers off and squeeze gun grease tubes into them. We could finish the road and change the seal when we got back to the shop

[@keithnavarro2930]

If you take the cover off the gearbox, you have better access and you can inspect gears. Just the way I do it.

[@JaredCarter84]

I guess I may have missed it but about how often how many hours should they be changed? Ballpark.

[@TractorMike]

If the oil isn't milky like mine, just leave it in. Those gear teeth require such little lubrication that the only time you need to change it is if there's contamination. My manual makes no mention of ever having to change the oil. I should have said that in the video.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Another way that those gear boxes get moisture inside is when people store them outside for winter and cover them with a plastic bag or plastic bucket. The sun heats the covered parts more than the outside air. When it cools after sunset, moisture condenses inside them.

[@robertguidry4577]

In 2009 I bought a County Line rototiller. They were really a King Kutter because I got a King Kutter manual with it. After I used it a couple of times and date it was time to check the oil in the gear case that's when I found out that it had grease and not oil in it. Brought it to the attention of the people at Tractor Supply and they said that that is a common practice to put grease instead of oil to prevent leaks. Been using it now for 13 years and haven't had any problems. Oh and Mike stick to making videos and not sing.

[@rickywilson6214]

I turn it up side down leave over night with mind yes lot of work

[@foxtailfarm_nc7151]

One thing to be sure to do is clean off and then blow through that vented top plug to be sure the vent hole isn't pluged. If it is pluged, inside pressure will build up as the gearbox warms up. The pressure can force the oil out last the seals. Ask me how I know.

[@EngineersHomestead]

My Mahindra bush hog is made my Kodiak and calls for John Deere Corn Header grease (the flowable grease you mentioned).

[@je1279]

Milky oil is always bad. I've also found even dealers sometimes overfill gear cases instead of correctly filling them to the level of the fill plug on the side. Death to locust indeed!

[@chevyon37s]

You can put “corn head” grease in gear boxes. It has a very very low melting point and it liquifies during operation. But at room temp is a grease like consistency. Was told by a Deere dealer that it was perfectly fine to use in rotary cutter gear boxes. But really those bevel gears inside and the bearings don’t need a crazy special lubricant. Just something and enough of it.

[@DLTJR1959]

Yes sir. I had a Brown 6' brush hog that called for corn head grease as the lubricant. My 10' Titan calls for 140 gear oil or EP-0 which is corn head grease.

[@LedgemereHeritageFarm]

I put that in the gearboxes of my old sickle bar mowers as well. No more weeping

[@jerrygilliam7349]

Thanks for the tips and reminder Mike. I bought a new flail mower in 2019. I've checked the oil level before each season's first use. But, I think I'm due for an oil change.

[@rickbucy7988]

We can do without the singing.....

[@rickywilson6214]

I don't like grease in gear box only oil

[@derricksmiley5632]

money must be long ...

[@BarryHull]

Please don't suggest we shop at walmart. Support your local businesses.

[@patrickcorbett8361]

Mike I gotta ask ya.....Did you ever watch the movie 'City Slickers ? You sing "Tumbleweed" like Jack Palance did in that movie !!..I'm telling you , if you haven't seen it ,take the time and you'll hear 'Your ' song ! Lol Good demo on brush hog...thanks pc

[@TractorMike]

I saw it but I don't remember that part, I'll put that on the list to go back and watch sometime. I play in a little band and we've been learning that song and it was the first thing that came to mind.

[@tfisadog5260]

Do you need to change at regular intervals or only if looks bad. Thanks for the video. Keep with the videos I don't think singing will put food on the table.

[@TractorMike]

Only change if contaminated. Those gear teeth don't require much lubrication. After your comment about my singing, I'm abandoning my plans to try out for America's Got Talent. I thought I had a real chance at stardom with my freakish good looks and my voice :).

[@steveoulman634]

Glad that you are coming to the Pacific NW!

[@Rless45]

Hi Mike. I’ve got a 10ft brush hog with 3 gear boxes. The main GB is turned by the PTO and it turns 2 smaller GB’s which turn the rotary blades. The main GB is like yours which has a side plug to gauge the amount of gear oil put in but the smaller GB’s do not. How do you gauge the amount to put in???

[@TractorMike]

Pull out the top plug and see if there's a dipstick on it. That would be my guess.

[@jeffhollingshead8299]

I just bought a Titan and it calls for liquid grease

[@thomasmccrea8149]

Mike , Lucas recommends 50-100% of their thick oil stabilizer in gearbox’s. I have an old post hole digger that I filled with Lucas when I bought it because I forgot to buy gear oil and that’s what I had on hand . It has worked fine ever since. What are your thoughts on the Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer in gear boxes ?

[@srsparkyj]

Please remove the fill plug before removing the drain plug, just in case you can't get the fill plug out. Also I don't believe grease will dissipate heat as well as oil. Best,

[@jakeschisler7525]

On my hour meters i take a picture with my phone so i know when I changed oil. My rotary cutter said to put one quart in, so opened both plugs and started putting some in, it didn't take much but it started running out brand new. This is a brand new cutter which I checked twice. I even looked down inside and it was pure 80/90 weight.

[@michaelstuckey7730]

I've got a 5' Bush hog squealer that has had grease in the gearbox for 20 years. about every 10 hours we put 25-30 shots in it and it just keeps on running.

[@johnporschart3681]

John deere makes a grease called CORN HEAD for GEAR BOXES.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great video, Mike! I need to do this.

[@NickJames-f2q]

It's a lot easier to suck that oil out of there if you will go to the parts store and buy you a little cheap transfer pump

[@renohuskerdu4592]

Always crack bolts and nuts loose first with the box wrench, then switch to open end. Run it for a while to mix any sediment and water in with the oil before changing. What's the "Death to Locusts" about? A curious sentiment indeed. Must be a story. Love that white pen idea!

[@TractorMike]

We have Thorny Locust trees here and my Bush Hog's main job is to eliminate them. I thought it was an appropriate thing to write there since I hate them so much :).

[@renohuskerdu4592]

@@TractorMike Ah hah ! We have thorny Mesquite trees around here. I understand. But we can't kill Mesquites by shredding. You have to grub out the roots with a skiddy or backhoe. Else they just come back stronger...

[@threepointservices-tractor4832]

It takes a special kind of person to find the good, in the absence of an oil drain plug.

[@MattN03]

Great video Mike! I like to check that my fill plug will come loose before i drain the oil, just in case there is an issue with the fill plug stripping.

[@skylarsulka6296]

Just for Ease of use I would change the 5/16 Allen screw to a ball valve to change oil

[@garyalford9394]

I have one of those 5 ft. cheap choppers that has the same gear oil in it for over 30 yrs and has always sit outside.

[@markmonse5285]

I need to do this on mine. Where do you find the suction device?

[@TractorMike]

Mark, we've had that one for decades, my dad probably got it somewhere and I inherited it. There's a similar one that got good reviews on my Amazon Affiliate page here: www.amazon.com/shop/tractormike/list/1QDZ7XPK57E49

[@markmonse5285]

@@TractorMike Found one and it came in today. Paint pens too. Thanks..

[@raywhite1442]

We're eat up with hemlock and hedgeapple

[@jamesyates5191]

Thanks Mike for your advice. I’m about to pull the cord on a rotary cutter (Dirt Dog). BTW when your in Chehalis Washington remember the ‘a’ is a long ‘a’. I lived in Washington for 24 years. Don’t worry too much though, Washington is filled with unpronounceable locations. Have fun there.

[@TractorMike]

I knew I was going to butcher that. It's shuh·hay·luhs, right? I think I was saying chuh-hal-uhs, which wasn't even close. Should have called someone and asked. We have a few of those here in Missouri, generally French names that have been "hillbillied". Helps to tell who is from around here and who is not :).

[@ohiofarmer254]

JD corn head grease works great in leaky gearboxes

[@vicpetrishak1077]

If an air vent or breather is on the gearbox - clean it .

[@janskoropinski10]

Thought you might like to know that Chehalis is locally pronounced sh-hay-less. Nice video!!

[@TractorMike]

Yeah, you can tell I'm not from around there...I hope I got it right in my last video, my apologies!

[@matthewsims359]

It just makes me feel good when i do stuff like that. My dad was a huge grease fan. When i was a kid, i loved driving tractors. My dad always made me grease it before i was allowed to drive it. Now that i am adult with equipment of my own, i just feel good that i service everything regularly. It only takes a few mins and will keep your equipment ready to work instead of ready to be worked on.

[@chevyon37s]

Run the brush hog over a few acres on a good hot summer day and the water will evaporate out. Given the gear box is properly vented.

[@darallharris5396]

Bought a well used bushog, added 90w oil to gearbox only to then find out there was grease in there. Reckon I need to do something or will the mix not hurt anything?

[@TractorMike]

As long as it's not overfilled it probably won't hurt anything. If it starts blasting out the fill plug or a vent cap, there's too much in there and you need to lower the level. You might want to slowly loosen the fill plug after you've been using it a while to make sure it's not building up pressure from being overfilled.

[@raywhite1442]

Thats not 80 weight came outta there

[@Ok-Mardy]

Mike how hard is it to change the front gasket if it's leaking?

[@ruedaricardo]

Mike, my bush hog doesn’t have a drain plug either. Where did you get the oil sucking thing from?

[@TractorMike]

Richard, we've had that one for decades, my dad probably got it somewhere and I inherited it. There's a similar one that got good reviews on my Amazon Affiliate page here: www.amazon.com/shop/tractormike/list/1QDZ7XPK57E49

[@mbradsh21]

What is the normal manufacturer's recommended service interval for a gearbox oil change?

[@TractorMike]

My owner's manual doesn't say anything about ever changing the oil. Those gears require such little lubrication that it's likely that as long as there's uncontaminated oil in the gearbox that it will last a lifetime. If you'll read the comments on this video you'll find a lot of folks have 30+ year old cutters and have never considered changing the oil and they work fine.

[@stevem1076]

Hey Mike I almost hate to ask but I have not seen anything about this topic yet. PTO? More specifically a 2 position clutch, or over riding clutch or live PTO. I have a Kubota L3301DT and I have places where I have to back into a tight space with my brush cutter. With the clutch in the PTO does not operate. I end up with a small area that does not get cut because as I let the clutch out I am moving before the PTO has the brush cutter up to speed. I have the same issue with my garden. Part of it is fenced and I back up to the fence shift to forward let off the clutch and drop the rotovator but I have lost several feet while the tractor is moving forward and the rotovator is getting up to speed and being dropped into place. Oh yes, I am an old man but a newbie tractor owner/operator.

[@TractorMike]

Steve, I hate to tell you, but I don't have a good solution. That's the problem with a transmission-driven PTO.

[@davidgregg2778]

Back up to where you want to mow put your transmission in neutral, let your clutch out with the ptp on and it will mow . Then put transmission in gear and move and mow out of there . Yeah , my growing up on a A John Deere has paid off .

[@tombarnes1871]

Good Information Mike!!

[@plakor6133]

Equine photobomb!

[@thinkinglikeadog]

thanks

[@soylentgreenispeople5809]

Cornhead grease.

[@clarkansas6590]

Good information

[@Whitetailpursuer]

Lol. “Death to Locust”! 😂 Cicadas?

[@MrDdaland]

In Missouri, the term "Locust" is usually used for about 3 types of trees. Honey Locust. Black Locust, and sometimes Osage orange. All have extremely nasty thorns. And all are unusually invasive

[@TractorMike]

Yup, I have one that has no thorns and I let it live. They're pretty when they don't have the massive thorns.

[@Raul28153]

That oil level thing has always baffled me. Does it really need all that headroom? Or is it merely the least amount of oil needed? I suspect it's the latter. I bet if ya left it within a half-inch of the top for expansion it'd be fine.

[@jameshenry3530]

Watching your last two "Bush Hog" episodes, I have not seen any inspection of the cutting blades. Does that mean that the blades never need attention?

[@nrpforty]

Try not to sing for money