Toro super recycler busted gear

[kneedeepinsaws]

This happened to me a month ago. Pushing along and it just stopped. Wheel would not turn, took it apart abs found this.
The mower was bought two months ago. I’m really happy with it but was surprised that the gear shattered… bad casting maybe? Or do you think the pins that hold it to the wheel came loose? warranty is 5 years and they repaired it, I got back last week.
Anyone have any ideas how this happened? I would like to prevent 3 weeks of downtime if I can.

 

[Mike C.]

I'll take a guess.

Judging by how much crud there is around the small drive gear,I'd be willing to bet some dirt/grass mixture was built up on the teeth.When the pressure exerted from lack of clearance became great enough,the force created shattered the wheel gear,the more fragile of the two..

That's the problem with gobbing gears like that up with lube or grease-it can't shed the dirt to self clean.Kinda' the same deal with folks greasing/oiling the axle shafts on push mowers with plastic wheels.The lube just attracts dirt and grinds the plastic to death.Take them off once and a while,clean off the dirt and reinstall dry-they last longer.

 

[Dub11]

Is this the 20332?

I have one a picked it up used with a belt that fell off with the owner think it was the transmission that was buster.

I gave it a new belt and blade and it's been flawless.

 

[kneedeepinsaws]

I'll take a guess.

Judging by how much crud there is around the small drive gear,I'd be willing to bet some dirt/grass mixture was built up on the teeth.When the pressure exerted from lack of clearance became great enough,the force created shattered the wheel gear,the more fragile of the two..

That's the problem with gobbing gears like that up with lube or grease-it can't shed the dirt to self clean.Kinda' the same deal with folks greasing/oiling the axle shafts on push mowers with plastic wheels.The lube just attracts dirt and grinds the plastic to death.Take them off once and a while,clean off the dirt and reinstall dry-they last longer.

So are you saying you recommend running the gears dry?
There is a plastic cover that has a 1/8” or so gap around all of the edges. This is where I think dirt is getting in, what if I were to seal that? I’ll have to pull it off and take a closer look to see if sealing it up is possible.