Why grease a throwout bearing

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

While I had the 48 split and I could get to TO easily and see the grease coming out the top I decided to grease it. I greased it last spring before I started plowing and mowing, but not since. It took 8 strokes of a full size grease gun to get all of the old grease out the top and new grease coming out the relief hole on top. The grey/brown "worms" are the old grease that the oil has separated from and soaked into the graphite from the rear. The black is new grease that came out near the end. The worms are not slick or sticky, and you can pick them up without getting your hands dirty. They are nothing but leftover wax.

[Dale Finch]

Just curious...I have seen those "worms" after splitting a tractor, so appreciate this post. Now I know I need to grease enough to get all those "beasts" out of the TOB, But if the tractor is not split, do you have tips on just how to tell when you have pumped enough? It is pretty hard to see up there, and I really prefer not to have a huge blob of dry and wet grease in the housing, gumming everything up, but do see the need to pump more than I probably am currently doing!

[Don McCombs]

Dale,
A telescoping mechanic's mirror should let you observe the top of the bearing.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

The owners manual just says a few strokes with a grease gun every 1,000 hours or once a year. Using a full size gun it took 8 strokes to completely change the grease in this one, though I suspect that in normal use 3 or 4 strokes per year is probably enough. This one gets worked harder than most cubs. I have one of the compact pistol grip guns I use to grease it most of the time, because it is small enough to get in with the mower deck on. It does take 2 or 3 strokes from it to equal one from the big gun though.

[Dale Finch]

Dale,
A telescoping mechanic's mirror should let you observe the top of the bearing.

Good thinking there, Don!!! Thanks! Time to go "worm" hunting...tomorrow!

[Charles (49) Mo]

Be shure you use the old style cheap grease that will penetrate the graphite bearing and NOT the red high temperature stuff.