Landpride tiller is leaking gear oil?

[average_gardener]

My Landpride RTA1050 48" tiller that I recently bought is leaking gear oil where the seal to the tine shaft and sprocket share a bearing. I hope this makes sense. It leaks down within a couple of days. It has a cover guard for the chain and sprockets. Even if it leaks down to the bottom of the seal, there is is still a couple of cups of oil for the chain and sprocket to sling around. It may or may not lube the bearing well enough. Anyway, instead of replacing the seal, someone suggested to me to just pump the chamber partially with grease, maybe a tube or 2. Or heck why not more to be sure. What do guys think about this? It sounds like a good idea to me. It would be a lot thicker and should not leak as bad, if at all. Do you have any cons? It would save me from tearing it down. Another option is just to refill it with gear oil before each use. That would be a bummer.

 

[average_gardener]

Man, this thing is like new otherwise. Really. The tines show hardly any wear at all. The other end of the tine shaft has a greased bearing. Please give your thoughts.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Grease has a bad idea written all over it. The grease will not get over ever single nook and crannie in the gear box and lube up everthing equally like the gear oil will. Sounds like someone's telling you a half ass way to fix something on the cheap.

I'd say look into replacing the gasket that seals up the gear box and repair the thing properly.

 

[average_gardener]

Eric, Thanks for the reply. I can see your point on the use of grease. It doesn't flow. I am going to try a heavier gear oil? I am thinking 85w140. It is really a simple mechanism. It has 2 seals for 2 shafts, 2 bearings, 2 sprockets, and a chain. It is very basic. Yes, I could change the seal. But, it looks like it would be a pain in the a__. The leak is slow considering 2 days for maybe a couple of cups. Heavier weight may do the trick. I am a firm believer in the following: "Why is there always time to do it over and never enough time to do it right?". Unless I am missing something, I think that the bearings should have been designed to be greased and the chain and sprocket should be oiled. I have studied the parts manual and I don't see that the bearings are greased. I haven't torn into it yet. I don't won't to break the seal on the cover gasket too quickly. It may cost me a new one. I have attached the parts manual. This is a free download from www.landpride.com. Thanks

 

[average_gardener]

It seems that the upload did not take. Here is the link. http://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/manuals/311-251p.pdf

 

[Bulldog]

I don't know what the design difference is between a LP tiller and a Bushhog tiller are. My BH tiller take grease in the chain case on it.

 

[average_gardener]

Bulldog, Thanks for the input. The operator's manual calls for gear oil (80-90w). It is on page 23 (page 25 of the pdf). http://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/manuals/311-252m.pdf. It is really odd for it to be leaking with so little use. I did have to pull off a lot of hay twine, string, and wire when I got it. For it to look so new, I think it suffered a little neglect to keeping the tines clear of string, wire, twine, grass, etc. The seals do appear to be designed for such things. There is very little clearance between the metals for wear on the seal.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

If the seal isn't torn up, or actuallu cracked, try adding about 1/4 bottle of automatic transmission or power steering stop leak the next time you add oil and run it for a few minutes to get it circulated around. Chances are it will soften/swell the seal enough to stop the leak. Only down side is that you have to remember to add a little more the next time you change the gear oil.

 

[Bulldog]

I guess it must have something to do with the type bearings that LP uses. If it had a bunch of string and such wrapped around the shaft I would say that's when the seal was damaged. The seal could have been damaged during assembly even. I would lean toward the stuff wrapped around the shaft though. If it was tight enough it probably built up heat and burned the seal out. I remember you said it doesn't leak all the oil out even with the bad seal. That really isn't your worst problem. If the oil comes out then water and dirt is going in. Right now it's only going to cost you time and the money for a seal. Keep using it and you'll end up with bad bearings, chain and sprockets and you still have to buy the seal. It will be cheaper to go on and fix it now then it would be to wait and take the chance of really doing some costly damage to it. If your luck is like mine it won't break until you're right in the middle of a big job and have to have it to finish.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

Not sure about the LP tillers but my FMC has a rubber outer "seal" or dust boot that keeps the weeds/wire/string away from the actual oil seal. Most tillers, mowers & bush hogs etc. have some type of shield that keeps that sort of stuff away from the oil seal.
You didn't "clean it up" real good when you got it with spray carb cleaner or a similar strong solvent did you? Learned the hard way on a BMW motorcycle rear end that that will shrink the seals and cause them to leak (hence the stop leak in the gear oil trick, saved a big repair bill a long way from home).