Draining the gear boxes

[urhstry]

I just got my LS180 and deceided to change out the gear lube on both sides. Here's where the fun begins.... I open up the right side and I get about 3qts of fluid.. I open the left side and I get nothing. I did notice what DID come out is as black as coal. I was thinking of filling them with kerosene and slowly going back and forth (on blocks) and clean the internals out and then put new fluid in. Does anybody have any other suggestions? or better yet, where did the fluid go?

 

[Mike10]

The gearboxes get replentished with oil from the chain cases. You need to initially fill the boxes and then the chain case oil keeps it full. Using kerosene will contaminate the chain case oil. Have you tried poking something up the drain hole to make sure it is open? If the box is truely dry then you need to see if the chain case has oil in it. If it has oil in it then you need to remove the side cover of the chain case and see if the funnel is in place to funnel the oil into the gear box and also check the hole is open.

 

[Straydog]

The gearboxes get replentished with oil from the chain cases. You need to initially fill the boxes and then the chain case oil keeps it full. Using kerosene will contaminate the chain case oil. Have you tried poking something up the drain hole to make sure it is open? If the box is truely dry then you need to see if the chain case has oil in it. If it has oil in it then you need to remove the side cover of the chain case and see if the funnel is in place to funnel the oil into the gear box and also check the hole is open.

Does this apply to a LX565? The owners manual says the gearboxes use gear oil and the chain cases use engine oil. I also read somewhere on the forum about doing a mod to "common up" the two but couldn't find the exact method. My chain cases were full but the gearboxes were empty. I topped up the gearboxes but now there is some oil leakage from under the machine but I can't locate exactly where its coming from.

 

[Mike10]

Does this apply to a LX565? The owners manual says the gearboxes use gear oil and the chain cases use engine oil. I also read somewhere on the forum about doing a mod to "common up" the two but couldn't find the exact method. My chain cases were full but the gearboxes were empty. I topped up the gearboxes but now there is some oil leakage from under the machine but I can't locate exactly where its coming from.

To modify your loader to a common reservoir do the following. Remove the side plate from the chain case. Obtain a 1/2" pipe coupling. Cut the coupling in half. Drill a hole in the side plate the diameter of the pipe coupling. The center of the hole should be 2 1/2" up from the bottom of the plate and close to the oil level hole. Weld the half coupling into the side plate. Next look into the chain case and you will see the heads of four 5/8" bolts holdiing the gearbox to the chain case. Remove the lower front 5/8" bolt and replace it with a drilled bolt from New Holland. Use silicone around the head of the bolt to keep it from leaking but make sure none plugs the hole in the bolt. Your dealer will need to look in a parts book for an LS or L machine to find the part number. After the bolt is installed seal and install the side plate and fill the chain case up to the new oil level. Use 10w30 oil.
The only place for the gearbox to leak oil externally which is at the oil level plug or lower is the front cover of the gearbox.

 

[Straydog]

To modify your loader to a common reservoir do the following. Remove the side plate from the chain case. Obtain a 1/2" pipe coupling. Cut the coupling in half. Drill a hole in the side plate the diameter of the pipe coupling. The center of the hole should be 2 1/2" up from the bottom of the plate and close to the oil level hole. Weld the half coupling into the side plate. Next look into the chain case and you will see the heads of four 5/8" bolts holdiing the gearbox to the chain case. Remove the lower front 5/8" bolt and replace it with a drilled bolt from New Holland. Use silicone around the head of the bolt to keep it from leaking but make sure none plugs the hole in the bolt. Your dealer will need to look in a parts book for an LS or L machine to find the part number. After the bolt is installed seal and install the side plate and fill the chain case up to the new oil level. Use 10w30 oil.
The only place for the gearbox to leak oil externally which is at the oil level plug or lower is the front cover of the gearbox.

Thanks Mike. What is the benefit though of modifying it to have a common reservoir? From memory was it because the seal on the shaft was prone to leaking which would drain your gearbox oil into the chain case?

 

[Mike10]

Thanks Mike. What is the benefit though of modifying it to have a common reservoir? From memory was it because the seal on the shaft was prone to leaking which would drain your gearbox oil into the chain case?

There were probably several reasons. Most people did not know to check the oil or where to check it. It is certainly more convient with a common reservoir.

 

[urhstry]

The gearboxes get replentished with oil from the chain cases. You need to initially fill the boxes and then the chain case oil keeps it full. Using kerosene will contaminate the chain case oil. Have you tried poking something up the drain hole to make sure it is open? If the box is truely dry then you need to see if the chain case has oil in it. If it has oil in it then you need to remove the side cover of the chain case and see if the funnel is in place to funnel the oil into the gear box and also check the hole is open.

OK. maybe some confusion here... I was draining the chain cases. At least I think i was. opening the plugs outside by the wheels, one on each side. I did just go check to make sure nothing was blocking the holes. They both drained overnight.... again... 3qts from one side, none from the other. I am thinking I should open up the side cases and see how much slack and damage may be done to the chains and sprockets. Ideas?

 

[jerry]

OK. maybe some confusion here... I was draining the chain cases. At least I think i was. opening the plugs outside by the wheels, one on each side. I did just go check to make sure nothing was blocking the holes. They both drained overnight.... again... 3qts from one side, none from the other. I am thinking I should open up the side cases and see how much slack and damage may be done to the chains and sprockets. Ideas?

On the 565 the plug on the outside by the wheels is the fill level. The drain is on the bottom front of the chain cases. It is a recessed plug with hex recess. May be hard to find due to being filled with dirt. I did the gearbox conversion on my 665 and it was well worth it. I was surprised though that the oil level when full to the new level hole was not visible in the fill gooseneck under the seat. Sure beats trying to get gear oil in that little gooseneck though.

 

[jerry]

On the 565 the plug on the outside by the wheels is the fill level. The drain is on the bottom front of the chain cases. It is a recessed plug with hex recess. May be hard to find due to being filled with dirt. I did the gearbox conversion on my 665 and it was well worth it. I was surprised though that the oil level when full to the new level hole was not visible in the fill gooseneck under the seat. Sure beats trying to get gear oil in that little gooseneck though.

If the oil that came out was bad looking might as well take the side covers off and clean the case out good and do the conversion. should be good for a long time then. I think the holey bolts were about $13 and a few gallons of oil. I took the side covers to the hyd shop and had them put the half couplings on.

 

[Mike10]

OK. maybe some confusion here... I was draining the chain cases. At least I think i was. opening the plugs outside by the wheels, one on each side. I did just go check to make sure nothing was blocking the holes. They both drained overnight.... again... 3qts from one side, none from the other. I am thinking I should open up the side cases and see how much slack and damage may be done to the chains and sprockets. Ideas?

My mistake, when you said gear oil I thought gearbox. Your chain case takes 80-90 oil. The conversion we were refering to does not apply to your LS180. If the oil looked that bad I would take the side covers off and clean the case out. You probably have the same mess in the gearbox though.

 

[urhstry]

My mistake, when you said gear oil I thought gearbox. Your chain case takes 80-90 oil. The conversion we were refering to does not apply to your LS180. If the oil looked that bad I would take the side covers off and clean the case out. You probably have the same mess in the gearbox though.

Can someone tell me how to adjust the slack out of the chains? I think I may have to even take a link out.. the sag in the chains makes it almost lay on the floor of the case. I have a service manual but can't find anything on an adjustment. Mike10, do you have an email I could send you a picture of what I am looking at? Thanks everyone.

 

[Mike10]

Can someone tell me how to adjust the slack out of the chains? I think I may have to even take a link out.. the sag in the chains makes it almost lay on the floor of the case. I have a service manual but can't find anything on an adjustment. Mike10, do you have an email I could send you a picture of what I am looking at? Thanks everyone.

Remove the wheels and look where the axle housing bolt to the chain case. The housings are held on by eight nuts and washers. The washers are covering up slots in the housing. The way I adjust them is to loosen the eight nuts and taking a large screw driver placed in the slot I pry the housings in the direction to tighten the chain. The axle housing is made with a protrusion for the inner bearing. This protrusion fits into a large hole in the side of the chain case. If you loosen the nuts to far it is possible for this protrusion to slide out of the side sheet and if you tighten the nuts with it out of position it will bend the side sheet. There is a limited amount of slotted movement and if you reach that limit and the chains are still extremely loose then you will need to replace the chains.

 

[urhstry]

Remove the wheels and look where the axle housing bolt to the chain case. The housings are held on by eight nuts and washers. The washers are covering up slots in the housing. The way I adjust them is to loosen the eight nuts and taking a large screw driver placed in the slot I pry the housings in the direction to tighten the chain. The axle housing is made with a protrusion for the inner bearing. This protrusion fits into a large hole in the side of the chain case. If you loosen the nuts to far it is possible for this protrusion to slide out of the side sheet and if you tighten the nuts with it out of position it will bend the side sheet. There is a limited amount of slotted movement and if you reach that limit and the chains are still extremely loose then you will need to replace the chains.

ok... and the final question... I assume you check the slack at the top of the chain int he middle of the two sprockets... how much "play" is supposed to be there?" I am not sure what they mean by 1/4" movement of the wheel.

 

[Mike10]

ok... and the final question... I assume you check the slack at the top of the chain int he middle of the two sprockets... how much "play" is supposed to be there?" I am not sure what they mean by 1/4" movement of the wheel.

Just rock the wheel back and forth and see how far it moves. If you are tightened out and you still have excess rocking then it may be time for chains. If they are not so loose that the chain slaps the bottom of the case I would run them. If there is enough adjustment then I would just make sure the axle itself can rock back and forth slightly without the wheel on. With the side covers off you can tell if the chains are too tight or too loose. I like to see a little slack in the chains rather than fiddle string tight.