How often do you grease these

[10HorseMan]

I was wandering how often you all take the deck spindles apart and grease the bearings in them. What are the best techniques for taking these apart. I have one getting kind of tight and will the one that's on my no good B-110 deck fit my 410S.

[Bunky]

I think the decks are different from the B series to the 300-400 series Allis chalmers. The decks look totally different..

[KSever]

Justin, I believe they tell you everytime you mow grass to take apart every spindle and repack the berings by hand. This way you know for sure the grease is getting in all the balls. Seriously, If I had a deck for 300-400 series I could tell you. My SunRunner and Landlord don't have grease zerks. But if I had to guess I would say if you mow alot, once a month would be good and if not twice a season. But I'm sure somebody has the manual and could tell you for exact.

[D-17_Dave]

If they are dry and noisy, it's already too late. They need changeing. If the housings have a grease zerk in them I usually pry out one side seal so I can grease them every other time I mow. Some would frown on this. But I find if I'm consistant in lubeing the tractor, I get more than 1 or 2 years on a set of bearings.

[dratkinson]

Don't know if this is correct to do, but I did it. When I bought my B-206, I was expecting the deck to be silent, but the bearings were making a little noise. Since I didn't know if parts were available for it, I took the spindle apart and greased the bearings. Before putting the spindle back together, I removed a piece of the inner armor and seal from both bearings, so grease could flow through. Then welded and tapped a nut on the side of the spindle tube to accept a grease fitting. Have been greasing it at the start of each cutting season. I pump grease in until is comes out of the bearing seals at both the top-side and bottom-side of the deck. Takes a lot of grease, so I suppose some is always seeping through the seals while the deck is running. I would guess that the spindle takes from 1/4 to 1/3 of a grease cartridge each time. I have since learned that I can probably replace these bearings, but can't see any real reason to do so now as the bearings are quieter and the spindle does not feel loose when I shake on the blades. And when I spin the blades by hand (deck off mower), they will continue to turn for about a minute. Anyway, I've been doing this for 2 years and I'll guess I'll keep using these bearings for a little while longer...at least until they show signs of becoming much worse. If you decide to weld on a nut to accept a grease fitting, make sure you do it so there will not be a deck bolt in the way of the grease gun when you reassemble the spindle---makes you feel really stupid if you do this. Or so I've heard---not that it has every happened to me. /r David

[10HorseMan]

Thats what I was thinking of doing, putting my spindles in a drill press and putting a grease fitting in them. I mow a lot and i could easily pull the seal and watch the grease run out of them. Two of them spin easily with no play in them, the other spins a little bit harder but has no play. Where do you all get bearings

[dratkinson]

In Denver, I use Kaman Industrial Technologies, a wholesaler of industrial supplies (bearings, seals, gears, pulleys, stuff like that ...). They were recommended by many different small-engine and lawn mower repair shops. Guess this is where they buy some of their wholesale parts. They were also listed in the yellow pages under "Industrial Equipment & Supplies". Also learned this is where my local Ace Hardware buys its bronze bushings. A $3 bushing at Ace is $0.50 at Kaman. /r David

[KVANDY12]

I thought the bearing were all sealed. And the grease that is in there just lubs. the shaft that go though the housing. I lub about 2 time a summer and haven't had any problems with the bearing and I cut about 1 1/2 acres every 10 days or so. Having said that I'll probably have trouble now. Mower is 48" for my AC914. But repaired 2 42" mower and the bearing were $3.00 each, but I have a press so I can put them in myself. machine shop around here charge about $40.00 for each spindle. My opinion. Ken

[johnmonkey]

I got my fafner bearings at sandy lake equip (a site sponser) and have rebuilt about 9-10 different spindles. I grease my spindles twice a year. JH

[10HorseMan]

Thanks All. I think i will go with twice a year, and in addition put some grease fittings in them so I can pump some in there between packs. I'l be mowing 2 acres every two weeks.

[Gary]

My 42" deck has the grease fittings on the spindles. I usually put between 12 to 15 shots of moly-grease in each one every time I am going to mow, and after the last time I mow for the year. The current bearings are 3 years old and not making any noise. When you install new bearings or spindles, tighten the arbor nut until the arbor begins to not turn freely, then back off the nut until it turns freely. After you mow (1 - 2hrs), tighten the nut and loosen it as mentioned before. Do this procedure at least twice after the initial installation. IMPORTANT: Use a moly based grease. It will let the bearings last longer. You can not over grease these bearings. Besides, grease is the cheapest maintenance you will ever have!