Deck spindle greasing

[tech5201]

How often & how much do you grease your deck spindles?

 

[bo]

Once a year. 3-4 pumps

 

[Anonymous-0]

Pump till I start to see new grease then wipe off old grease. Have hour meters on all garden tractors and grease spindles & all other fitting every 10 hours of service.

 

[Jiles]

When I was mowing about three acres, I would inject about 10 pumps in each spindle.
Thirty One year old Wheele Horse and still has the original bearings.

 

[Anonymous-0]

My Country Clipper mower states right on the mower deck, 3 pumps every 100 hours. It shows a gun with a long lever. I figure one these guns at 3 pumps is about 6 pumps with a pistol grip type gun.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Depends on what your spindles are made of. I had a gravely, that had to be greased, every 10-12 hours, my new Dixie Chopper, says 100 hours, or yearly. That's what the manual is for. If you post the machine model, someone here will know the right answer!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Just want to add:

I work in a small engine repair shop. I see at least two different manufacturers of mowers provide a grease fitting in their deck spindles only to put sealed bearings in the same unit.

I guess they want the spindle to live a fair life even if the owner ignores it, While the owner who is fastidious about maintenance can have something to put grease in periodically. . .

 

[Tom in NE]

I've got a 2005 Country Clipper(52 inch cut)and mine says 3 pumps every 50 hours. I try to grease it between 40 and 50 hours.It has about 600 hours on it. It's been a good mower.

 

[tech5201]

Sorry, I should've put the make in the original post!
It's a JD 'Edge' deck.
Book says every 50 hrs. Not specific about quantity.
I've been putting in one pump from a pistol-type gun every 10 hrs. or so.
Starting to see a little grease in the deflector cups under the spindles when I clean them.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[Pete_5959]

I pump in till I see slight seepage on dust seals. The deck works fine with originl bearings and has since 1976. This is on a Sears/Roper.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I am not familiar with the model, but I'd say you are probably doing it right. Too much greasin can be just as bad as not enough, it draws dust and dirt, and greases up belts, and things you want dry.

 

[greygoat]

Several years ago, I hit about 4 inch's of a
steel fence post sticking out of the ground, with
a "Snapper" rear engine rider. It not only bent
the blade, but it bent the end of the blade
spindle, where the nut goes on. In replaceing
the spindle I noted that the bearings were sealed
and greasing it just put grease into the cavity
between the bearings. Maybe if you put a tube or
so of grease in there it would pop the sealed
bearing seal and add grease..otherwise greasing
it would be to no effect..but it makes people
feel good to think they're greasing another zerk!

 

[Indiana Ken]

Several years back I replaced the bearings in one of my mowers with a three spindle deck. The bearing supply house I purchased the bearings from showed me a little trick. On a sealed bearing the seals can be "popped out" using a small screw driver or similar tool. They suggested removing one of the seals on each bearing, then install the bearing with the missing seal side facing in. The outside facing seal remains to prevent entry of dirt. When greasing the spindle the outside facing seal lip simply lifts allowing the old grease to be purged as new grease is pumped in.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Greygoat YOU SOUND LIKE YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BEARINGS. A sealed bearing is never greased.Why would you grease a sealed bearing? The reason you see most of the new decks with sealed bearings is that most people are to lazy to grease them. I have had decks with and with out sealed bearing. I have had to replace bearings in sealed decks. Have never replaced a bearing in a greaseable deck.

 

[jack6]

another opinion
Untitled URL Link

 

[dixon boy RL]

why jump all over greygoat he just stated what he discovered and he is correct,i deal with units in daily basis and like he said majority of units out there use sealed bearings and have grease zerk in housing al you greasingis filling cavity between. basicallysame as wheel hub bearigs you are just packing the shaft between sealed bearings.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dixon boyRL A true sealed bearing can't be lubed without damageing seal. A sheided bearing can be greased. I like the old tapered roller bearings. With good maintaince they will last a long time. I just sold a 28 year old sears that was bought new and had original roller bears in deck when sold. Have a 21 year old garden tractor with sealed bearings in deck and have put three sets of bearings in deck. The last set bearing my nephew got are holding up real well.He works for a bearing retailer. The bearings he got were about twice the price of original bearings.