# Honda HS724 gearbox(s) grease replacement



## kwikb16a2 (Mar 23, 2019)

Hello all, I have recently purchased a 2008 HS724TA. I'm looking to do as much maintenance as I can this summer to get her ready for next winter. Other than the obvious oil change & spark plug what would you guys recommend assuming nothing else was done.

I was thinking replacing the gearbox grease. Now is the gearbox auger the only gearbox that has oil? Or is there a gearbox for left and right side track?

Sorry in advance I've ordered a shop manual and waiting for it to ship. 

Thanks all!


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## contender (Jan 18, 2018)

KWIK, you can download the Operators Manual from the web, in the mean time and get some info from it. If the gear box you are referring to is between the left and right augers, that will be in the O M manual. 

You should not consider changing the Hydro oil until you get your service manual. Honda does not recommend you changing it...

I believe in the turkey baster method,by withdrawing and topping it up.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

if you are talking about the auger gearbox ( between the augers ) that takes 80-90W oil and does not need to be replaced. just put the blower on level surface and remove that plug in front. if oil comes out then you are good. 9 out of 10 plugs I have removed has the oil coming out.

other than that just a general service for a 2008 should be sufficient. oil change , lubricating moving parts. adjustments. ( all of this maintenance is in Honda shop manual ).

I agree with contender about the hydrostatic tranny oil. does not need to be changed.

there is another gearbox for the tracks called the right side transmission. i would not mess with it unless something is wrong. it's a heck of a job opening it up and servicing. some owners install a zerk in the case so they can pump new grease in. 

also, since the winter is almost over you want to do some homework on preparing your blower for the summer.

good luck.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

The gearbox for the track drive is the only one on the right side of the "Tractor Frame". It does not use two separate gearboxes, just the one. It takes grease, not oil. The auger gearbox takes oil. The "HS" has the hydro trans with a shaft that goes into the drive gearbox, that is what connects to the drive axle for the tracks or wheels. The "HSS" model uses a whole different trans and drive system, it doesn't use the separate gearbox, or sometimes called a "Sub Transmission".


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

contender said:


> You should not consider changing the Hydro oil until you get your service manual. Honda does not recommend you changing it...
> 
> I believe in the turkey baster method,by withdrawing and topping it up.


One more minor bit of advise on the turkey baster method... make sure you buy one of your own just for the job. Your wife will be upset if you use her's. Those wives can always seem to smell antifreeze or oil in those basters no matter how much varsol you use to clean them out.


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## kwikb16a2 (Mar 23, 2019)

Thanks for all the replies! I noticed the right side gearbox has a zerk fitting. I read conflicting information in regards to what grease. One article states 00 grease for both gearboxes, and another mentions gear oil. 

I read an article here that someone has opened the hydrostatic drain plug and keep topping the reservoir.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Be careful, if it has Bentonite grease in it from the factory, regular grease wont mix with it. You would have to disassemble the gearbox and wash out all of the Bentonite based grease before putting in another type, such as Lithium based, one of the most common. Bentonite based grease is very temperature extreme resistance,cold or hot, it is a clay type base and withstands extreme pressure and temperatures and normally holds up very well. You could use a GL#1 weight grease of a good quality grease or a GL#0, a GL#00 is very light almost like an oil and may not withstand the pressures that well although it will flow ok in the extreme cold.
You should use a good grease like Amsoil synthetic grease, they make the "Artic" grease for cold temps that wont be too thick and will withstand the pressures in the gearbox.
A lot of the time Bentonite grease is a whitish color that almost looks like soap. But it is hard to find a lot of times. Industrial suppliers can sometimes get it, and many manufacturers use it for transmissions from their special suppliers.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

kwikb16a2 said:


> Thanks for all the replies! I noticed the right side gearbox has a zerk fitting. I read conflicting information in regards to what grease. One article states 00 grease for both gearboxes, and another mentions gear oil.
> 
> I read an article here that someone has opened the hydrostatic drain plug and keep topping the reservoir.


Your #00 grease is used a lot of times in a leaky gearbox that normally uses an oil, like 80/90. They usually use that instead of the oil because it is thicker and wont leak out as fast. It is ok in the auger drive gearbox as some manufacturers are now using that instead of gear oil, but it is a little bit too light for the wheel drive gearbox. The grease seals might leak from it because it might be a little bit too thin, especially if the gearbox was designed for a heavier weight grease. A lot of them had Bentonite grease in them, and you dont want to mix regular grease with Bentonite because it will not mix properly. Bentonite is an extremely durable grease but it is a clay base, not lithium like most standard type greases that you can buy.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

ST1100A said:


> Be careful, if it has Bentonite grease in it from the factory, regular grease wont mix with it. You would have to disassemble the gearbox and wash out all of the Bentonite based grease before putting in another type, such as Lithium based, one of the most common. Bentonite based grease is very temperature extreme resistance,cold or hot, it is a clay type base and withstands extreme pressure and temperatures and normally holds up very well. You could use a GL#1 weight grease of a good quality grease or a GL#0, a GL#00 is very light almost like an oil and may not withstand the pressures that well although it will flow ok in the extreme cold.
> You should use a good grease like Amsoil synthetic grease, they make the "Artic" grease for cold temps that wont be too thick and will withstand the pressures in the gearbox.
> A lot of the time Bentonite grease is a whitish color that almost looks like soap. But it is hard to find a lot of times. Industrial suppliers can sometimes get it, and many manufacturers use it for transmissions from their special suppliers.


the right side gearboxes i have been taking off have a whitest soft texture ( in a good one ) that is usually caked and hardened from water leaking in the gearbox. I have been replacing with the grease recommended in the Honda forum sticky on servicing the right side transmission and packing it in.

also have been installing a zerk so I can pump in grease every year . have nor run into a case yet with a zerk already on it.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> the right side gearboxes i have been taking off have a whitest soft texture ( in a good one ) that is usually caked and hardened from water leaking in the gearbox. I have been replacing with the grease recommended in the Honda forum sticky on servicing the right side transmission and packing it in.
> 
> also have been installing a zerk so I can pump in grease every year . have nor run into a case yet with a zerk already on it.


Ok, a lot of times that is actually Bentonite grease. They did not put a "Zerk" fitting on the gear box from the factory because they did not want an area that could leak in dirt or water, plus they dont want the consumer pumping in the wrong kind of grease. If the service or owners manual states to use their "special" grease, it is Bentonite.
You used to be able to buy the Bentonite grease at power equipment shops. It was listed as "Tecumseh" transmission grease, it was for the Peerless Transmissions that they used to make. It was a whitish brownish soft textured grease that was used in their manual gearboxes and tractor transmissions. It came in a semi clear see thru quart plastic squeeze bottle, but I don't think they have it anymore unless someone has it from old stock.


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> the right side gearboxes i have been taking off have a whitest soft texture ( in a good one ) that is usually caked and hardened from water leaking in the gearbox. I have been replacing with the grease recommended in the Honda forum sticky on servicing the right side transmission and packing it in.
> 
> also have been installing a zerk so I can pump in grease every year . have nor run into a case yet with a zerk already on it.


It probably hardened up like candle wax. If it did, its more than likely Bentonite grease, it will do that. If you do put any other type or brand of grease other than the factory grease, disassemble it and clean out all of the old grease first before putting in new grease and you will be fine with it.


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## bradahj (Nov 27, 2019)

I've seen some videos on Youtube where a Zerk fitting is installed. What do you think of this video?


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

bradahj said:


> I've seen some videos on Youtube where a Zerk fitting is installed. What do you think of this video?


Yes, that's a good idea; if DonyBoy73 says to do it, you can pretty much take it as gospel.


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## bradahj (Nov 27, 2019)

I watched Dony install the Zerk fitting and, without taking out any existing grease, he pumped in "sythetic low temp grease". He said in a Youtube comment that it doesn't matter about grease mixing because the old grease is usually caked up on the sides of the cae and no where near the gears. Pumping in the grease gets the gears lubricated.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tabora said:


> Yes, that's a good idea; if DonyBoy73 says to do it, you can pretty much take it as gospel.


I've done 7 in the last couple weeks since that video came up. Might cut down on failures in this gearbox.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

bradahj said:


> I watched Dony install the Zerk fitting and, without taking out any existing grease, he pumped in "sythetic low temp grease". He said in a Youtube comment that it doesn't matter about grease mixing because the old grease is usually caked up on the sides of the cae and no where near the gears. Pumping in the grease gets the gears lubricated.


He's right about this. Almost every gearbox I have opened up has grease caked on the side , not doing any good for the internals.


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## bradahj (Nov 27, 2019)

What grease did you use?


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## bradahj (Nov 27, 2019)

How about this: -40˚F, Synthetic, Molybdenum


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## Myth (Sep 16, 2019)

Danyboy73's videos lists m6x1 threading tap. If I was going to get one I see that there are 3 types, tapered, bottom and plug. Which one would you use?

I think he makes a great suggestion, so I want to get all the tools and parts to do this.


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## bradahj (Nov 27, 2019)

I just went to Ace and the guy gave me the 6mm Irwin tap.....
Went ahead and installed it and it went great......


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