What lubricant is in the gears of hand mixers

Hello, Alice -

The motor for your mixer may need lubrication or some kind of repair.

The posts on this online forum may prove helpful:
https://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=421826

Also, read the advice in this blog:
https://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/04/how-to-repair-a-kitchenaid-mixer-yourself.html
A link in the blog will lead to:
http://artisanbreadbaking.com/ka_greasing/
which provides step-by-step instructions to opening the mixer, cleaning the operating parts, greasing the gears (with food grade lubricant), and other repair tips. Note: You can probably find food grade lubricant at a restaurant supply store.

This is the link to a Sears website where you may be able to locate replacement parts, if needed:
https://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/brands-products/Kitchenaid-Parts/Stand-Mixer-Parts

Best wishes.

From what you describe, it sound like the mixer has seen better days. It may be possible to take it apart and service it, but I think you are better off replaceing it with a new one.

I came across a manual for a Blakeslee f-40 60 80 and here is what it said. Hope this helps

Lubrication
The planetary and spiral-beveled gears are self-lubricated for life. The lubrication used is micromly grease and must be re-applied if gears are replaced. The transmission uses Mobil "delvic 1" synthetic oil which should last the normal life of the mixer. No lubrication is required for the auxiliary drive hub.
If lubrication is applied to the auxiliary hub a grease-like substance will possibly leak out causing damage to the product.
Applications of any lubrication will Void Warranty.

berkelsalesservice.com/PDFs/DD-40_60_80.pdf

Hi BCPSBT. You say your mixer growls at slow speed. It could be that it’s time for an oil (lubrication) change. KA packs your mixer’s transmission with enough grease to ‘last a lifetime’, but depending on the age (in this case a middle-age appliance) and usage (you don’t indicate) of your mixer the grease breaks down into its constituent parts: oil and additives. Over time, the additives will thicken and provide less lubrication to the transmission gears and this is probably what is occurring now.
If you are DITY type person, feel adventurous, and your mixer is not under warranty you can troubleshoot it yourself. Be sure you have the Parts List manual on hand. If you are lacking one, you can download it from the KA website http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home.
Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals & Guides> and select “Consumer” for User Type, then enter the 6 character Model Number, in your case use K45SSW select Parts List (1) and then check to see it this matches your mixer model.
Turn to pages 4 & 5 for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with all the parts. For starters, you should consider reordering the gasket (Illus. No 19) and O-ring (Illus. No 34). With the mixer apart and transmission exposed, you should be able to confirm how well the lubrication grease is distributed and doing its job. Also, once apart you can check for any other unseemly wear and tear on the gears, including the planetary and agitator shaft gears.
When you re-grease the gears and assemblies, you should use a food-grade grease that you can order online (although I’ve seen automotive bearing grease used too – your call).
As far as parts go, here are five potential online vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com; mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com and Grainger.com (for grease). Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do some comparison shopping.
Finally, here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer.

• http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/discussions/kitchen-aid.htm
• http://www.neilcrockett.com/mixer.htm
• http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/04/how-to-repair-a-kitchenaid-mixer-yourself.html

Between these three websites, their excellent pictures, descriptions, and your Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble and reassemble your mixer, should you decide to go that route.
Good luck and have fun. I hope this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution was helpful, please rate it, thanks! – hslincoln

Hi CONTACT_TOS. I’m not sure what removable cap you are referring to, unless you are referring to the two plastic caps with screwdriver indents on opposites sides of the head? Do not remove them. Those are Brush Holder Caps for access to the electric motor brushes. You do not want to remove them unless you are replacing the brushes.
Why do you want to add lubrication to your mixer? The internal gears of your mixer are factory packed with enough grease to last a 'lifetime'. Unless your mixer is quite old; greater than 10 years, you shouldn’t have to replace any transmission lubricant. Your mixer’s transmission lubricant (grease) does break down over time and usage into its components; basically oil and suspension additives, and sometimes your mixer might leak a little oil that has seeped beyond the transmission gasket and found its way out of the mixer. Gravity can be very insidious. But even then, if the amount of oil you find leaking is small and your mixer seems to be operating normally, you needn’t worry about the replacing the lost lubricant.
If you still wish to check or replace the lubricant, that’s OK, too. It never hurts to get under the ‘hood’ of your mixer and see how it all works. Before you get started though, it would be helpful to have the Parts List manual on hand. If you're lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website at: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home.
Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals & Guides> and select “Consumer” for User Type, then enter the 6 character Model Number, in your case use KSM50P (Your K5SS mixer falls within this manual), and select the first file KSM50P.pdf (438.31 KB) listed under Parts List (4). (Check to verify this matches your mixer model.)
Turn to pages 4 & 5 titled: “Case, Gearing & Planetary Unit,” for the disassembly, troubleshooting, and reassembly of your mixer’s transmission gears, along with all the parts. It can get quite messy but be gratifying to diagnose and repair your mixer yourself.
Once apart you can check for any unseemly wear and tear on the gears, etc. You may also want to consider replacing all the grease, particularly if debris is suspended in it.
Besides any replacement grease you might consider replacing the gasket (Illus. No. 26), too. I recommend using a food-grade grease that you can order online (although I’ve seen automotive bearing grease used too – your call).
Here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/greasing and reassembly of a KA Mixer. The mixers displayed in the links are different KA models, but the principles are the same.

• http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/discussions/kitchen-aid.htm
• http://www.neilcrockett.com/mixer.htm
• http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/04/how-to-repair-a-kitchenaid-mixer-yourself.html

Between these three websites and their excellent pictures and descriptions and your Parts List manual, you should now be able to completely disassemble and reassemble your mixer along with replacing the lubricant if you wish to.
Good luck and have fun. I hope this helps. Howard, Burke, VA
If this solution has helped you, please rate it. – hslincoln

Hi,

It sounds like the Planetary Gear assy. has gear lubricant leaking into it from the gear case above it. This may not be that unusual so there may be 2 possibilities or a combination of both. The Gear Case is directly above the Planetary Gear assy. It is filled (sort of) with a food grade (assuming...I hope) grease that is necessary to keep things lubed. There are fiber washers and possibly an o-ring in the shaft assembly which should keep the grease from migrating toward your food. The Planetary Gear assy. is the part that rotates around on the business end of the mixer. It has a bronze bearing that is intended to run without lubrication. However it is a wear point and if worn sufficiently, could allow escape lubricant from the gear case above to drip into your mix. The Kitchen Aid Service Manual is a good source of info. You can get it as well as complete diagrams of the internal parts at:
http://www.goodmans.net/get_item_ka-4162075_kitchenaid-mixer-4162075-planetary.htm

You can also get parts and the KitchenAid Service Manual.pdf at:
http://www.mendingshed.com/kitaidparts.html

I know if it was my mixer, I'd give it a look. They're good tools and worth the effort!

Good luck.

DZII

It's the gear lubricant. It's food grade so no panic of contaminated food required. When it is all done leaking you may need to buy a new mixer or order a repair kit and open it up before the gears get ruined. - good luck- Ned-

If you have oil leaking from the attachment hub, the transmission grease has liquified. The transmission will need to be opened so the old lubricant can be removed, by scooping it out. There aren't any seals in the attachment hub, just two torrington needle bearings. The helical gears thrust the pinion gear onto a thrust bearing in the hub to create a seal. The hub has a return hole in it's casting for excess lube to return internally. It's possible the return hole is restricted. On the other hand, if the machine has been filled with oil, it will probably leak like a siv.
The new lube should be 35 OZ of mobil XPH 222,
Hobart part number is 103881-47 for 32OZ.

This kind of unit are lubricated with grase paste. If the unit stays inactive for a long time, or if the motor and gears are overheating the grease paste gets melted into thin oil, and that will cause leaks.

To lubricate the unit, you need to spread again the grease in the gearbox, using special foodsafe grease paste.
Disassemblying the gear box is not that easy, you will need previous experience and a gear puller to do the job properly and safely.
This appliances are also held with security screws to prevent the users from taking apart the unit, and can only be disassembled using a Security screwdriver tip.

The grease can be purchased here, check at the bottom of the page: Kenwood chef food mixer Grease.

use a lithium based gear grease