1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

can bike chain lube be used on lawnmower wheel gears instead of gear oil?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by cnschult, May 12, 2012.

  1. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    772
    95
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    obviously i have a bottle of the bike chain lube lying around, I was told that my silicon spray won't last very long on those lawnmower wheels so you need something thicker.

    I don't own any 4x4 or AWD vehicles so I'm never going to use a giant bottle of gear oil so I'd rather use my bike chain lube, can it be used and how effective will it be?

    I also own some synthetic and conventional 5W30 lying around and would be happy to use some of that as well if you think its better.

    thanks everybody!!
     
    #1 cnschult, May 12, 2012
  2. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,673
    6,492
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Lawnmower wheel gears?
    Riding, push or reel? What do they recommend specifically and why???

    I'm not sure what "wheel gears" you're talking about, but if it's for a push mower, how much faster can the "gears" be turning than than your bicycle chain? I'd use the spray until it's exhausted, then the oil, and then I'd consider whatever they recommend---if you still have the mower. If there's no reservoir for these gears, then does it really matter? 99.44 percent of whatever you put on the gears is going to wind up on your lawn in about 5 minutes, so from an environmental standpoint, the spray may be the better choice.

    Need more data to be of more help.
    Good Luck!
     
    #2 ETC(SS), May 12, 2012
  3. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    772
    95
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    rear drive walk behind mower, sensa-a-speed lawnboy insight, there is a 1 inch gear coming out of the transmission, there is a one inch gear on the rear wheels, then there is a 2 inch gear that connects the two.

    why they didn't attach the rear wheels directly to the transmission shafts is beyond me.
     
    #3 cnschult, May 12, 2012
  4. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,562
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The chain lube would best be saved for your bike, but there's no reason it shouldn't work for the lawnmower. It's designed to be 'clingy', so it would be far better than just pouring too-thin motor oil on the the gears. Keep an eye on the gears, though - you might find you've got a lawn's worth of grass clippings stuck to them.
     
    #4 hyo silver, May 12, 2012
  5. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    772
    95
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    there is a plastic cover over the gears but its not completely sealed, i've had the lawnmower for years and this is the first time I've lubed the gears and there was no grass in there, bike chain lube does make the most sense as bike chains ride on gears whereas the lawnmower has gears riding on gears so its not much of a stretch. It is the thickest of the lubricants I have on hand and the gears on the bike move at approximately the same speed as the gears on my lawnmower.

    thanks hyo silver!!! I can change the engine oil on the lawnmower but there is no real maintenance for the transmission so i want the wheels to turn as easily as possible to put as little wear and tear on the transmission as possible.
     
    #5 cnschult, May 12, 2012
  6. davesrose

    davesrose Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    767
    164
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I would also assume that bike lubricant would be alright (as memory serves, it's a moderate grease consistancy). That is unless the gear assembly is small and has more torque (but then you'd see a lot of grease there). I actually recently took apart my stand mixer because it wasn't spinning. Was really surprised that its gear assembly has really thick grease (looked like a solid chunk of brown wax): guess because even though it's not "industrial", its that the gears could generate a lot of friction (and aparently they have one gear specially designed to break with a specific point...so it would be more crucial to have a specific tolerance of friction). Bike lubricant probably is designed for similar tolerances as your lawn mower drive...but doesn't hurt to check out the lawnmower from time to time to make sure the grease is staying there/gears look fine.
     
    #6 davesrose, May 12, 2012
  7. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2008
    2,927
    782
    0
    Location:
    IL
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I use TriFlow on my bike and I'd have no second thoughts about using it on a lawnmower. But then I'm the type to put premium into my mower too (it actually does put out more power).
     
    #7 a_gray_prius, May 13, 2012
  8. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2008
    772
    95
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    thanks but I'm talking about gears outside the transmission (think the hub), there is a one inch gear coming off the tranny, a one inch gear off the wheel and a two inch gear connecting the two. It was dry to the bone when I applied the bike grease but I change the SAE30 twice a year so its no problem to also add bike chain lube at this point.

    ironically it is a sense-a-speed transmission which, unlike a normal lawnmower with set speeds (remember those turtles and rabbits?) my lawnmower is more like our Prius CVT, I just walk and my arm pressure on the handle tells it how fast or slow I want it to go.
     
    #8 cnschult, May 13, 2012
  9. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,562
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    You're welcome. :)

    How's the lawn looking? ;)
     
    #9 hyo silver, May 13, 2012
  10. davesrose

    davesrose Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2010
    767
    164
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    And that's what I was refering to: these gears eventually turn the wheels yes?;)
     
    #10 davesrose, May 13, 2012
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)