Snowblower Auger Oil

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Yes, I posted this question in the lawn & garden section of this forum ... but some gear oil gurus here might not venture over there all that often. So, I'm posting something similar here since it is specifically about gear oil specifications.

I was checking the gear oil in our new Ariens 11528 snowblower ...

http://www.ariens.com/snow_products/professional_sno_thros/11528_dle/

... and when I pulled the check-plug out of the front auger gearbox, it looked a little foamy and a little silvery.
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The foam may be an indicator of moisture (hard to say) and the silvery stuff was on the threads so it may be something like anti-seize, again, I can't be sure.
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Regardless, I want to change the oil in this front gearbox before I put the machine away for the season.

But what to use? The manual says to use a special Ariens brand lubricant. Wonderful.
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I e-mailed them asking for a spec, and NOT a part number. Anyone make any sense of this? It's like ancient Egyptian lubricant hieroglyphics.
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"Dear Bror:
We recommend using only the Ariens L2 gear lube, part # 00008000 or these equivalents. That is all I have.

1. Citgo EP Compound 90/AGMA 5 EP
2. Mobil Gear 630 (AGMA 4 & 5 EP)
3. Any AGMA 4 EP Qualified Lube"


What the heck is AGMA?
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I'd guess any really high-quality 75W-90 or 80W-90 gear oil (either GL4 or GL5) would do. The only thing that concerns me is corrosion of any brass/bronze parts which might be inside this little box ... but you generally only get that with really cheap gear oils.

--- Bror Jace

[ March 02, 2005, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: Bror Jace ]
 
** ,
Granted it's not the same brand or size snowblower, but on our 5 hp craftsman unit, it appears that the auger drive box is fill with a white toned (white lithium?) grease. I too was expecting something more along the lines of fluid, but when inspecting the play the input and output shafts had, I thought it a good reason to use grease rather than straight liquid lube, for it might not take long to run low.

It's a worm gear assembly is it not?
 
LOL I have an older (early 80's) Bolens auger drive snowblower, Im assuming we are talking about the same "type" of snowblower. Mine moves by itself, has a headlight, and a big *** auger.

Being over 20 years old I checked my auger gearbox - dead empty. I checked with my local snow-blower dealer who looked up and said to use 80-90w gear lube. So I used the leftover AMsoil Extreme Pressure Severe Gear Lube that wouldnt fit into the G80 rear axle of my 2002 Envoy
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Did that at the beginning of snow season here in Michigan. Stopped alot of vibration and the auger seems to move a lot faster/easier now.

I say go synthetic.
 
MobilGear630 is industrial EP Gear Oil ISO 220

AGMA 4 is approximately ISO 150 or approximately SAE 85W gear lube

AGMA 5 is approximately ISO 220 or SAE 90 gear lube.

(This from Plant Engineering Interchangeable Lubricants Chart).

So, were it mine, I'd use synthetic xW-90 gear lube.
 
Ariens used to spec grease for the aluminum gear cases and 90wt. for the old cast iron gear case, then they found that the grease would settle to the bottom and sides of the case and the gears would run dry and fail. A few years back we got a dealer memo stating to use their gear oil in ALL auger gear box's. So to answer your question , use any HD gear oil, for the commercial guys we use a synthetic 75 140 "mostly Amsoil" and have not had one fail due to lube problems.
 
Curious, I'd rather go with the type of lubricant specified in the manual ... although Bob once told me that he'd occasionally fortify the EP properties of a gear oil by putting a few pumps of grease in the case.
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nascarnation, thanks for the heads up on that acronym. You'd think I'd know that one by now.
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Chiznat, I too have know some of these tiny differentials get horribly abused and kept on chugging. Maybe I'm overthinking this ... as many of us in the Lawn & Garden section of this forum tend to do. However, the price and trouble to replace these components is great and the oil capacities involved are so small, so many of us feel using super-premium fluids is easily justified.
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Cick & Plexx, sounds good. Actually, I think I'm gonna get a half-pint or so of Red Line 75W-90 from bogatyr this weekend and use that. I know it's non-corrosive ... and I can't imagine it's not up to the task.

Maybe I'll e-mail Dave Granquist just in case.
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--- Bror Jace
 
I have always used Amsoil 80W-90 synthetic in all of my Ariens. I never had one problem and its a one time fill with me. I put in there when I first change oil and forget about it. I am on my 4th Ariens since 1972 and never had any problems with engine or the gear box.

I would not hesitate to use the 75W-90 either.

btw-The last machine had no snow blowing hours on it when I installed the synthetic gear lube and what was in there looked sick when I drained it out. I wonder if the dealer is the one who installs the gear lube or if it comes installed in there? NO telling what a dealer would use, likely whatever was the cheapest for him to buy.
 
" ... I installed the synthetic gear lube and what was in there looked sick when I drained it out. I wonder if the dealer is the one who installs the gear lube or if it comes installed in there? NO telling what a dealer would use, likely whatever was the cheapest for him to buy."

I quick-checked the level in the machine again. I think the metal shavings are real ... but I don't think it has much, if any moisture in it. The stuff is really thick at 40F ... and a sickly greenish color.

And smell? Smells just sulphur ... or really cheap gear oil. I'd like to see the "special L2 fluid" ... and see how it compares.

The Red Line 75W-90 has got to be an improvement over this stuff.
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--- Bror Jace
 
My father and I installed synthetic grease and oil in our snowblowers the Fall season of 2003. We've noticed easier starting and operation. Unless it's in a heated garage, I would also recommend a synthetic.
 
DSteven, you mean synthetic oil and not grease, eh?
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Somewhere on this site is (at least one) thread about converting your trailer's hubs from using wheel bearing grease to gear oil. The purpose is to greatly prolong the life of the bearings. Gear oil does that much of a better job than grease.

Anyway, I e-mailed Red Line. We'll see what they say.
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--- Bror Jace
 
Got an e-mail from Dave at Red Line:

Bror,
Thank you for contacting Red Line Oil, the 75W140 is between the AGMA 4 and 5 viscosity grades, the 75W90 is a little lower than the AGMA 4 viscosity. I have used the LightWeight Gear Oil, a lower viscosity than the 75W90 in our Ariens snow blower with good results. I expect the 75W90 would perform well.

Regards, Dave
Red Line Oil"


It looks like I'll ask Bogatyr if he has any leftover 75W-140 gear oil.
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--- Bror Jace
 
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