[TowerTalk] US Tower gearbox

[Bob K6UJ]

My Hub City box on the UST HDX589 has one plug near the bottom and only 
one more
on the side near the top.  No plug on the topside.
Hub City said never to fill past the upper plug.
There is a flushing fluid as Jim mentioned.  Or you can simply flush 
with a quart
of the synthetic lube you are going to use. That's what I did.  I asked 
Hub City about this and they said fine and
when flushing, run the worm gear for a little, raise and lower the tower 
a little ways, until the gearbox gets warm, then drain.
The important thing is only flush with the correct flushing fluid or the 
synthetic lube. You want to purge as much as you can of the old gear 
lube. The synthetic lube is not compatible with the original gear lube.

Lastly, you will notice about half an inch or so of the old lube that 
wont drain out because the drain plug is up a little from the bottom of 
the case.  I stole my wifes turkey baster and put about 6 inches of 
clear plastic
tubing on the end and used it to suck out the remaining lube on the 
bottom.  Worked great.
(I got her a new baster, hihi)

Bob
K6UJ



On 9/8/16 8:00 AM, Jim Thomson wrote:
> Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2016 09:36:04 -0500
> From: Jeff Draughn <n0ost99 at gmail.com>
> To: John Holmes <w9ily at comcast.net>
> Cc: "towertalk at contesting.com" <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] US Tower gearbox
>
> I assume you drain the oil out the bottom all I see is an Allen head screw
> is that the drain?
> Same on the top.. I assume again that is the fill.
> Do you just fill to the top or is there a way to check the level? Tower is
> UST HDX-555.
> Thanks for any info
> Jeff
> N0OST
>
> ##  Whoa.   There are  THREE plugs, one on the bottom, one on the top, and one
> on the side,  close to the top.  Remove the top and side plugs..and fill till the oil
> comes out the side plug, then install  both side and top plugs.
>
> ##  Only time u fill  right to the extreme top is if tower is horizontal for long periods of times,
> like being stored.   IF you only fill to side plug, and stored horizontal, the gears will be  sitting in
> mid air.   IF filled to extreme top, then no air pockets, and all gears fully immersed in oil.
> Of course, when taken outa  horizontal storage, top and then side plugs removed..and let excess oil
> flow out the side plug.... then install  side and top plugs.
>
> ## Im pretty sure if swapping from dino oil to synthetic oil, there is a proper flushing liquid to be used,
> after the dino oil is dumped out.   Flushing liquid is then dumped, let drain for a while, then new synthetic
> used.
>
> Jim   VE7RF
>
>
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