mtd4now

HI Everyone,

   1st post, so please bear with me.  I have a one year old MTD Pro 10 HP, 29" snowthrower.  After a couple of usages this winter the rear wheels locked up.  After tearing it apart, I noticed a 16/44 gear was rusted to the shaft.  I have removed it, and will be paying $50.00 for a new one that doesn't have rusty needle bearings in it.  But my question is, How often should I be greasing the shafts and gears in the transmission, what type of grease would you recommend, and how do you keep it from getting on the friction wheel which is a few inches from the transmission gears.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me ... 

Nick