[TowerTalk] US Tower gearbox

[Bob K6UJ]

OK.
Skip recabled my tower about 8 years ago and replaced
several sheaves.  He mentioned changing the gearbox lube.
I decided to do that myself.   Glad I changed the lube,
the old lube looked pretty bad when I drained it.
BTW, my gearbox name plate is also upside down.
Evidently  they can be mounted in different orientations
as long as the worm gears are immersed in the lube.

Bob
K6UJ


On 9/9/16 6:56 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
> Mine is a 281 series IIRC.  It basically has the
> same set of design elements, but they are just
> arranged differently.  There are two drain plugs
> at the same height.  You use the one that is
> easier to get at.  The one that is under the
> chain guard would be the one you use to completely
> fill up the box when storing horizontally.  In
> the horizontal position, this plug is on top.
> At least I guess that was what they intended.
>
> 73
> Rick N6RK
>
> On 9/8/2016 8:46 PM, Bob K6UJ wrote:
>> Rick,
>>
>> Cant figure out what you have.
>> Evidently we have different series of the of Hub City worm gear boxes.
>> My HDX589 has a Hub City 321 series box.
>> Here's some pics.  The fill plug is about 2/3 up the side and the drain
>> plug is
>> down near the bottom on the other side of the case.
>>
>> https://k6uj.shutterfly.com
>>
>>
>> Bob
>> K6UJ
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 9/8/16 9:17 AM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> On 9/8/2016 8:00 AM, Jim Thomson wrote:
>>>
>>>> ##  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.
>>>>
>>>
>>> How are you defining "top" vs "bottom"?  On my HDX-5106, the gear
>>> box appears to be mounted "upside down:  The name plate
>>> printing reads upside down and the embossed "Hub City"
>>> on one of the surfaces reads upside down.  This is the
>>> way UST engineered it.  IMHO, UST installed it correctly
>>> irregardless of the orientation of the text.  I don't
>>> think it would make sense to mount it with the text upright.
>>>
>>> Having said that, on my tower, such as it is, there are two plugs
>>> near the surface of the hub city box that faces the ground. These
>>> are at about the same level, like I could use either one to drain.
>>> There would be a couple of inches of oil remaining to be sucked
>>> out.  One is easily accessible and the other would require
>>> removing the safety guard over the chain.  The third plug is
>>> just about midway between top and bottom, however those terms are
>>> defined.
>>>
>>> When Skip changed the oil for me 4 years ago, I believe he filled
>>> through the 3rd hole and just put in oil until it dripped out through
>>> this hole.
>>>
>>> In order for my gearbox to meet the description of the plugs
>>> you gave, it would have to be mounted so the text is "vertical"
>>> and the shafts are vertical instead of horizontal.  Vertical shafts
>>> would totally not work on this tower.
>>>
>>> Any comments?
>>>
>>> Rick N6RK
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
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>>
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>