Whatever you say..
Maintenance--Worth Reading
- Thread starter Giles
- Start date
Hey everybody, I agree with JDgreen thats a lot of money to pay for grease, Benski you may be right about it being a bargain I just dont know. Maybe if I get my dream mower this spring {J D} I might give it a try, but right now on my old faithful MTD I think paying that much might be a waste.
JD, a tube of syn grease will set you back about $7.00 and will provide protection far above what regular grease will; to me it is worth the extra cost but to some it is not. Those spindle bearing are subject to not only high temps but lateral loading, some shock stress and moisture from washing the deck, humidity and temp changes.
I understand: hopefully some smart person will chime in- the correct way to grease the spindles is not to pump alot into the bearings but only to give each fitting a few (4 or so) shots-if you have not gone to an air grease gun do yourself a favor and do so, if you have air that is-those cordless jobs are the cats bottom also.
As to where the grease goes, probably the same place the socks do in the washer.....:laughing:
I understand: hopefully some smart person will chime in- the correct way to grease the spindles is not to pump alot into the bearings but only to give each fitting a few (4 or so) shots-if you have not gone to an air grease gun do yourself a favor and do so, if you have air that is-those cordless jobs are the cats bottom also.
As to where the grease goes, probably the same place the socks do in the washer.....:laughing:
JDgreen
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:laughing::laughing::thumbsup:
From my Original Post----"I have a WH C175 that I have owned nearly 30 years and it has the original deck bearings. I have greased them with Chevron EP2 Grease more times then I can remember. It would take me app. 6 hours to cut my large lawn and I would grease the entire tractor before every lawn cutting. At least 10 pumps from my hand pump gun to each spindle."To each his own:smile:--I will continue with my 5 gallon bucket of Chevron EP2:thumbsup: They might last another 30 years if I had used Synthetic:laughing:
Crikey! I just found my grease gun in the washing machine.
In all seriousness, if I can extend the life of any of the pieces of junk I run around for another $3 or $4,(less than the cost of 10 minutes at my local pub) I consider it money well spent. I probably use a tube and a half annually. Most of the major manufacturers of grease haven't changed their formulations in a long time; there isn't much glamour or profit to be made in the world of grease. There IS some maintenance and money to be saved out there.:wink:Black Bart
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I will not comment on what grease because it is pointless people will believe what they believe but I would say think about a hand gun vs air gun.
With a hand gun you can feel a slight pressure when the bearing is full, With air gun you feel nothing and just force the grease through the seal.
However forcing it out with a hand pump is what most do anyway so maybe it don't matter what gun you use.
With a hand gun you can feel a slight pressure when the bearing is full, With air gun you feel nothing and just force the grease through the seal.
However forcing it out with a hand pump is what most do anyway so maybe it don't matter what gun you use.
With the Gilson lawn tractor, I referred to in OP, the seals were installed the correct way. It has been many years ago but this is what I remember---The top seal was installed with the "lip" down, as with virtually all seals. The bottom seal was installed with "lip" down also and there was a thin metal cup shaped "shield" below the rubber lip seal to serve as a "dust shield". I could pump as much grease as I desired, with no damage to seals. Grease would escape from the lower seal--below deck.
To me, this was the correct seal setup and, in my opinion, would be desired in all machines.
I suspect the WH has this seal setup but I have never had one apart. Grease escapes from bottom as it did with the Gilson.
It is my thoughts that if both seals are installed to prevent grease escape, in any application--seals will be damaged or blown out with just a small amount of added grease.
Just think about the Gravely setup---bottom seal is installed to prevent contamination from below deck debris and allow passage of grease when serviced. Top seal holds grease inside and away from belt.:thumbsup:
To me, this was the correct seal setup and, in my opinion, would be desired in all machines.
I suspect the WH has this seal setup but I have never had one apart. Grease escapes from bottom as it did with the Gilson.
It is my thoughts that if both seals are installed to prevent grease escape, in any application--seals will be damaged or blown out with just a small amount of added grease.
Just think about the Gravely setup---bottom seal is installed to prevent contamination from below deck debris and allow passage of grease when serviced. Top seal holds grease inside and away from belt.:thumbsup:
Dangeroustoys56
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Personally, i use Lucas oil brand grease - when i use it in mandrel assemblies, i just give it a few shots and call it done- some is better then none at all.
A couple tractors i drilled and tapped the mandrels for zerk fittings - i dont over fill them, just a few shots every other mowing.
To cure a noisey MTD transaxle, i drilled and tapped one for zerks ( i cracked it open first) - helps alot in quieting it down - again a few shots every couple mowings .....
Im not a believer in using synthetic in every day mowers - the high dollar ones i suppose- but not run of the mill mowers. Cost just doesnt justify it. Regular oil changes should be done and itll last just as long or longer - i have a splash briggs motor old as i am still running , most are 20 plus years - all with regular plain oil- even the one brand new tractor i bot , still runs and still uses plain oil for 19 years.
I did however buy a couple quarts of royal purple for a mod tractor's motor- an 18.5HP opposed twin briggs - wanted to see about any power advantage on the stock 1996 governed motor - i didnt really notice any , but plan to use more when the tractor is rebuilt, just to add more protection under the extreme use , might add some royal purple gear oil to the trans as well.
A couple tractors i drilled and tapped the mandrels for zerk fittings - i dont over fill them, just a few shots every other mowing.
To cure a noisey MTD transaxle, i drilled and tapped one for zerks ( i cracked it open first) - helps alot in quieting it down - again a few shots every couple mowings .....
Im not a believer in using synthetic in every day mowers - the high dollar ones i suppose- but not run of the mill mowers. Cost just doesnt justify it. Regular oil changes should be done and itll last just as long or longer - i have a splash briggs motor old as i am still running , most are 20 plus years - all with regular plain oil- even the one brand new tractor i bot , still runs and still uses plain oil for 19 years.
I did however buy a couple quarts of royal purple for a mod tractor's motor- an 18.5HP opposed twin briggs - wanted to see about any power advantage on the stock 1996 governed motor - i didnt really notice any , but plan to use more when the tractor is rebuilt, just to add more protection under the extreme use , might add some royal purple gear oil to the trans as well.
Hey guys at least we all maintain our mowers unlike my neighbors down the road who are usually have to buy new ones every other year due to lack of maint. or most likely abuse!:frown: They have teenage sons who mow and evidently they never bothered teaching them the value of hard earned money judging by the way they treat everything they use or drive.