EZ Rake restoration

[Simpleton7016]

Has anyone with and EZ Rake or Revitalizer ever found a good source for the hex bearings? I have mine ripped apart and the bearing are usable, but not perfect. As long as I have it this far, I might as well replace the bearings.

[RayS]

Could you opst a picture of the bearing? I was thinking of buying a set as well but didn`t want to take my apart to see what was needed. one of the links below have a 7/8" hex bearing but I don`t no if it is the correct bearing. http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/ http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/servlet/the-539/205KRR2%2C-HPC014GP%2C-14KB205N-Special/Detail

[Simpleton7016]

Well, so gar, most everything about this EZ Rake has been good news (the hitch, the price, the discovery of a source for replacement springs and finally, the disassembly - god bless impact wrenches). A few of the set screws were more stubborn than my wife, but they all came free eventually. In addition to the paint job(s), there were a few other things that the previous owner mickey moused - like some funky welds and interesting hardware choices. Now though, I may have found some bad news....or maybe a blessing in disguise. When I got them apart, it appears as though this thing does not take "hex" bearings. Or, the alternative thery is the bad news. That is, that the PO could not find the right bearings and machined the ends round. If the latter is the case, then he did a pretty good job of machining. The bearings that were used on the hex bar are the same as those up on the top end of the unit to drive the pulley and chain sprocket. Hence, they must be easier to come by. But my preference is to err on the side of the Simplicity engineers over those of Disney. :O When I tore apart my revitalizer, I distinctly recall the hex shaft going all the way through the hex bearings. This might be easier and may work just as effectively, but I don't want to do this all over again Has anyone else here ripped one of these down this far? I know from the archives that Dutch restored one from scratch. Does anyone know how I could get ahold of him? I became a member after all of the apparent disagreements that surrounded his departure, so I don't have a dog in that fight. Anyway Ray, here are the pictures, but they are likely not of any use to you.
[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex1.jpg[/img]

[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex2.jpg[/img]

[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex3.jpg[/img]

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[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex5.jpg[/img]

[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex6.jpg[/img]

[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/ezrakehex8.jpg[/img]

[PhanDad]

Dutch's email addie was: herb.niewender@att.net

[Simpleton7016]

After sleeping on it, I have even more concerns. The idea of the rounded ends seems like a good one, but I can't imagine that this set up will withstand the horsepower. Levi or Ray, can you take a llok at your sprocket and see if the visible end is round or hex. I am wondering if the hex shaft is supposed to go all the way through the sprocket. If it is round, then I think I am in business, but if hex, then I think I will be shopping for a new shaft and sprocket. If you look at my second-to-last picture above, I don't see a keyway in the shaft the shows threw the sprocket. I haven't even tried to take that off yet....she is just sitting and soaking in PB blaster....awaiting her date with a gear puller and or a BAH. Oh, there is also a small hole all the way through the sprocket and shaft. What the heck is this? It is hollow and in the pics, I passed a twist tie through it. I am not sure what the intent of this was by the PO.

[Neilo]

I would guess the hole has a roll pin in it. In place of the keyway. If so, the gear won't pull off easy!

[wilm169]

The shaft in mine is just like yours, so I guess that is the way it should be. I did not take the chain guard off to look for a keyway in it.

[Simpleton7016]

welp....things are starting to go south in a hurry. The way these things are designed, you can't replace the final bearing unless you remove the gear from the hex shaft. I soaked her good in Kroil and got out the big gear puller. Wouldn't budge. So I heated it up and put the breaker bar on the gear puller. Still too tight. So I laid the unit down on it's side, wedged a long bar between the jaws, put the breaker bar on the puller again, and 180 pounds of sweet tractor lovin' Erik got up on it to git 'er done. It finally started to move, and got easier and easier. There was no woodruff key, but what I found was even worse. I think Neilo is right....there was a roll pin on there. I had no idea these existed. How the heck does a person get that big pin in there? And assuming that I knew then what I know now....how does a person get these out? Anyway, the shaft is pretty bad and the shell of the unit itself has some pretty oblonged holes. I am guesing that a good welder might be able to shore up the shell holes for me....but what do you guys think...do I need to buy a new hex shaft?
[img]/club2/attach/Simpleton7016/Dethatchertrouble1.jpg[/img]

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[RayS]

The pin is driven with a hammer.

[TomSchmit]

The holes in the housing can be filled easily, just like repairing auto sheetmetal. The shaft looks to be OK in that the hole should still hold the roll pin! See you on Saturday in Lannon? Tom

[Simpleton7016]

Well that's good news I guess. Yes, weather permitting, I will be at the tractor exhibition around noon on Saturday. I don't know how that pin is driven in with a hammer. The pin that I found was significantly bigger than the hole that it had to go in. Maybe the PO was a magician! Or "roll pins" are something a don't know anything about. (most certainly the latter).:O

[Neilo]

The pins should come out with a pin punch of all things. [url][/url]http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/44554.jpg or a bolt or some such if you don't have any.