LX2963 63” Res Snowblower Gearbox Issue

[DS_LX2610]

I am trying to change gearbox oil for the first time and the oil filler on top has stripped out. It appears to be brass and a box end wrench stripped it immediately. Has this happened to anyone else? I am ready to take a vise grip to it but wanted to check with others first As this does not seem to be how this should work.

the oil filler and oil level plugs are both Allen wrench plugs so this filler one is confusing.

Dick

 

[Russell King]

No direct knowledge of the tractor you have but it sounds like someone has lost the original plug and just put a similar sized plug with the wrong threads in the hole and tightened it up.

I would look at a illustrated parts list and see what the correct part looks like and get a new one from the dealer if it is different and has some seal underneath the flange.

Kubota does not use square head plugs very often from what I know

 

[nbryan]

7006070419 ALLEN PLUG 1/4" NPT PTD
Your part # for all the plugs on the LX2963 gearbox. There's 2 types of gearbox, one has 3 plugs, the other, 4.
All have the same part number and are allen plugs.
Try https://kubota.ca/parts-finder for any Kubota parts info. The site works!

 

[DustyRusty]

I learned a long time ago that the plugs and vents are installed with Loctite, and you need to warm them before attempting to unscrew them. On my BX snowblower, they are set with an Allen screw, and I darn near broke the wrench trying to get it off. Put a little heat from the torch on it, and it unscrewed with ease.

 

[RCW]

Just a guess that the "filler" you're trying to remove is actually the vent/breather.

 

[DS_LX2610]

Thanks for all the suggestions. My Kubota dealer suggested that I go to a hardware store to get a new plug as I stripped the brass one out. My manual shows only a filler plug on top but I now believe that it is a vent/breather plug. If it truly is a breather plug, I see no sense in removing it via heat as RCW suggests. A buddy of mine suggested that I just drain from the bottom and then fill from the side (fluid level) plug until it starts coming out the side and then replace that plug. Kind of like filling the lower unit on an outboard motor so I think I am going to go that way and leave the top plug as it is.

 

[DustyRusty]

The top part, that you are referring to as a plug is actually a vent. It is important that it is in place and working the way it was intended. I suggest that you order a replacement, and if the case is in fact stripped, you might be able to fix it with a threaded insert. You should drain from the bottom, remove the middle plug and fill from the top till it runs out of the middle plug. You should do this every fall before you start using the snowblower to remove the accumulated water in the gearbox. I remove the bottom plug and drain out the water in the spring, and then I drain and refill the entire gearbox with 80-90 GL4 gear lube in the fall just before I put it back in service. I only use GL4 gear lube because of the brass gears inside of the gearbox. GL5 gear lube has an additive that will attack the yellow brass gears in the gearbox.