Land Pride RCR1860 Gearbox....Mystery SOLVED!

[Atlanta Panther]

What's the gear oil capacity of this gearbox? The manual says 4 1/2 pints but that seem like a lot especially because the RCR1872 only takes 4 pints. When I changed it last time I think it took about 1/2 of that before it came out of the peep hole on the side.

The book does not give you how often to change it so I decided to change out the oil at 500 hours on the tractor which is about 250-300 hours on the cutter. I had changed it previously after about 50 hours which I figured was break-in. How often do you guys change your gear oil?

I used Valvoline High Performance 80w-90 last time cause its what I had laying around (and I still have some left). Is that OK to use again or should I change to something else?

 

[tdwinklr]

probably no need to change it unless you see foam in it (water) or its really dirty.
My new gearbox has maybe 50 hrs on it but the oil is still really clean. Didn't think of it that way but might be a good idea to change mine out since it was break-in oil.

 

[Atlanta Panther]

So the Land Pride rep says the manual is correct and the RCR1872 only takes 4 pint s because the gears are bigger (presumably same gearbox case. So I changed the gear oil this morning. When I sucked out the old oil I only got about 2 ¼ pints out which is what I remember I got out last time. I looked inside the gear box as best I could and it looked empty to me and the suction tube I had looked like it was hitting the bottom of the Gear case. Am I doing something wrong? I made sure the cutter was level and tried to put in the oil but after just over one quart it started coming out the side hole which presumably means the gearbox was full. BTW the oil that came out was dark but otherwise looked OK. No smell or anything.

 

[Atlanta Panther]

So after quizzing the Land Pride rep it turns out that it is true that the capacities are 4 1/2 and 4 pints for the RCR1860 and RCR1872, respectively. HOWEVER, , there is a cavity between the 2 output bearings that you can’t reach. So therefore is about 2to 2 1/4 pints is all you can do at a time.

 

[GeoHorn]

. How often do you guys change your gear oil?

I used Valvoline High Performance 80w-90 last time cause its what I had laying around (and I still have some left). Is that OK to use again or should I change to something else?

Never. (unless I ever have some reason to take it apart or replace a seal.)

No.

 

[whitetiger]

I thought that everyone knew that to change the oil in a gearbox you have to invert the gearbox to drain it. Sucking out some oil and replacing it only dilutes it a bit. The contaminates that you want out are at the very bottom and there is only one way to remove them short of disassembly.

 

[skeets]

So tell me how do you invert the gear box on this unit?

 

[SDT]

So after quizzing the Land Pride rep it turns out that it is true that the capacities are 4 1/2 and 4 pints for the RCR1860 and RCR1872, respectively. HOWEVER, , there is a cavity between the 2 output bearings that you can’t reach. So therefore is about 2to 2 1/4 pints is all you can do at a time.

Bingo.

Not possible to remove the oil from the spindle housing without disassembly or inversion.

Still adviseable to change oil as best as possible periodically due to water contamination (condensation) and break down of EP additives.

I change immediately after use while water, etc., is still in suspension.

SDT

 

[SDT]

So tell me how do you invert the gear box on this unit?

One must invert the mower.

I use FEL.

 

[skeets]

Exactly,, and if one does not have said FEL ?

 

[#40Fan]

Exactly,, and if one does not have said FEL ?

Attach to tractor.

Flip tractor over.

 

[mcmxi]

Exactly,, and if one does not have said FEL ?

Remove the PTO shaft and unbolt gear box from the deck maybe?

 

[whitetiger]

So tell me how do you invert the gear box on this unit?

I just stated the facts, how you invert the gearbox is up to you, I typically use the overhead hoist.
It really gets a person nowhere to change the top half of the gearbox oil when the debris and water are all in the bottom of the gearbox.
Some of the rotary cutter gearboxes used to have a drain plug in the very bottom but I have not seen one for over 20 years now.

 

[Pau7220]

One must invert the mower.

I use FEL.

I just stated the facts, how you invert the gearbox is up to you, I typically use the overhead hoist.
It really gets a person nowhere to change the top half of the gearbox oil when the debris and water are all in the bottom of the gearbox.

Hmmmm. Geo called me an idiot when I did this with an electric traveling chain hoist…. Suction/discharge guns or extractors do not work in this (and other) situation(s). I should have taken a pic of the crap that came out.

 

[whitetiger]

Hmmmm. Geo called me an idiot when I did this with an electric traveling chain hoist…. Suction/discharge guns or extractors do not work in this (and other) situation(s). I should have taken a pic of the crap that came out.

Sometimes the oil is surprisingly clean, other times it is gross.

 

[Pau7220]

Sometimes the oil is surprisingly clean, other times it is gross.

Agreed. Finish mower was lightly used, pretty clean lube.
I believe my King Kutter was the original prototype, stored in a swamp. Not a square inch of paint on it, but it works great. Splines on the output shaft are so rotted they barely hold onto the hub. Fluid was so filthy I’m sure changing it with inverted draining saved the gearbox.