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While some open gears are
still encountered on farm machinery, modern equipment, for the most part, has
precision cut gear sets operating in enclosed gear cases. Therefore, most
gearing on farm machinery can be satisfactorily lubricated with two types of
gear oils.
First , for open gears
a residual type
of adhesive gear lubricant, which can also
be used on wire ropes and
some chains, is recommended. Such a lubricant
is available as a material which will hardly pour at ordinary temperatures and
must sometimes be heated in order to apply. Much more convenient is a cut back
from of such lubricants which can be applied by pouring or dipping. Likewise, aerosol
containers of the same type of material permit spray application.
The enclosed gearing on farm equipment
is bath lubricated so that the partially submerged gears, when in operation, pick
up the gear oil and where necessary, transfer a portion to bearings. While it is
not possible to
list every variation in the
mechanisms of gearing on
agricultural machinery, the rules for
lubrication of such expensive
and often intricate
equipment follow general pattern. That is, the use of the proper gear
lubricant in the proper amount and the regular replacement of such oils as required.
While the recommendations of
the manufacturer are a
guide as to the proper gear
oil to use in each piece of
equipment, there is a tendency
to simplify the number of
lubricants required on a farm. With this in mind, multipurpose
gear oil will serve most enclosed gear sets. This can be
a mild or
regular EP type with the use
of an SAE 140 grade for
hot weather and an SAE 90 grade for winter.
In very cold weather an SAE 75 grade of gear oil can be used. The matter
of reduction in the number of
lubricants necessary for
farm equipment will have
further mention in the next
section. It will then be
evident that manufacturers of
such machinery also have
this in mind.
