Which port is the original on this QQ42A 90 Degree Gearbox

[mjs2011]

I've got a QA42A snow thrower, and it has the gear box with the cast cover plate with the threaded port in it to add gear oil. However, my plate has 2 threaded ports in it, at different heights. I assume one of the ports was added by a previous owner.

So my question is, which of the two ports is the original port that I should fill the fluid level to. The lower or upper port? I'm in the process of putting a new bearing and output shaft in the gearbox, as the current shaft keyway was FUBARed pretty good. When I'm done, I plan to fill the box with 80w-90 Gear Oil. I'm just wondering which port is the correct port for the fluid depth.

Pictures attached.

[darkminion_17]

Are you sure it is a qa42a? There are no plugs on my 2.

[mjs2011]

Originally Posted by darkminion_17

Are you sure it is a qa42a? There are no plugs on my 2.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure its a QA42A. The name plate is worn beyond being legible so I cant say for sure. Its mounted on my wide frame 1450, and the thrower housing is more square than the round sided CW series throwers.

The QA snowthrower manual makes mention of either a sealed gear box or one with an oil level plug. It seems from my research that the gear box with the oil level plug is less common, as I only see photos of stamped steel cover plate gearboxes online. These are the grease filled sealed units I believe, vs my unit that is meant to have gear oil in it. My understanding was that stamped steel cover plates were on the sealed grease filled boxes, and the cast plates with drain plug were on the gear oil filled boxes. I have the latter, but my cover plate has 2 plugs, so I'm curious which fill port is the correct gear oil level.


Page 16 in the manual linked below.

http://ccmanuals.info/pdf/QA%2036A%2...s%20Manual.pdf

Here's some more photos of my snow thrower as well. Its a 4 paddle thrower, so I do believe its a qa42a.

[mjs2011]

Well I found this listing for a qa36/qa42 gearbox with some pictures. Listing seems to be gone but the photos remain, and it appears that the lower plug is the original plug.

https://picclick.com/Cub-Cadet-QA36-...550052215.html

I'll embed the photo too incase the link above goes down.

Anyway, I'd guess that the previous owner of my tractor added another port to simply make filling it with new grease easier? Open both ports, fill form the top until fluid drains from the lower. Figured I'd post the findings here incase anyone else was looking into something similar.

[ol'George]

That is the older style gear box.
Some ppl use 80/90 gear oil, others use corn head grease, still others use
a 50-50 mix of both.
I always figures if it don't leak you can use the gear oil, if it leaks,
pack it plum full of grease.

[R Bedell]

Some ppl use 80/90 gear oil, others use corn head grease, still others use a 50-50 mix of both. I always figures if it don't leak you can use the gear oil, if it leaks, pack it plum full of grease.

I second that.

[coakes00]

I'm no way an expert on QA snow throwers but on the QA36 I have and the others I've been around, they all have 4 bolts in different positions that hold them to the subframe and they have stamped covers. Is that an older gearbox modded to fit? I can't see them changing to a cast cover since that would be more expensive to produce. When I rebuilt mine, I did the 50/50 method and added a grease zerk to the top so I can add in a pump or 2 of fresh cornhead grease every so often.

[ol'George]

As I said in an earlier post,
I believe the 3 mounting bolt with cast cover is the earliest gearbox.
But I learn new things every day.

[coakes00]

Originally Posted by ol'George

As I said in an earlier post,
I believe the 3 mounting bolt with cast cover is the earliest gearbox.
But I learn new things every day.

Sorry, I must have not read that line in your post. I've just been confused since it's on a quiet line wf that means it must be a QA36\42A, which is newer than the plain QA36\42 since they were nf only. So would that gearbox probably have come off a CW snow thrower or older tiller? I've only ever been around my snow thrower and a handful of others so I'm just trying to learn more about them too.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by coakes00

Sorry, I must have not read that line in your post. I've just been confused since it's on a quiet line wf that means it must be a QA36\42A, which is newer than the plain QA36\42 since they were nf only. So would that gearbox probably have come off a CW snow thrower or older tiller? I've only ever been around my snow thrower and a handful of others so I'm just trying to learn more about them too.

The snow thrower and tiller gear boxes are the same castings or housings if you prefer, but the gears are a different tooth count to make the ratio's different.
so if the thrower works properly, it prolly is a thrower gear box ratio.
During the last 40 some years, anyone could of swapped/switched/replaced gear boxes.
Any time you can get a good set of gears or box, snag it as the gears are NLA.
They are worth a $100 give take depending on the season.

Not a nice thing when yer up to yer ass in snow on a Zero degree day, and the auger tries to swaller the neighbor kids tricycle or your see-ment block you used as a jack stand last june and just left on the side of the walk around the garage.
All of a sudden the auger quits turning and yer gear box needs an orthodontist to replace some teeth inside that are not available.
As they say,
da roof no leakie on a sunny day