Prepping Deck for spring (with pics)

[Ketchamized]

I decided to prep my deck for the spring for the first time. In the past, I've just bolted it on and used it. But, the last time the deck was prepped or sharpened was in the early 80's by the previous owner. (It was laying in a barn since the mid 80's until my father accquired it 1.5 years ago.) Anyhow, without further ado, here's the deck prep project. Please keep in mind, this is not a restoration. Rather, it's sharpening of the blade, cleaning the deck, greasing the zerks. Also please forgive the small pictures, server will not upload any bigger due to file size limit) This was a 1 hour project.

---

These are the tools needed for the project:

Condition of the blade and shaft before: (You could tell it's dull!)

Mid-progress of cleaning and sharpening- cleaned grease zerks & shaft, filled in with grease, cleaned blade retaining plate:

Completed Deck. After all said was done, the deck was cleaned from all grass & debris, blades were sharpened, & grease zerk filled with grease. The cleaning and the greasing made a huge difference. The blades now move extremely freely and quietly.

End of spring prep project.

---

Now, a question- see this picture:

On the top of the deck, there is a rocker arm, and as you can see, the bolt snapped in half. Unfortunately, I can't add a nut between the two, since the other half is welded to the plate and is not long enough to do that. Do any of you have any ideas on how I could fix this without welding and without replacing the rocker arm? I don't have a source for welding. }:) Thanks 8D

[MPH]

Can't tell just how long the stub is but maybe grind the plate away around the stub, slide a piece of pipe over it, drill a hole through the pipe and stub then roll pin it. then do the same to the other end.

[Ketchamized]

Marty, The stub is around 1/16 of an inch. But, I think you're onto something. :) Just now, I just thought of something. Maybe I could grind the stub off, drill a hole right through the bar and put in a long bolt going from the other end into the "U" mount. The trick is, being able to get the long broken off section out without damaging the "U" mount. Thanks for the inspiration, Marty. I don't know why I didn't think of that at the time I looked at it. I'll try your pipe idea first and see if that's possible. sm01

[johnmonkey]

I did the same to my deck. I try to service it (grease & clean) at least once a year. I sharpen at least twice a year (summer & fall). JH

[MPH]

As I was putting mine back together for the 3314 I questioned the need for the grease zerks as the bearings are sealed bearing I put in as were the ones I took out. I pumped them full feeling like all I was doing was greasing the spacer pipe between the bearings. Am I missing something here? Think I like your idea better on drilling out the stub. I soaked my clevis bolts for several days with Kroil and still hadda heat one to get it broke loose. Don't think they've moved in 35 years.

[Ketchamized]

Marty, I've never taken the spindles apart, so I don't know what it looks exactly like inside. But, while pumping grease, I moved the blade, encouraging the grease to move somewhere else inside the shaft, allowing me to add more. Some of it came out between the blade mount and the shaft. Additionally, the shaft was kinda warm (not very hot) from the butane torch. So that might have helped. (Grease becomes softer & thinner while hot) There is a noticeable/big difference in lubrication & operation compared from before and after. It's my guess that the grease going in the zerks also functions as a cooling agent in addition to lubrication. Maybe the grease fills the inner tube and leaks/overflows out on both ends inside, and gets to the bearings if you moved the blade as you pumped grease in? I really don't know the answer to that. Will have to check out the spindles when I restore the deck in the winter. For the bolt removal on the blade mounting plate, things goes much easier if the threads of the bolt going through the mount plate is cleaned. The bolts are just a little longer than the blade and the mounting plate together and protrudes beyond the mounting plate around 1/8". The threads get caked with whatever gets thrown at it. For that reason, when you try to get it out, that dirt goes into the threads and makes it harder to get out (Imagine sand between nut & bolt) and damages the threads. So, I used a wire brush to clean the threads really good. Afterwards, I used heat on the bolt heads. Used socket wrench to take it off. (Short bursts of hand power to get it loose.) Came off really good. Nothing was damaged. Thanks for the tip for using kroil and heat to loosen the clevis pin. I've never tried Kroil, so that should be fun.

[Mowingman]

Marty, the grease keeps condensation away from the bare metal within the spindle; which prolongs spindle life.

[wminmi]

kool deal on the maintinence(sp?) Erick :D And hey, you do have a welder handy, just not close by.....speaking of which, how soon do you think you need the deck up and running/mounted? Shoot me an e-mail if ya would if you'd like me to weld something up for you.....i don't get in here much anymore

[MPH]

(Grease becomes softer & thinner while hot)" I learned that very young on the farm when my brother and me would engage in greasegun fights when we were suppose to be greasing the AC model 66 combine, which mustta had a million serks on it, grab the gun that's been in the sun, I could get outta his range and still nail big brother.8D:D "the grease keeps condensation away from the bare metal within the spindle; which prolongs spindle life." Yea, that's about the use I could figure it for, thanks.

[Ketchamized]

William, Thanks, really appreciate the offer. I sent you an email about it a few minutes ago. :o) Marty, That must've been fun (And painful for your big brother getting squirted with that hot grease!) 8D

[haykarenhardy]

Last fall I replaced bearings on a 712. My dealer's position on sealed bearings was this. If you grease your deck every 50 hours or so pop the inside seal out of the bearings, but don't over grease or you will pop the outside seal. If you grease every other year or so do not remove the inside seals. Stan :)

[ZippoVarga]

Stan, Welcome to the club!! And that's a good idea to remove the inner seals. I am changing three spindle bearing sets tomorrow to get the Sovereign and two Landlords ready for this season and I think I'll try your idea on one of the desks and see what the results are. Will probably take YEARS to determine the outcome, but still a good idea in my eyes. Sean