LP SB1051 gearbox oil/oil change?

[GreX]

Hello-
As we slowly make our way into the colder months (yes, it's been unseasonably cold and rainy here in Maine), I wanted to ensure my snowblower is ready for the coming winter (expected to be a brutal winter), and I was wondering how to change the gearbox oil on a Land Pride SB1051, but the manuals are completely useless for information, and I assume someone on here knows what needs to happen?

The manual (https://cdn-assets.greatplainsmfg.com/ari/attach/lp/public/manuals/370-027m.pdf - page 34) says to "as required" but doesn't provide any information on how the process works, other than "do not overfill". It does say to use a siphon to remove the oil, but doesn't make any recommendations on how often, other than the as required, which I don't know what that means? Nor does it state how much fluid it "should" hold for a proper oil change?

Should I just top off the oil (assuming it's low), or should I do an oil change? The gearbox has a date on it, guessing it's an oil changed date, of November 2019 (which is when the previous owner purchased the snowblower). Guessing it should be changed at this point, given it's done four winters (~50 hours of the tractors 117 hours)?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[85Hokie]

I would go ahead and syphon out the oil - several ways to do this. One simple way is to have ONE of these handy and a small piece of flexible tube that you can get at any home supply store. It may take a couple of times to get all the fluid out. If you have a vacuum pump like for water craft or boats that will do it too.

Then - if you have the syringe - you can add BACK through the same hole ( on level ground ) until it weeps out of the the hole, thus knowing it is full.

Personally - I would get a quart of synthetic 80w-90 EP oil and change it yearly, cost would be very small over the lifetime of the blower.

 

[GreX]

I would go ahead and syphon out the oil - several ways to do this. One simple way is to have ONE of these handy and a small piece of flexible tube that you can get at any home supply store. It may take a couple of times to get all the fluid out. If you have a vacuum pump like for water craft or boats that will do it too.

Then - if you have the syringe - you can add BACK through the same hole ( on level ground ) until it weeps out of the the hole, thus knowing it is full.

Personally - I would get a quart of synthetic 80w-90 EP oil and change it yearly, cost would be very small over the lifetime of the blower.

Thanks for the quick reply, and agree that the cost is quite low to simply do it once a year. I've got loads of those types of syringes, been using them for hydraulic brake changes on bicycles. After a quick search, I'm gonna go grab one of these (https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html), seems it will be a good, and cheap, tool to have around for other fluid changes on this thing. Glad it's a simple process, and I was making a mountain out of a molehill

 

[85Hokie]

Thanks for the quick reply, and agree that the cost is quite low to simply do it once a year. I've got loads of those types of syringes, been using them for hydraulic brake changes on bicycles. After a quick search, I'm gonna go grab one of these (https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html), seems it will be a good, and cheap, tool to have around for other fluid changes on this thing. Glad it's a simple process, and I was making a mountain out of a molehill

I have bought several of those - I find them to be somewhat lacking over time, the hose being the problem. It may be too large to go into and get to the bottom and get most of the oil. The gears are somewhat close to the inside of the casing - thus a smaller hose may work better in this situation.

 

[GreX]

I have bought several of those - I find them to be somewhat lacking over time, the hose being the problem. It may be too large to go into and get to the bottom and get most of the oil. The gears are somewhat close to the inside of the casing - thus a smaller hose may work better in this situation.

I decided to give it a try, since it was only $5 at Harbor Freight - it worked, but yeah, the hoses are super flexible, to the point that it would essentially vacuum too hard and compress so much, that it would seal itself closed.. I was able to massage the tubing enough to get it to work, but took way longer than I thought it would. That kit does come with a small hose, which worked well to suck all the fluid out, I have since ordered larger volume syringes (as you suggested) and some additional tubing - harder silicone type, for next time. Given the amount that I spilled with the crap lines, and what actually made it back in, I'd say it took about 0.4-0.5 of a liter (if anyone searches for this in the future). I'm not sure how much came out, as I pumped it into an oil recycling tank, but it seemed to be VERY low.