NH 259 rake questions

[JDKelly]

Hey guy's. I've got a 259 rake that I've been using for a little while. It works great but needs the usual like tires and paint. It has the rubber teeth but I thought about getting the clips and spring teeth as the rubber ones start to come apart. I REALLY don't want to try to cut one of those teeth with my JD square balers knives...

I'd like to disassemble, blast, and paint the thing to make it look new again. It seems the 259 is no-where near as common a rake as the 256 is. Other than the width and number of teeth I bet most parts are interchangeable.

One question I have is about the gearbox. This is probably the most expensive and maintenance specific part on this rake. Mine appears to be filled with grease. I thought they were supposed to be filled with oil. I think I remember reading somewhere that the oil is hard to keep in these gearboxes so most people go to just using grease to lube the gears. While it's apart I'll probably take the gearbox somewhat apart to check it out and could replace seals if I needed to as well as fill with oil if that is the preferred method.
 

[yessam]

When we bought our 256 the book said to fill the gearbox with grease that what we always did.
 

[chuck41]

Hi, NH issued bulletins to us dealers (in 80's)?
preferring grease rather than oil. Chuck
 

[495man]

Grease in gearbox of our 256.
 

[Don-Wi]

You'd be surprised what a baler will cut through. Our Massey #12 found a hay hook that was lost previously in the field and cut through where the handle is, so it cut 2 peices instead of 1. Baler looked just fine. Welded the handle back on the hook and used it.

Donovan from Wisconsin