One piece gasket or RTV for a rotary tiller gearbox cover?

[trackman23]

I have a 6’, lowrey rotary tiller with a leaky side gearbox that needs to be fixed. Is this a repair that is best made with a factory, one piece gasket or with RTV?


thx!

 

[Caden]

Personally I'd go with a regular one piece gasket and probably put a very light coat of RTV on both sides of it.

If you cannot find a gasket, then you could use RTV, - but you after applying, make sure you only very lightly tighten the cover for the first, say, couple hours.

That way, you don't squeeze out all the RTV before it has a chance to "set up". Then tighten normally.

Either way would probably work. Hope this helps.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I have never used it before, but have read something about a product called “corn head grease" as a substitute for gear oil in certain situations like yours.

It “allegedly” wont leak out, so you don’t have to take off the cover at all.

Just a thought……Maybe someone with “real world” experience will chime in….

EDIT: My personal experience, having been a Transmission and Axle mechanic in a previous life, has been that gaskets are “in general” a better solution than RTV/Silicone, you just have to torque them properly.