# What works for you?



## Stability (Nov 18, 2014)

Hello guys,
Would like some insight in what works for you, despite manual recommendations.

My blower is a disc drive system. When I opened her up, I noticed that the planetary gears are lubed (Arctic grease), but there's no lube (grease) on the drive gears or the large 56 toothed gears.

1- went to dealer and asked them what they would recommend to lube the toothed gears and hex drive shaft, they recommended anti seize (showed me a bottle of Permatex #80078), that it works good in cold weather, stays slick and won't fling off. 

What do you guys think and/or use?

2- Like a new car I'd like to prevent or minimize surface rust from forming on her, like on bolt heads, auger housing, shoot. Was thinking of spraying dry silicone all in auger & impeller housing and inside shoot for slickness and rust prevention. Thinking of same or waxing the outside and spraying the bolt heads after with the dry silicone. 

What do you guys think and/or use?

Thanks.


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

I just use regular grease from the grease gun, but here we don't get the -25° temperatures that some places do. It is pretty rare that we see 0, most often the low for the winter is maybe 5 or 10.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

I use the red Lucas grease. I think it's called "RED AND TACKY" grease so it doesn't fly around. All you need is a light coat. Don't put too much on.


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## SnowH8ter (Oct 8, 2018)

Bardahl Chain Lube. Won't fly off and works down past -30. The drive gears on my old Mastercraft/MTD are still like new after 20 yrs.


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## 132619 (Nov 20, 2018)

https://www.boltdepot.com/MRO_solutions_2400_marine-grade_anti-seize.aspx
stays put at any temp


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

The gears that drive the wheels do not turn very fast, the larger one turns slower I believe, the smaller one turns substantially faster so a grease that is tacky and won't spin off does not matter, however I think it's still a good idea to use a tacky grease myself but only that area, and only synthetic. For the hex shaft I use only Lubriplate synthetic grease, not tacky, a thin thin really thin coat. For anti seize the past 60 years I use only a graphite based Never Seize. I have 2 others but I don't like them as much and am trying to use them to get rid of them but only in applications that I feel are pertinent.


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## Lottstodo (Feb 16, 2018)

For the past few years I have been using disc brake calipar grease. silicone based does really well with cold temps. And I have not had to reapply every year and everything looks like new. As with any lube make sure that nothing gets on the disc drive parts


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Anti-seize is good for threaded connections, that's what it was designed for. It's not designed as a lubricant for metal on metal sliding or turning. In applications where it's exposed I've seen it dry out faster than white lithium. It's a very poor choice for the hex shaft. As recommended above a very, very thin coat of grease or even just a couple drops of engine oil. I've done both, spreading them with a finger and in my experience I think the grease holds up better. I like synthetic wheel bearing grease as I have a small tub of Mobil 1 on hand for refilling my bearing packer. For a chain I use a dedicated chain lube but a good grade of grease would work equally well IMHO. As mentioned the gears and chain aren't going to be moving very fast so you don't have to worry about anyting being slung off. But that doesn't mean you should just gob it on either. The hex shaft is another matter as it's above the drive plate the friction disc rides on. Best to cover it with a rag when lubing the hex shaft and you might still want to wipe it down with something that's a good grease cutter like carb or brake cleaner or even something along the lines of 409.

.


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## Stability (Nov 18, 2014)

Thank you all for your posts. Seems that synthetic grease is the most commonly used.

Is there a particular reason why no one wanted to answer #2, keeping surfaces slick and rust prevention?


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## Lottstodo (Feb 16, 2018)

For my machines I have used a paste wax but that is a PIA to do. I am looking at the product called F11 sealant. I have read good stuff about it and it says its really slick . Also water based which is not a problem as a lot of new coatings have gone water based to meet VOC standards. I have had 2 people tell me that snow, salt, water dont stick and runs right off. 

So I am going to put it on once I get it. I am also thinking this may work really nice inside bucket and augers and impeller/chute.
I do not know about the rust inhibiting as the wax worked really well for that.


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## Lottstodo (Feb 16, 2018)

You stated that like a new car : that makes me believe that your machine is new or very close to it. In hindsight on my now 3 yrs old Ariens I wish I would have pulled the muffler and exhaust guards before use and coated the bolts and screws with never seize nickel as by season 2 the threads were rusted pretty good. I got them done but would have been alot easier from the gitgo.

Actually I did all the guards and heat shields especially bottom pan/ trans cover bolts.


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## Stability (Nov 18, 2014)

Lottstodo said:


> For my machines I have used a paste wax but that is a PIA to do. I am looking at the product called F11 sealant. I have read good stuff about it and it says its really slick . Also water based which is not a problem as a lot of new coatings have gone water based to meet VOC standards. I have had 2 people tell me that snow, salt, water dont stick and runs right off.
> 
> So I am going to put it on once I get it. I am also thinking this may work really nice inside bucket and augers and impeller/chute.
> I do not know about the rust inhibiting as the wax worked really well for that.


*Lottstodo*- I believe you mean PITA, But I certainly can see why that would be. That's why I was thinking of a dry silicone spray, just spray the whole machine in and out (less inside of trans box) and be done. Understand that I live on the east coast and we get a lot of humidity in the off season. It's not all the time but a few times a year I could walk into my 1 car (non- connected, non- heated) garage and literally see a skim coat of moisture on everything metal. Amazingly my Stihl equipment seem to be unaffected by it. 



Lottstodo said:


> You stated that like a new car : that makes me believe that your machine is new or very close to it. In hindsight on my now 3 yrs old Ariens I wish I would have pulled the muffler and exhaust guards before use and coated the bolts and screws with never seize nickel as by season 2 the threads were rusted pretty good. I got them done but would have been alot easier from the gitgo.
> 
> Actually I did all the guards and heat shields especially bottom pan/ trans cover bolts.


Lottstodo- Very interesting, I didn't think of that, thanks for the heads up.

Yes it is new, but DOM 7/2016, sitting in a crate in warehouse, received Oct 31, 2018. Had 1 opportunity to use it on a measly 6" of snow (where I would normally use my Toro 721 SS), but I used it anyway :wink2:


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## shallowwatersailor (Feb 19, 2013)

After waxing, I use Fluid Film in a spray can. It flows down into the nooks and crannies.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Giving it a good wash and wax before putting it away and again when pulling it out in the fall.

.


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## Stability (Nov 18, 2014)

I know most of you recommended synthetic grease, but do you think this would work on the gears (not hex shaft)? It's about 6 years old, sitting in my detached unheated garage. still very tacky and hasn't separated.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

sure why not


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## Stability (Nov 18, 2014)

jsup said:


> sure why not


Jsup, just trying to figure if there's a down side to being so sticky/tacky?


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