Take the cover off & look inside. If it looks like calf scours, it has water mixed with the lube and needs to be changed. Otherwise, the correct level should be half full. I usually use 85W-90 gear lube.
-- Edited by jdtom on Sunday 19th of September 2010 02:00:30 PM
I have found two of mine packed with grease, as well. When I added some 90 weight into them, they held at first (grease probably had plugged the leak), but apparently the seals are shot. Any advice on this condition? Is it worth fixing, or will the grease do the job? Does the whole gearbox need to be replaced, or can the just the seals be replaced? Are new repairs still available? If not, does anyone know any alternative fixes?
Corn head grease is a viable alternative to 90 weight when you have leaking seals. I do this with auger gearboxes as well. It is still viscous enough to lube the gears properly but thick enough not to leak a lot. For the amount of use most of these pickers get, it's not worth the time or expense to tear a gearbox apart just to fix a leaking seal
