Bush Hog 3210 gearbox issues.

Dkc923

Member
I believe the left side gearbox if your standing behind the cutter has bit the dust on me. I was using it and suddenly started making a bunch of noise. I shut it down and checked it and it was very hot. Sure enough the seal went and it ran out of oil. Let it cool and I put grease in it and a some oil just to mix it well. When I started it back up it was nice and quiet just as it should be. Well after 10 minutes or so it started making noise again. I checked it while it was running and could see the input shaft from the center gearbox has a good bit of play in it. Any of you guys ever rebuilt on of these on this model? Any advice?
 
Sounds like you may only have a bad bearing.
Not a bad job to do. Hopefully the gears
aqen't damaged. Completely disassemble the
gearbox and clean out all metal shavings or
the lower bearing will go out next.
Personally, I would replace all bearings and
seals.
 
check the direction of rotation and ratio then look at new boxes. It is getting so a new box is as cheap as parts for old ones. Like auger gear box I put new parts in a couple bearings and 2 seals cost as much almost as a new box would if I figured any labor in it . Was about $10.00 difference.
 
I rebuilt a Bush Hog Squealer gear box 2 years ago.
It works, but I could have bought a new one for about $200 more than I put in it.
 
I recently rebuilt the gear box on a Woods mower. All I can say is a warning...make certain the bearings are not glued to the shaft with a tight interference fit and Locktite. Regardless, I found out the hard way when I broke part of the housing pressing the shaft out of the bearing with it still in the housing. Heat is your friend. But without a laser thermometer that heat can ruin your bearings if they are still good. All the locktite needs is about 500 or so to melt the bond. That temp shouldn't harm the bearings. I didn't know that so I heated the bearing up to dull red...ruined bearing. Now I own a Fluke thermometer.

One other thing...a service manual is extremely handy if you've never done one before. It's actually fairly simple but the woods was odd in my estimation. All the bearings were a tight interference fit and glued on...why? Even the seal sleeve was interference fit and glued on. Strange but it's not that way now. I glued them on with red locktite interference fit type but I sanded the shafts down so it was just a very light tapping necessary with a piece of PVC pipe and a hammer handle to bring the bearing home. The red locktite melts at a much lesser temp than the green. But so far so good, it's cut about 20 acres since then with no leaks. YMMV on an actual Bush Hog gearbox.
 
I pulled the top cover and it appears I may have lucked up. Input shaft bearing is bad but beveled gears look okay. Hopefully won't have to pull the stump jumper. These are 190 hp gearboxes so probably not super cheap to replace. To change both bearings on the input shaft will be about $50. I will be sure to clean it out good. Looks like there is a cover on the outside of the gearbox covering the the shaft that I should be able to pull it out of after disconnecting the center drive shaft. May try and tackle it this weekend. Sure appreciate the help.
 

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