1025R 54D deck gearbox is HOT

Slammer10 said:

Is it normal for the deck gearbox/auto connect shaft to be that hot? I can’t keep my hand on it after running it……it’s hot. Deck is adjusted properly and the carrier bearing is adjusted, deck can be installed/dropped very easily. Gearbox has the proper oil level in it but it’s a few years oil I’m guessing. Bought the unit last year and I doubt the old owner changed it. I am going to change it out to get fresh oil in there to see if that helps.

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Fresh oil is always good!
I've never touched mine but I do know that its turning 2000 rpms. I'd say heat is to be expected. Do you have an infrared thermometer that you can actually get a temp reading from it? I'd like to know what temp its getting to.

60D deck on 1025R. I have been mowing since 8AM, a bit over two hours. Unfortunately, I shut down the mower right at 15 minutes ago. I grabbed my infrared thermometer and checked when I read the question. My external gearbox temperature after 15 minutes of cooling down was 178 degrees. Ambient temperature right now is 86 degrees. Tractor temp was running about 3/4 up the temp gauge towards red, so I let it idle and cool down for around 10 minutes. While it was idling I got a cold drink and then checked GTT.

I'm probably this site's biggest critic / curmudgeon against the autoconnect pto assembly, just want to get that out of the way...
But there have been other members with the autoconnect pto on mowers that have experienced destroyed bearings on their mower gearbox. I would be HIGHLY suspicious that for some reason the autoconnect puts some kind of bad pressure on the input side bearing either if out of adjustment or otherwise. For example, pushing into the bearing. If this is a possibility I would check all your adjustments before you have to replace a $600 gearbox.

Normal operating temp for many oiled systems is far hotter than you can touch comfortably. 180-220F is perfectly fine temps for most common lubricating oils.

The mower gear box gets plenty warm after it has been used for a while. There's no directed air flow over the gear box to cool it down.

It may seem disconcerting but it's perfectly normal. Most people just never get anywhere close to it after it has been used .

Slammer10 said:

Is it normal for the deck gearbox/auto connect shaft to be that hot? I can’t keep my hand on it after running it……it’s hot. Deck is adjusted properly and the carrier bearing is adjusted, deck can be installed/dropped very easily. Gearbox has the proper oil level in it but it’s a few years oil I’m guessing. Bought the unit last year and I doubt the old owner changed it. I am going to change it out to get fresh oil in there to see if that helps.

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I know someone with a 1-series who hoses off their deck after mowing and the gearbox literally STEAMS when hit with the hose.

Ok, so I read this post last night, I did some mower deck maintenance yesterday and did 3 hours of mowing tonight with our 430 and 60” deck, I know it’s not a 1025r but more of an informational response to this post and with temperatures around 50* to 55*, I have a Fluke laser temp gun, gear box temp, 164*, pulley on the right side was running at 114*, pulley on the left side was 124*, I contributed this to the fact that the exhaust dumps out on the left side, middle pulley running around 120*, idler/tension pulley about 125*.
I trucked for myself for many years, I had temp gauges on the transmission and both rear drive axles, the tranny would run about 160 to 180 normal summer days and the rea drive axles would run around 180 to 190, gear boxes get warm!

Hopefully this will help someone concerned about gear box temps!

jgayman said:

I know someone with a 1-series who hoses off their deck after mowing and the gearbox literally STEAMS when hit with the hose.

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If you weren't counting me before...now you know two people

I keep checkin' the oil, looking at the magnet... no issues.

Mow more, worry less!