[TowerTalk] FW: US Tower gearbox

Sat Sep 24 05:49:27 EDT 2016

Hi Jeff,

I have found a variety of replacement vent caps at McMaster-Carr.

Matt
KM5VI

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jeff
Draughn
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2016 8:27 PM
To: Tower Talk <TowerTalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] US Tower gearbox

After reading this thread and a couple of others on the list I decided that
I should service the gearbox on my HDX 555. I bought it used and I hate to
admit it but really hadn't given the gearbox much thought.

I ordered the mobile SHC 630 from McMaster Carr. It was exactly half price
from anywhere I could find it locally. Thanks for the tip!

I took out the bottom plug in the gearbox and I knew I was in trouble when
water started running out before I got the plug out. What a mess it looked
like mud coming out along with some water but just a thick brown mess!
I poured some of the new oil in a couple of times and let it drain. I filled
it up to the side plug then put the plug in and added more, closed it all up
and I'm going to let it set for a few days since they are calling for rain.
I guess I will drain it down to the side plug then run it just a little bit
to shake things up and drain it all out then fill it back up. From what
little I could see the gears look to be in good shape and I did not see any
metal in what drained out.

I noticed in the top it appeared that the plug had a ball in it and a few
tiny holes I assume for venting purposes. There was some rust buildup around
the ball so I'm thinking that's where the water was getting in.
There are no signs of oil leakage so I'm guessing it must be coming in
there.

I put a plastic pop bottle over that and taped it in place because of the
coming rains.

I assume I can order a new vent plug any other suggestions to help mitigate
any damage or to further clean out the gearbox?

Thanks,
Jeff

On Friday, September 9, 2016, Bob K6UJ <k6uj at pacbell.net> wrote:

> 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
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk