Spindle bearings.

I have always wanted to know why they use sealed bearing in blade spindles and not a two piece roller bearing.

So here is my test.
Putting bearing and a race in a mtd housing with a ayp shaft ( yes I use mtd housing on my ayp decks because they are better )
First test was to press the race in without cracking the housing. Passed
I am still going to use the spacer that goes between the two bearings so I can still get the pulley and blade as tight as it needs to be without over tightening the bearings.

Going to put this housing on the left side and keep the right side with new sealed bearings.
I will run it like this until the bearing start going bad on one side. If the sealed bearings go out first I will install new ones and swap the housing left to right.

I will try and keep this updated

Re: Spindle bearings

My 52 in toro had tapperd roller bearings in the deck spindles, They were very easy to fix if I caught them early, otherwise I had to press out the race and install a new one.

I have seen them on industrial machines with cast housings. But never on a riding mower with aluminum housings.
I guess what I am trying to find out is if they will last longer. I believe they will.

Re: Spindle bearings

It is a cost factor as sealed ball bearings installed into basically a light duty housing is the least expensive way for a manufacturer to go.
Tapered roller bearings being more expensive and requiring a stronger housing also need to be setup so they are preloaded against each other to keep the rollers traveling with acceptable radial and axial movement. They also need to be sealed at both ends of the spindle shaft so they can be lubricated and keep sufficient amounts of the lubrication in the vital places as they turn at fairly high RPM for sustained periods of time and under adverse conditions.
I mowed for many years with Case/Ingersoll GT riders. These machines had and still have two sealed ball bearings installed into a cast iron spindle housing against snap rings with a machined spacer that is fitted close to the spindle shaft and somewhat preloading the ID of the bearing when assembled correctly. I generally replaced these bearings at 500 hour intervals on both of my Ingersoll decks which turned out to be every third season. I had installed grease fittings in the spindles to allow grease to fill the void space between the bearings which reduced moisture intrusion. Eventually Ingersoll installed the grease fittings on replacement spindle housings suggesting the same.
My newest Ingersoll GT model 4018 is a 1989 with about 2,500 hours and the 2nd engine, still running strong although I now have Scag and Hustler Zero Turn machines.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Re: Spindle bearings

Carscw said:

View attachment 18261

I have always wanted to know why they use sealed bearing in blade spindles and not a two piece roller bearing.

So here is my test.
Putting bearing and a race in a mtd housing with a ayp shaft ( yes I use mtd housing on my ayp decks because they are better )
First test was to press the race in without cracking the housing. Passed
I am still going to use the spacer that goes between the two bearings so I can still get the pulley and blade as tight as it needs to be without over tightening the bearings.

Going to put this housing on the left side and keep the right side with new sealed bearings.
I will run it like this until the bearing start going bad on one side. If the sealed bearings go out first I will install new ones and swap the housing left to right.

I will try and keep this updated

Click to expand...

keep me posted :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: Spindle bearings

I tried removing the seals, and adding grease zerks on mine one time but it didnt really help much. Its the bearings these days they are made for an x amount of hrs, and then they crap out.

wjjones said:

I tried removing the seals, and adding grease zerks on mine one time but it didnt really help much. Its the bearings these days they are made for an x amount of hrs, and then they crap out.

Click to expand...

I agree they make things cheap knowing they will not last.

I have about 20 hours on my test mower of cutting tall thick grass working the mower hard. So far all is good.

Carscw said:

I agree they make things cheap knowing they will not last.

I have about 20 hours on my test mower of cutting tall thick grass working the mower hard. So far all is good.

Click to expand...

Maybe it will hold up ok.

UPDATE.


have replaced the sealed bearings twice.

The roller bearings are still as good as new.

Mower has about 500 hours

Wish I knew that when I still had my craftsman GT..

The replacement spindles (arbors) came w/grease fittings, but when I pulled out the shaft to inspect, the bearings were sealed ?