Kit Solves Gearbox Problems

Kit Solves Gearbox Problems MOWERS Mowers (31H) 28-1-39 Lyndal Hatton, DeBerry, Texas, came up with an inexpensive solution to a problem he had with his New Holland 616 mower. "The mower is equipped with a big belt-driven gearbox that's connected to a smaller gearbox underneath it, which powers a shaft that drives the sickle. One time all the oil drained out of the smaller gearbox which caused it to burn up. A new replacement gearbox cost me several hundred dollars." According to Hatton, the big upper gearbox is equipped with a vent that often gets covered with dirt, which can get under the vent's relief valve and cause it to stick in the open position. "Whenever you tilt the front part of the mower downward to adjust the cutting height, over time all the oil can drain out of the vent and ruin the gearbox. It's hard to spot because the vent gets covered with dirt and leaves." To solve the problem, Hatton removed the vent and relocated it on top of the gearbox where it's up higher and also out of the way of dirt and leaves. He installed a plug where the vent had been. The small gearbox holds only 10 ounces of oil and tended to get hot. To add capacity, and to make sure he always knows there's oil in the gearbox, he removed the fill plug from the gearbox and installed a manifold in its place. Then he connected a length of curved stainless steel tubing to the manifold. A hose runs from the tubing up to a section of 1 1/2-in. dia. clear plastic tubing that's clamped onto the mower frame. The tubing serves as an oil reservoir. As oil inside the gearbox gets hot it expands up into the clear plastic tubing where it cools down. "As long as I can see oil in the plastic tubing I know the gearbox has enough oil in it," says Hatton. "I made this modification three years ago and haven't had any problems with it since then," he says. He's now selling a $50 kit that includes the oil reservoir, vent fill replacement plug, hoses and tubing, and instructions. "This kit can be used on all newer New Holland mowers including the 515, 616, and 717 models," he notes. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lyndal Hatton, 389 CR 3311, DeBerry, Texas 75639 (ph 903 766-2320; email: tsargehatton @hotmail.com).

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