OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Four Stroke Lawn Mower Frames SP rear wheel pinion gear to wheel lube?

Hi All,

Pretty generic question - wondering on self propelled walk behind mowers, generally for many of them when you remove the rear wheels you'll have the 'teeth' inside the rear wheel, generally these are plastic/nylon - and then a metal pinion gear attached to the rear drive shaft. This area will be semi-sealed to try and keep debris out.

Just wondering how should one best try and lubricate this area?

Most mowers seem to have a lightish coat of a grease in there - but I've read other say that this will hold debris in there and you're better off using a silicone spray.

If grease, just a regular lithium light duty type or one thats for rubbers/plastics?

Also - semi-related question, when engaging these type drives - which usually are belt driven from the motor spindle - are you best off doing so slowly or with a sudden movement? I've heard the latter for certain mower drives, like those used in the Honda HRU's, but suspect for belt driven ones that a slower engagement until the drive engages might be more suitable?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Hi N1KK0,
Commenting as a professionally qualified engineer here; these assemblies are designed to be self-lubricating.

That's exactly why they use the nylon/metal contacting surface combos.

Nearly all added lubes will attract and hold abrasive grit, and upscale the component wear rates.

My advice is; go with the design philosophy, and don't try to second-guess the OEM design engineers!

Gadge,

Much thanks for your reply.

I'm glad I asked as before doing so I assumed that it's likely grease - as like I said I have several rear SP mowers and all of them when I bought them 2nd hand had grease liberally spread in this area. And even when googled every post I found on the matter said to use grease and made a point of saying it's bad not to. Just goes to show that you can't believe everything you read.

Your advice lines up with what I vaguely recall someone here stating was in an old Victa workshop manual, which was not to apply any lube but just to blow out any dust/debris.

Do you have any idea about whether it makes any difference how slowly or rapidly you engage the drive mechanism for these such driven units? I mainly ask for a few Victa 550 Pro's.

Thanks again for your great reply.

Hi N1KK0,

It's always good practice to engage drives gently! Lessens shock loading of the components, and promotes longer service life.

The Victa Service Manual section on the older Auto Drive series SP mowers actually says [their italics] "NOTE: the metal drive teeth of the overrun clutch pinion and the Nylon gear teeth inside the wheel body must be grease free."

Hi Gadge,
That is especially the case with the SP Hondas. I eventually convinced a mate (already replaced 2 gearboxes on his mower, one box he smashed, and also smashed the drive out of both new wheels in 2/3 weeks) that the only way to treat the gearbox was to start pushing the mower before he engaged the drive.