Check the gear box for gear oil before using.
Sometimes those seals can give out with age, and the oil can drain out. If that happens, the gears inside will get hot, and you'll end up getting a new gear box. They aren't cheap.
Should be a plug nut at the top of the gear box for adding/checking oil level.
This! Though some smaller ones have a plug on the side to check the level and plug at the top to add.
I'm pretty good at checking but I was in a rush a couple of weeks ago and didn't. It had never been low or changed level before. This was the first time I'd used it this spring. Not sure I would have caught it checking at the start, there was no evidence of gear oil on the gravel under where it was stored all winter so I'm guessing it happened either the last time I used it or during this time. ....sigh.....either way, my fault...
