Since this is the Hustler Forum, I'll give an answer about my Hustler. I start getting play after about 200 hours of use and noise thereafter. I have thought about putting in zerk fittings to grease these bearings and extend the life, but at $3.00/each and $18.00 (Rotary 09-50190) I just pop em out and pop em in. With the deck off, it only takes about 15 minutes for all three spindles. I keep a set on the shelf along with a spare spindle. The bearings in the front wheels lasted about 500 hours.How long should the Bearing in the blade spindles last? I am at 3 years and only 168 hr. maybe under warranty ? Thanks for reading.
Both of the bearings are a push fit. You do have to hammer them out with a drift punch. The trick is to use a bearing/seal installer that pushes only on the outside if it won't go in with gentle pushing. I haven't had to use anything more than a gentle push with my thumb. I take it that you've never played with Hustler spindles.For sealed ball bearings, if 1 of the bearings outer race diameter is adjusted to a push fit as opposed to a press fit, ( I prefer the top bearing ) that eliminates any detrimental lateral thrust during install and any chance of pre-mature bearing disaster such as in reply #5.