Bearings went out on 46" deck spindle

Pumper54

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Model 46209X0C Lost the bearings on one of the spindles and it burned up the belt before I got it all shut down. Have the jack shaft out of the spindle and it looks like one of the bearings/bushings in locked on the shaft and the large one in the spindle is seized tight. Are the bearing replaceable or is it time for new spindles? Also have any put grease fittings on the spindles to be able to lube them?

Thanks
Tom
 

KrashnKraka

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Model 46209X0C Lost the bearings on one of the spindles and it burned up the belt before I got it all shut down. Have the jack shaft out of the spindle and it looks like one of the bearings/bushings in locked on the shaft and the large one in the spindle is seized tight. Are the bearing replaceable or is it time for new spindles? Also have any put grease fittings on the spindles to be able to lube them?

Thanks
Tom

The spindle is out and dismantled so yes, the bearings can be
swapped out.
Press bearing one off the shaft, some heat may help there.
Using a brass drift, tap bearing two from the housing.
Inspect shaft and housing for surface damage where bearings sit.
Buy a new complete spindle if any doubt the surfaces are
even slightly damaged.
Where good, clean throughly all components and fit new bearings.
Very thin application of a NeverSeeze product may help dismantling
on next spindle service.

You should find any new bearing is sealed for life.
Theoreticly, greasing such units will shorten their service life.
However with some ingenuity, carefully placed passage holes,
and a threading tap, greasepoints can be added.
Just go easy in applying grease over time, it is possible to
explode (hydrallic) the bearing only because you cannot see
grease, unlike a joint or sleeve.

Trust that helps some.
 

Pumper54

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Thanks for the reply, any idea what the bearing numbers are? The previous owner of the mower gave me an old spindle that had the bearings out and I can not see any numbers on what is left of the bearings.
Tom
 

Pumper54

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Found a Texas based company that has the replacement bearings as a kit so I ordered three sets of them. Might as well replace them all as I have the deck off and back at the house.
Tom,
 

KrashnKraka

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Found a Texas based company that has the replacement bearings as a kit so I ordered three sets of them. Might as well replace them all as I have the deck off and back at the house.
Tom,

No clue on what a mower manufacturer or OEM parts
outfit could supply, sorry.

[rant]

Long practiced by myself is measuring bearings to
select from the range offered by a bearing supplier.
Especially in recent times where appliance manufacturers
use any bearing in any application with cost being the prime
factor.
Bearings are cheap.
The downtime for production and always the cost of labour
to swap them out is not, cheap. Not forgetting the major
component damage done when bearings (a hard steel)
turn on mating surfaces which are of malleable alloys.

[/rant]

... thanks for listening :smile:
 

Pumper54

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I know what you mean about the quality of the bearings available today. I own several old motorcycles and finding wheel bearings and the like for them are a royal pain in the butt. When the replacement kits arrive I will record the bearing numbers if they are marked so I can obtain just the bearings if needed again. I have a friend who retired from the bearing business after 30+ years and he said he has seen the bearing world go down hill in the past decade or so. Not sure way manufactures are putting sealed bearing in stuff and adding grease fittings also? I would rather add a couple of pumps of grease each season then have to wait for bearing to fail before replacing them.

You have a great day
Tom
 

KrashnKraka

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I know what you mean about the quality of the bearings available today. I own several old motorcycles and finding wheel bearings and the like for them are a royal pain in the butt. When the replacement kits arrive I will record the bearing numbers if they are marked so I can obtain just the bearings if needed again. I have a friend who retired from the bearing business after 30+ years and he said he has seen the bearing world go down hill in the past decade or so. Not sure way manufactures are putting sealed bearing in stuff and adding grease fittings also? I would rather add a couple of pumps of grease each season then have to wait for bearing to fail before replacing them.

You have a great day
Tom

Yeup...there is "sealed" and then there is "dustproof", also another for marine use, I forget.
The dustproof type are greaseable and not easy to distinguish from sealed, so for my money
all are greasable - with care.
I am with you on greasegun use, it's sinful how we have had to suffer failing universal
joints and tierod ends for many a year now... all for the want of a greasenipple!

Thank you kindly for the feedback, Tom.
Take care :)
 

Pumper54

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What part of Oz do you hail from? Have friends in Queensland and some from the far west side. Took the family to visit a few years ago and went from Brisbane up the Gold coast to 1774 and then tours the Great Barrier reef, you all have a wonderful country there.
Tom
 

KrashnKraka

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What part of Oz do you hail from? Have friends in Queensland and some from the far west side. Took the family to visit a few years ago and went from Brisbane up the Gold coast to 1774 and then tours the Great Barrier reef, you all have a wonderful country there.
Tom

Queensland Tom, the pointy bit is my country.

And yes, we(.au) are an eclectic mob :biggrin:
Plenty of spots around the globe as interesting as "Down Under" so
it is maybe the people you are clapping? Glad your experience was
so good, you must have travelled away from major population centres.
1770 is a beaut hideaway... Cooktown, Bowen, Cardwell are a few others on
our east coast easily reached.
Sadly change is upon us so one has to look around to get an "Aussie Experience"
these days. It is fast getting more like "I am alright Jack, farrrk ewe", in suburbia.
Me and mine are well outa that and look on in bemusement :)

/waves

KK
 

Pumper54

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The rebuild parts arrived today so after a nice motorcycle around the area to relax and get my head in order I decided to remove the bearings from the deck and get to replacing them. First one was a bit of a booger bear to remove as it was frozen solid, end up busting the top inner race out, then dug out about 10 years worth of grass from around the spacer then placed a socket over the spacer and tapped down on it with a hammer. That drove the bottom bearing and spacer out the bottom of the deck. All well and good, threw the blade adaptor, small spacer, and other bits in the ultrasound cleaner to de gunk em and then Tom got stupid. When trying to break free the blade nut on the next blade, my hand hit the corner of the blade and I gashed my hand pretty good. Back in the house to clean it up, wrap it up and call around for a tetanus shot at 7:30 on July 3rd. Good luck there. Found a Walgreens that could do it, well $65.00 later I now have a sore hand and sore shoulder from the shot. No more mower work tonight. But the replacement parts look real good. Bearings are not sealed so I will be adding a grease fitting to each spindle assembly.
You all be safe
Tom
 

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