# grease for older ariens 24"



## b00t (Oct 2, 2015)

I have a 60's ot 70's ariens (the model where the front comes off and you can attach different units to the front)

There is a grease zirk fitting on the bottom of the auger gearbox so I assume they have been using grease in it.

What grease is recommended in these units?


----------



## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Any cold weather mechanical grease will work. It doesn't need anything special.


----------



## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

Without getting into complex stuff, grease is basically a liquid lubricant, plus a thickener, plus some additives. The lubricant is either mineral or synthetic oil and the thickener is typically soap. About 70% of the grease used worldwide is lithium grease meaning it's made with lithium soap and that's what I'd use on basic metal to metal applications, synthetic if you prefer to pay more. Try to find a multi-purpose lithium grease (simple or complex) and look for something rated for low temperatures as noted previously.


----------



## b00t (Oct 2, 2015)

thanks!

how come some machines use oil instead of grease? any disadvantages to grease vs oil?


----------



## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

b00t said:


> thanks!
> 
> how come some machines use oil instead of grease? any disadvantages to grease vs oil?


It's a matter of circumstance rather than preference, based on the lubricant's characteristics matched with the machine's design and operating conditions. In your particular case, it was probably anticipated that the area would not be easily accessed for frequent lubrication and grease would last longer than oil without the need to replenish. In other circumstances grease or oil could be used because one stays in place and the other moves around in a lubricating system. Other situations for grease may be sealed components like gearboxes which can never be lubricated or machinery under extreme conditions.


----------



## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

I'd be willing to bet someone took the pipe plug out and installed the zerk so grease could be used because the gearbox seals started leaking and that was a quick solution.

The only Ariens auger gearbox that I know of that uses grease("00" semi-liquid) is the later ones with the aluminum housing.I am not an Ariens expert,however.........


----------



## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

Some of the old cast iron Ariens gearboxes use hypoid gears, some use worn gears, which are usually bronze. There is an issue with some gear lube additive packages being corrosive to bronze ("yellow metal"). You could research this forever without finding a simple consensus.


----------



## b00t (Oct 2, 2015)

Thanks for the suggestions gentlemen. Should it be nlgi 00 grease or any low temp grease will work? I looked locally for some 00 grease and the search came up empty. Most of it is #2 nlgi grease in different applications


----------



## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

"Double-zero" grease is a semi-liquid.Any auto parts store stocks it.It comes in plastic squirt bottle like gear oil-not a cartridge.Therefore the grease fitting would have to be removed.Did you remove the zerk and take a sample of what's actually in the gearbox?It's usually not a good idea to mix grease types.

My father got an old Ariens in for service once that had oil in the gearbox but the owner lost the original plug and used a zerk in its place.

EDIT:I just took a look at the parts breakdown for both cast iron gearboxes and noticed something that would make me very leary of using grease in them-they have roller bearings on the input shaft.

Grease,in cold temperatures, is going to have a rough time keeping those well lubed in this situation-it won't flow easily enough,hence they used gear oil.The aluminum gearboxes have bushings on the input shaft-not as big of a problem.


----------



## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

b00t said:


> Thanks for the suggestions gentlemen. Should it be nlgi 00 grease or any low temp grease will work? I looked locally for some 00 grease and the search came up empty. Most of it is #2 nlgi grease in different applications


Generally speaking, grease temperature issues relate to high temps because of operating issues so finding a low temperature grease can be difficult. Having said that, I see you're in Toronto so I get your low temperature concerns. NLGI 2 should be OK for you although I'd be more comfortable with 1 or 1.5. (00 isn't necessary.) My suggestion is to visit an auto parts store and pick up what you need there. Grease that's fine for cars in Toronto should be fine for your snow thrower.

I don't see a need for synthetic grease in general situations but you may have more success in finding low temperature options if you consider synthetics. Their temperature ranges are much wider.


----------



## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

Tony P. said:


> .... NLGI 2 should be OK for you although I'd be more comfortable with 1 or 1.5. (00 isn't necessary.) .


If he's going to run grease in a gearbox intended for oil,00 grease would be the ideal choice.Myself,if the seals ARE leaking,I'd replace them and use gear oil as it was designed for-those roller bearings would probably last longer.

One of the general uses of 00 grease is gearboxes that are leaking bad enough that they'll no longer hold oil.


----------



## b00t (Oct 2, 2015)

hypothetically if I did want to switch back to gear oil what's the best way to get rid of all the grease inside the gear box?


----------

