IronHorse Worm Gearbox DIY Install & Maintenance from AutomationDirect

In this How To video, we will cover the DIY basic install and maintenance of our IronHorse Cast Iron and Aluminum Worm Gearboxes. Before we get started lets discuss safety. Prior to working on any mechanical or electrical device, please make sure you are wearing proper PPE. To minimize the risk of potential safety problems, you should follow all applicable local and national codes that regulate the installation, maintenance and operation of your equipment. Worm gearboxes are more commonly used where large gear reductions are required. The design allows the worm to turn the gear, but the gear cannot turn the worm giving a braking or locking style feature. If you notice, both of our IronHorse Worm Gearboxes contain a worm (gear type) on the input shaft, and a mating gear on the output shaft. Worm Gearboxes also change the drive direction by 90 degrees. Our IronHorse CAST-IRON Worm Gearboxes are offered with right hand and dual (both right and left) output shafts, and with hollow-bore outputs and are available with optional gearbox mounting bases for ease of installation. Our IronHorse ALUMINUM Gearboxes feature hollow-bore outputs (hollow all the way through from one side to the other). These gearboxes also utilize C-face mounting interfaces for trouble-free connections to C-face motors. We also offer optional single and double output shafts, output flanges, torque arms, and output covers. Keep in mind, these Aluminum Gearboxes are the lowest cost and the lightest weight, but are not designed to be operated 24/7 under stressful loads. It is important to determine your application needs by specs and not by price! If you are trying to select the proper gearbox for your application, please refer to our IronHorse Gearbox Selection video, the Selection Guide or call our Free, Award winning technical support. These can all be found on our website at AutomationDirect.com. In the following discussions, I refer to the user manual. You can find this manual on our website at AutomationDirect.com. Prior to Installation, we need to decide: how will the gearbox be mounted in order to determine the placement of the vent plug and what hardware and accessories will be required for proper mounting. First, we inspect the gearbox for any damage that may have occurred during shipment. Clean the gearbox if needed now and during maintenance. Do not allow chemicals on the seals as they can cause seals to deteriorate and leak. Currently our Cast Iron models include a brass vent plug like this one, while aluminum models look like this one. Not all applications with our Aluminum Gearboxes will allow a vent plug to be installed since there are only one or two plug locations in the case depending on size. Fortunately many Aluminum Gearbox applications don't require a case vent due to lighter loads, the use of synthetic gear lubricant and excellent heat dissipation properties of aluminum. If you are using an Aluminum Gearbox and your application would benefit from installing a vent plug, we encourage you to install one. The vent plugs included with our gearboxes are not attached for shipping purposes. Once we determine the gearbox mounting orientation, we can determine where the vent plug should be installed. The vent plug should be installed in the uppermost position as stated in the user manual. Mounting instructions can be found in the user manual in this chart. It is suggested to NOT mount Cast Iron Gearboxes with the motor down as shown in graphic F. As shown in the user manual, Aluminum Gearboxes may be mounted with the motor down. This same chart informs the user how much oil should be in the gearbox depending on mounting orientation. All IronHorse Worm Gearboxes are tested and filled with Mobil SHC 634 synthetic lubricant prior to shipping. The oil quantity prior to shipping is the amount required for mounting in orientation graphic A. Oil must be added or partially drained depending upon your mounting orientation. Make sure you don't add too much oil because it will cause overheating and can cause seals to leak while too little oil will result in gear failure. To insure the proper amount of oil, mount the gearbox, determine the vent plug location and fill or drain the oil to the proper amount recommended in the user manual. It is very important to use the proper lubricant when adding or changing the oil. Synthetic oils should be changed every 6000 hours of operation or every two years whichever comes first. It is recommended to use an anti-seize compound on hollow output shafts. Once the gearbox is installed and tested the gearbox temperatures should be monitored during break- in. If the temperature exceeds 225 degrees Fahrenheit, check for overloads, high ambient temperatures and proper venting. You can find the specs for these IronHorse Worm Gearboxes on our website at: www.automationdirect.com Don't forget: we sell Helical Gearboxes, Motors, Motor controls and more. If you need any help with selecting a gearbox or have questions, please contact Automation Directs free, award winning Technical support team during regular business hours, they will be happy to help. And don't forget the forums. There are lots of folks there that love to share their years of experience. Just don't post questions directed at Automation Directs Technical support staff there, they do not monitor the forums on a regular basis. Thanks for watching and we hope to see you again soon.