[mgobob]

Just added a new spindle and bearings, how much grease should you pump into the spindles of the mower deck, and how often should you add more?

 

[Gordy]

Just added a new spindle and bearings, how much grease should you pump into the spindles of the mower deck, and how often should you add more?

Fill it full. The grease does not grease the bearings with the seals in place, rather what it does is fill the void in the spindle housing to stop condensation / water from getting in and sitting on top of the bottom bearing and rusting everything in the housing.

Cheers,
Gordy

 

[curtisfox]

I took a smal pick and removed the seal on the bearing, so the greas gets to them............Curt

 

[Bob MacGregor]

The spindle housing needs to be removed from the deck unless they are new, disassembled and the bearings pressed out in order to remove the inner seals and then reassembled. The seals on these bearings are not designed to have grease under pressure pumped thru them. Spindle housings that are setup to be pressure lubed have a vent to prevent over pressurization by the grease gun. Filling the void space to prevent moisture intrusion is the best way to maintain these spindle housings. Carefully pump in grease until resistance is felt and then stop.

 

[BFVSFOREVER]

The spindle housing needs to be removed from the deck unless they are new, disassembled and the bearings pressed out in order to remove the inner seals and then reassembled. The seals on these bearings are not designed to have grease under pressure pumped thru them. Spindle housings that are setup to be pressure lubed have a vent to prevent over pressurization by the grease gun. Filling the void space to prevent moisture intrusion is the best way to maintain these spindle housings. Carefully pump in grease until resistance is felt and then stop.

Thank you Bob, I called Brian at Salem Power today and asked him the same question because my RM48 has one housing with a grease fitting and two without. I was going to install grease fittings into the two with out them He told me that the purpose of the grease is to prevent condensation from getting into the bottom bearing. He said to put in the bottom bearing, pack grease as much as possible into the bore, install the sleeve and top bearing. That should be enough to prevent condensation from ever reaching the bottom bearing. He said that over greasing would cause more harm than good. I trust you and Brian's advise because you repair so many and he is a dealer. I hope you are well as everyone else reading this. I am about finished with a two week cold that just won't go away but I felt good enough today to pull the old bearings, ughhh!

 

[Bob MacGregor]

I have drilled, tapped and installed grease fittings in serviceable aluminum housings years back. I have had some new cast iron spindle assemblies that were so tight that the air wasn't able to vent as the grease was pumped in. I have given thought to drilling a small vent hole in the housing to allow the air to release as the grease was being pumped in. My Scag ZTR has vented spindle housings and grease fittings and both are above the deck level fortunately. The Scag spindle housings have a garter seal top and bottom that ride on the spindle shaft as they have two tapered roller bearings.

 

[Dam7]

Do you need to take the spindle off the deck to change the bearings ? I have tried on several occasions to remove the bearings to no avail . Is there a you tube video on how to do this or online instructions a novice can follow. Thanks

 

[mgobob]

You have to take the spindle off. The bearings are easy to knock out. When putting the new bearings in, make sure the spacer tube has not fallen crosswise before you press in the 2nd bearing.