# How much grease goes into a rear tine tiller?



## Gocart

My dad gave me his craftsman rear tine tiller (Model #917.293310). Yippee!! Now here is the bad part... he was in hurricane Rita and the tiller was completely submerged in water. The lever that selects forward and revers is stuck. This lever goes directly into the gear box. I open the gear box (I had to completely disassembled the entire tiller in order to open it) and water spills out. Well I am in the process of cleaning all the gears and chain. My question is how much grease do I put back into the gear box.


----------



## LowRider

since its chain driven, bet you oil goes in it not grease. but i don't know anything about this tiller. i would look for a drain plug (bolt) on the bottom of the trans on both sides to double check and there is probably a bolt or plug at top where the oil goes in.


----------



## Gocart

LowRider said:


> since its chain driven, bet you oil goes in it not grease. but i don't know anything about this tiller. i would look for a drain plug (bolt) on the bottom of the trans on both sides to double check and there is probably a bolt or plug at top where the oil goes in.


There is no drain plug. Nothing in the owner's manual about grease, but the pink stuff is definately grease. I have since removed all the gears and cleaned them in solvent and replaced them. I just need to get a new gasket and figure out how much grease, perhaps just coat everything in grease?


----------



## LowRider

i would wait for someone to come along and check the model for you


----------



## paulr44

This looks a lot like an MTD. I'll try and check it and re-post. You'll need something probably like 00 grease or 90w, which will carry up the chain and lube the upper areas. I doubt bearing grease is a good idea.


----------



## paulr44

Lowrider, 917. in the model designates the unit was made by Roper. They were bought out, and my Murray source shows the numbers as valid so it's now under the auspice of Briggs & Stratton Power Products, or BPP for short.
The grease the box calls for is called PLASTILUBE #1, part number 6066J. My dist. has it in stock, going rate will be from about $12 to $15 a tube. Don't know how much to tell you it needs, nor how much is in a tube.
You can go to Sears.com and look parts up for yourself. The part numbers Sears uses are the OEM part numbers so you can source them from a Briggs dealer too.
Paul


----------



## newz7151

paulr44 said:


> Lowrider, 917. in the model designates the unit was made by Roper. They were bought out, and my Murray source shows the numbers as valid so it's now under the auspice of Briggs & Stratton Power Products, or BPP for short.
> The grease the box calls for is called PLASTILUBE #1, part number 6066J. My dist. has it in stock, going rate will be from about $12 to $15 a tube. Don't know how much to tell you it needs, nor how much is in a tube.
> You can go to Sears.com and look parts up for yourself. The part numbers Sears uses are the OEM part numbers so you can source them from a Briggs dealer too.
> Paul


"917" is the AYP/Husqvarna prefix. A Briggs distributor will likely have it, because most of the Briggs distributors are part of the IDN of which Briggs and AYP/Husqvarna also belong, so a distributor that is a central for Briggs is almost always a central or upper level AYP distributor.


----------



## 30yearTech

Those transmissions generally call for an EP-1 grease as they are prone to get moisture in them, even if they are not submerged by a hurricane.


----------



## paulr44

Roper - they were bought out/absorbed. So was Noma, W.R. Grace, Sunbeam, Snapper, Lawn-Boy, Simplicity, Ryan-IDC, Weedeater, Gardenway, Gilson,Wisconsin Marine, Homelite, Poulan, Atlas, Reo, Wheel-Horse, RedMax, Bob-Cat, Partner, McCulloch, Tanaka, Tecumseh, Teledyne, Continental & the list goes on.
Murray ended up owning a lot, and B&S owns that now.


----------



## newz7151

paulr44 said:


> Roper - they were bought out/absorbed. So was Noma, W.R. Grace, Sunbeam, Snapper, Lawn-Boy, Simplicity, Ryan-IDC, Weedeater, Gardenway, Gilson,Wisconsin Marine, Homelite, Poulan, Atlas, Reo, Wheel-Horse, RedMax, Bob-Cat, Partner, McCulloch, Tanaka, Tecumseh, Teledyne, Continental & the list goes on.
> Murray ended up owning a lot, and B&S owns that now.


What the hell are you typing? :freak:

The 917 prefix in a Sears number is an old AYP now Husqvarna AB unit. If you want a Sears by MTD, go find a model that starts with 247.
The Poulan and Weedeater brand is under Husqvarna, along with McCulloch and Redmax.
The old Gardenway stuff is now MTD owned.
Wheel-Horse, Gilson and Lawnboy are Toro brands, and Toro owns Toro.


----------



## FixIt

Use a lot.
I have mine wide open right now because I need to replace a broken tine shaft.
I have a picture looking down into the gear box.
Let me know if you would like to see it.


----------



## Gocart

Yes post a picture. Also, the shifter (F-N-R) was rusted pretty good. I cleaned everything , but the steel ball is a little pitted. I can not change gears on the shifter with my hand. I have to tap it on the floor for it to disengage from one position and move to the next. Is this normal or is this due to the pitted steel ball?


----------



## FixIt

Gocart said:


> Yes post a picture. Also, the shifter (F-N-R) was rusted pretty good. I cleaned everything , but the steel ball is a little pitted. I can not change gears on the shifter with my hand. I have to tap it on the floor for it to disengage from one position and move to the next. Is this normal or is this due to the pitted steel ball?


I can't say what is normal since this is the only tiller I have ever disassembled.
I know shifting gears by hand in the gearbox is nearly impossible. It is probably designed to stay in place so it doesn't pop out of gear while using the machine. When the machine is fully assembled, the rod/ handle mounted shifter provide a lot more torque to change gears than your hand can.

I don't have the picture with me here at work. I'll bring it with me next week and post it then.


----------



## FixIt

*Picture*

Picture is attached. Sorry it took so long. I hope it helps.


----------



## Gocart

Thanks. I put mine back together this past weekend, but I messed up and it dont turn. I think there is suppossed to be 2 washers under the biggest sprocket, mine only has one at the moment. I hope I did not loose it. I made the mistake of opening it up and then waiting 2 weeks to close it back up, so my memory is a little foggy. Thanks for the pic.


----------



## FixIt

Mine's been open for 3 weeks now and I'm sure I will struggle with reassembly. I think I will be able to verify the gearing is working prior to full assembly of the unit by manually turning the shaft the motor wheel connects to.


----------



## DasWulf

i'm working on a sears model 917299130 tiller gear box right now thats been apart for a good many years that had a broken reverse gear. i have the manual and it sais that it takes 8 oz. minimum of grease plastilube No.1
the picture looks the same as what i'm working on so it may be the same.
also ,searspartsdirect.com , has been very helpfull in getting the parts i've needed, and they have schematics to help out. so if you have a model # you would be good.


----------



## lynx1959

For exploded view of trans go to Sears parts direct. Model #917.294270. I just received parts today to replace shift fork. Mfg left out "O" ring that that goes on post under the red selector and it rusted tight. Tried heat but no go. Had to drill it out. Will be putting it back together tomorrrow. Will be greasing the heck out of it. Manual calls for adding 1 oz of EP grease each season via grease fitting.


----------



## Jarhead#1

*Looks like I've got to do mine too...*

I had a shop charge 800 dollars, and they said it was way too complicated, they would only replace it. Looked around, prices have dropped! I could have purchased a new one for the repair price! My original transmission was #170306 for my Model #917.294270. The replacement is 188240, and the price is under 240.00 shipped. I think I'm going to try and repair it, the wheels stopped turning, tines still turn. Either way I have to take the rototiller apart, since everything hooks to it. The photos don't look so complicated.

The manual description is:
7.0 HP 19 INCH TINE WIDTH REAR TINE WITH DUAL COUNTER-ROTATING TINES TILLER

I've seen similar models with dual counter-rotating tines, others don't list counter-rotating, so does this mean each blade set rotates a different way in those models?

The Briggs&Stratton engine model number is 121402-0194-E1 for anyone that needs it. The IPB for it is found in the 121400 Model Series list, I finally replaced the ignition coil and she starts like a champ now.

When I crack open the transmission, which side should I lay down the RH or LH as listed in the attached thumbnails?


----------

