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TimJr

60" PowrMax deck

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TimJr

Starting to get into this 720 project.  I have the deck off it, and the covers removed.  Pulled the blade to blade/secondary belt to spin each arbor.  Each arbor has some wiggle and noise when spun by hand, and the center one will slop up and down noticeably.  The parts breakdown looks like those are needle roller bearings.  Do the arbor shafts tend to wear once there is some noise and play in the arbors? 

Can I just undo the nut on the top by the pulley and drop the shaft out to inspect the shaft condition?

Guess I will find out later this week.  Too much noise and wiggle to ignore.

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lugnard

Not positive on a 720 but most decks will come apart as you say.....But don't think that pulley will just lift off that shaft unless you have been livin' the good life!!!! They are usually very stuck and the pulleys can be easily damaged. Lots of good lube and heat but some kind of under the pulley contraption to help pull it off with out damage is best. Heard of using a connecting rod modified somehow but never tried it. Replaced a few pulleys tho......

Harry

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720nut

A bearing puller may work but never had to try

Do know it is rather easy to collapse a pulley if your not careful

Edited by 720nut
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jlasater

The arbor shafts in the deck on my 9020 float up and down by design. There is a needle thrust bearing on the top of the arbor that the shaft pulleys ride on.

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TimJr

I have more questions on this 60" deck before I tear it apart.  As stated earlier, there is end play/slops up and down.  There is also side to side movement that I don't like.  Looking at the parts breakdown, it appears these arbors use needle roller bearings for the shafts, which are not likely to be as tight as the ball bearings in a 48" deck with the 108202 bearings.  If the bearings get worn, do they tend to eat into the arbor shafts like what happens when a bevel gear box needle bearing goes out and wrecks the shaft?

What is anyone else's experience with these arbors that have worn out?

Also, in the parts breakdown, reference number 7 is listed as a thrust bearing.

Is it an actual needle thrust bearing with little rollers, or just a hardened washer being used as a thrust surface?  I don't have any new parts in hand, and don't want it torn apart quite yet until I know a little more about it.  It looks like everything is available except the arbor housings and shafts. 

Does anyone have an arbor apart and can share some pics? 

The arbor pullies on this deck are a little rough inside - looks like it probably sat a while full of old grass and dirt and caused some pitting.  It's gonna eat belts like it is now.  I figure maybe a quick glass beading will smooth it some, but will still not be perfect.  Pullies look like they are available, but will end up costing over $240 for the 3 arbor drive pullies.  A new belt can be installed every couple of years for that amount....  They are cast iron, so I think a 3 jaw puller will get them off safely.

Any experiences or pics are appreciated.  Tim

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jlasater

Yes, there is up/down play as the spindles float, with a thrust needle bearing holding the spindle up. There should be zero side play though. After rebuilding mine, they are nice and tight, and float vertically just a bit.

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TimJr

Was the vertical end play just enough to keep the shaft free, or could you actually see it move up and down?  I can see that it shouldn't be "tight", but these can be seen moving up and down.  I couldn't find anything that had a spec for endplay.

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PatJ

It has been a couple years since I rebuilt the spindles on my deck, but they did have vertical movement which as I recall was 1/8"-3/16".  Seemed excessive to me at the time but triple-checked correct assembly with all new parts and just figured that's how it was.  Has worked great since. The thrust bearing is actually a needle thrust bearing, not just a washer.

My deck was starting to howl so I knew it was time for attention.  My two outer shafts were in perfect shape with no measurable wear so they were reused with all new bearings, washers, etc.  My center shaft was very  worn way beyond repair, as was the arbor housing.  The center shaft is different than the outers and no longer available.   As of a few years back the outer shafts were still available ($$$.)  The housings were not available new but are the same for all three so it didn't take long to find a NOS housing on Ebay.  It took about 18 months of weekly checks on Ebay before I found a center shaft, NOS from the estate of an old Simplicity dealer in Iowa for $175.  I was just about to go ahead with the "few hundred dollars at least" I had been informally quoted by a machine shop to fabricate a new shaft.  All the bearings, washers, and seals were still supported by B&S and still available new as of a couple years back, but I ordered a complete set to keep on the shelf for the future, just in case.  So in my personal experience, by the time it is worn enough to be loud the shaft is trashed.  But I am one guy with one unit so not a very big sample size.

In my opinion,the spindles are a poor design that seem to be lighter duty than the rest of the tractor.  I guess 40 years ago when the local dealer kept parts on the shelf it wasn't a big deal.  If I have shaft issues in the future I will look at retrofitting another more common spindle. 

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SimpleOrange

I have 3 spindle towers from a deck that I scrapped and another 3 still on a deck that came with my Alberta Allis 720 that I would consider selling if anyone is in need.

Located postal code R0J0N0 Canada

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