Spindle Bearings

[Tiger Small Engine]

I have learned that the more I think I know, the more I really have yet to learn.

For many years, when I overhaul a deck or replace a spindle, I open the new ones to pack the bearings manually to ensure they have enough extreme pressure (EP) grease. I have always had a great service history using Mystic JT 6 Red EP Grease

Common sense tells me that grease is good for rapidly spinning parts, and no grease is bad. I think people tend to overthink situations sometimes. I have the original spindles on my 2006 Scag Turf Tiger. Do you think that is because I NEVER greased them?

 

[Honest Abe]

I have a Tiger Cat 2 61 in that has gone through way to many spindle assembly's. It has 450 hrs and has already gone through the factory set and now a aftermarket set. I use good red grease and still burn through them. I mow all summer and mulch lots of leaves in the winter and am tired of replacing spindles. Any advice w

I have a Tiger Cat 2 61 in that has gone through way to many spindle assembly's. It has 450 hrs and has already gone through the factory set and now a aftermarket set. I use good red grease and still burn through them. I mow all summer and mulch lots of leaves in the winter and am tired of replacing spindles. Any advice would be appreciated.

for what it's worth, my soil condition is sandy loam, and the deck bearings on my Gravely were burning out about every 3 months or 30 hours of use. After going through 3 sets of expensive OEM's I switched to Oregon brands spindles. These have lasted over 2 years or around a couple hundred hours .....

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hi Tiger SE,

I think we both know "common sense" is not common anymore.

I grew up in a poor family where we had to keep everything (vehicles, tractors, mowers) repaired and maintained on a regular basis. We could not easily afford new vehicles or equipment at a moment's notice.

Often times, I still find myself "resurrecting" some old, donated equipment because it still has years of use left in it.
Some I sell and others I keep.

I have not bought a new piece of lawn equipment in 25 years.

For the record: I'm certain you grease spindles like they should be.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Hi Tiger SE,

I think we both know "common sense" is not common anymore.

I grew up in a poor family where we had to keep everything (vehicles, tractors, mowers) repaired and maintained on a regular basis. We could not easily afford new vehicles or equipment at a moment's notice.

Often times, I still find myself "resurrecting" some old, donated equipment because it still has years of use left in it.
Some I sell and others I keep.

I have not bought a new piece of lawn equipment in 25 years.

For the record: I'm certain you grease spindles like they should be.

I enjoy greasing equipment. It gives me a certain sense of satisfaction. When there are not grease zerks where they should be on equipment, I am disappointed.

 

[Honest Abe]

I enjoy greasing equipment. It gives me a certain sense of satisfaction. When there are not grease zerks where they should be on equipment, I am disappointed.

ahhhhh, nothing better than the scent of good old Cosmoline in the morning....