Thanks for the video! Being and old man wearing glasses, owning a impact driver, and not wanting to stoop over for the whole project, my choice would be to slip off the blades and use that impact driver to remove each whole bearing housing. Then I would rebuild it on my work bench where I can stand straight up and see it much better. That also might give you a better chance to clean up all parts including your deck and check for any cracking etc. Your method achieves the same results of course. My back just hurts watching you wrestle that deck around on the ground. If you have a pickup truck, the tailgate area makes a good workbench for mower decks if you can get someone to help you put it there initially. Good Luck!
You explained step by step so simple and clear contrary to other videos where you dont know what language they speak. You are now my go to videos for my lawnmower needs...thanks Jeff
Brilliant video. Thank you. I ate a bearing a couple weeks ago on my JD D-140. Dang it. And I'd replaced all three spindle assembles about 2 years ago. This got me up and mowing again. And yes, embarrassed about replacing last time rather than rebuilding. This time a couple of bearings at TSC cost me $17, way cheaper. Then I ordered 10 bearings from Amazon for $16. Now to rebuild those spindles I had on the shelf.
@11:18 "A little tap with a rubber mallet here..." and the bolt slides out in fear. :) What tool are you using, an air impact wrench or an air impact driver?
Interesting approach to replacing deck bearings. I caution those watching this video to be a bit more gentle installing new bearings in the housings. Never ever beat a bearing into place with a hammer!! The housings should be removed and the bearings pressed into position. Note the 5:10-5:15 sections of the video.That particular housing is clearly shot and should have been replaced.
Had mandrel bearings go bad on one of my blades. Bought the entire assy. for $17 on eBay. That thin casted housing only lasts so long. And, don't have to beat bearings in and out of aluminum housing.
I just bought an LA145 with 130 hours, it is probably ten years old but looks new, but the deck has a loose spindle, cant believe it, thought it would be like new... Thus... a mower deck bearing can fail in 130 hours on one of these if not greases, it does not look abused... and original owner and deck... I paid 1000 Canadian, and that was a good to great steal... Thanks for the video, if I have zerks, I will remove the inner bearing seals, and those belt guards are going so I can blow off the dust and debris to prevent rust... wish John Deere was more heavy duty... I have a 445 with the Kawasaki and the five foot mower I thought something was wrong with it so I bought the 145, but when the 145 spindle was screaming after an hour use, I fired up the 445 and it mowed my farm no problem, the mole hills dulled the blades, so I just slowed down for the wiry thick and tall grass... Am going to head to a bearing shop for the best quality bearings, JD is just too overpriced. Same for the oil filter and air filter for the Kawasaki...
thanks. having to work on my husqvarna deck. broke the belt so figured i should take the blades off and sharpen them while i am at it. shafts are wrapped up in old electric fence i ran over last season. glad i can just pound out the shafts instead of replacing the whole mandrel. i'll do new bearings while i am at it since the pulleys aren't moving too nice. they are probably shot anyways after 6 years.
It’s a good idea to also add grease fittings to housings too (if the manufacturer didn’t) and then remove seals from inner surfaces of the new bearings so grease can actually enter the bearing and do its job. Leave the seals in place on the outer surfaces of the bearing to help prevent entry of contaminants and water. Then advise/instruct owner to grease the fittings each month and prior to winter storage. The manufacturer builds these machines with sealed bearings and no grease points because they believe most homeowners are too lazy and stupid to service equipment properly. This causes premature wear and bearing failure, which typically ends in service expense.
Too lazy and stupid is a fact of life for humanity, even mechanics often fail to do adequate maintenance on their own garden tools. Part of the reason grease fittings disappeared from cars everywhere is because new sealed bearings were better than relying on maintenance. It would be interesting to see a trial of bearings intentionally damaged to permit maintenance vs sealed bearings with no maintenance. I will guess that the sealed bearings would win, even in those homes where backyard mechanics stated full intention to grease the fittings every month. Life gets in the way of best intentions.
I have to take deck off to get to the blades to sharpen them,so since I'm there we pull the shafts and bearings pop the seals out of the bearings clean check condition of bearings regrease with wheel bearing grease. Reassemble seems to work great.
@@spelunkerd Even if you removed both inner seals off the bearings unless you drill some small holes in the outer seals the outer seals would pop out under the pressure of the grease. It defeates me why JD actually has a grease point at all, with sealed bearings it does absolutely nothing at all apart from fill a void with grease.
@@spelunkerd IM very curious about your response . All my trucks since 2000 havent had zerts. one ford person said once they need grease its probably already a bad bearing... I wonder if maybe the engineers think that we over grease things that allows moisture to get into bearing cups?? i mean Ive sen people use air greasers that hold the trigger like its an automatic gun. i think maybe it causes damage to over grease and blows seals to keep out moisture .. Your thoughts??
Great video. Whenever I need to change mine on my cub cadet I'm gonna remove the bearings inner seal so some grease actually reaches the bearings. I understand why they made them that way,but I stay ontop of maintenance pretty good.i cant complain about the original bearings either,on their eighth season and no problems.
Thanks for the video. Funny you used the video to put the belt back on. I'm glad that I took a picture before I replaced mine a few years ago, Normally I don't have that foresight.
Hi question..Shouldn't the shaft be a tighter tap in fit inside the bearing inner race( time 14 .50 in video)..otherwise the shaft is just turning in the inner race and the bearingins't actually performing its function ?
Good video, I'm needing to do the same to my raggedly old 212. I was thinking I might need to replace the whole hub but I'll try your approach and hope that does it. I'm sure it will be way cheaper.
Looking at the parts as you were working on them the spindles looked the same as on my Deere 7H17 except the spindles had holes where mine has zerks (grease fittings) installed. If they are then I would have popped the inner dust covers off the berrings and installed zerks. On my mower I need to replace the berrings as they have over 10,000 hours on them. Deere commercial mowers are almost bullet proof!
Good job figuring it out. . Gave me an idea of what to do. Though I probably wont hammer on my new bearings since i won't be needing my repeat business next year.
did you have to replace the idler pulley bearings? i'm in the middle of this job also and have replaced both spindle assemblies and was thinking whether the idler pulley bearings were shot too? will the have play like the spindle bearings if they are shot i wonder?
Jeff's Little Engine Service thanks for that. How would you know if the idler pulley bearings were bad? Would they have play like the spindle assembly does where it kinda rocks back and forth?
Nice job! It looms in my future, so youi can imagine how pleased I was to find your vid! I especially liked the camera work - you knew what we needed to see and it was clear and easy to follow. Thanks for a job well done... Yes, I downloaded it for future ref! Cheers!
You don't have to remove the blades to replace the bearings. Work from the top of the deck. The shaft and blade will fall loose once you remove the top nut.
That video was well-done. I would suggest working on a mower on a concrete slab. Working in grass, you were dropping hardware in the grass, messing with dog crap, having leaves stuck to your leg, kneeling in wet grass. Yecch.
Jeff, thanks for this video. Have you replaced bearings on a JD x350 with spindle part # AM144608? That's what I have on my mower and I can't get the shaft out of the spindle so I was wondering if this particular spindle is designed that way. Thanks.
Good video, lots of useful information for first timers. One of my spindle pulley nuts and the shaft thread galled when I took them off (first time removed in 13 years of service). Do you know the metric size (diameter and pitch) die and tap needed to dress these threads?
Bearings going in a bit too easy. Might be needing to replace mandrel/spindle housing soon. I had a similar experience with my John Deere. Thanks for the video!
I noticed the same thing with my old Craftsman mower, even with new spindles. The outer race would spin in the mandrel, wearing it out quickly. A little green Loctite 640 sleeve retainer solved that problem. Kept the race from spinning. I'm going to use it on the Deere too. Can't hurt.
In the elevator business I seem to remember replacement of bearings always required a Loctite bearing compound on the outer race and/or inner face to seal the bearing in the seat . I believe it helped prevent blowing out the bearing with a grease gun. Anyone know for sure? JoeB
At 15:08 you say to check the octagon, but I have to tell you it is a hexagon also at 22:49 you refer to it as an octagon again, and looking at the pulley in the grass you can see clearly its a hexagon. And at 4 extra bolts to remove per spindle I would have removed the whole spindle assembly take them to my workbench and clean them properly before reassembling it, with bearing Locktite also put some Anti-seize on the spindle were the nut that holds the blade goes. Also, when you removed the mower deck from the tractor at 1:52 you said no washer, but you can clearly the outline of a washer, you must have lost it the last time you removed the mower deck. Next time you work on your tractor put a tarp or cardboard under it so you don't lose any parts.
that's way to go and then you good for another few years. You can get deck rebuild kits with 3 spindles, blades, and belt CHEAP on Amazon and Ebay. I was like you, pull that damn deck off and I'm just replacing whole assembly. Might as well clean deck underneath and get a can of yellow tractor paint for like $7.00 and your deck is back to new after you put blades back on and ew belt. Can do pulleys for cheap if u need but if nothing wrong with can always replace later when doing belt replace or sharpening blades. Don't have to take deck off to change pulleys.
Some of the shaft housings have grease fittings to apply grease when it is fully assembled. Problem is that if the bearings are sealed from both sides they won't receive any lubricating grease. On mine I have removed the seals from the bearings on the side facing down from the top and up from the bottom. Thought this made sense and now when I add grease I can be sure that the bearings are being lubricated potentially extending the life of these bearings. If they don't have grease fittings it won't matter much.
A grease gun puts out 10 000 psi with every pump them bearing covers don't stop it lol , they are not seals just loose fitting dust covers ya can pick em out with your fingernail. Grease until you see it come out both ends of spindle , the grease goes threw the bearings .
Wish mine were that easy.. Pressed bearing and seemingly seized on the double pully, seized clips on the bottom, seized shafts in the bearings, different bearing on the idler... It wasn't the easiest to get together either. It's got new bearing and fresh grease in the idler bearing. It's ready to go on now but they are not all butter like this. I just hope those rivets hold up on the idler lol. If not, it's getting rod through it and peened flat. Don't wanna use bolts, might work loose. It also had to be welded up because of rust around the spindle on one side, also a few cracks around the brackets. You had it easy lol.
I'd suggest an older well kept mower made in the 60's, 70's or 80's. Most can be had for less than $500. I own a 41 year old Cub Cadet garden tractor and a 32 year old Wheel Horse riding mower. Both have never let me down and do a great job cutting the grass with very minimal maintenance. The build quality is head and shoulders above what you'll find today. That's why they have been cutting grass and working hard for decades. My neighbor has a couple of newer riding mowers. Well, there always having an issue with something. They'll last for a few year's. After that it's about time to scrap em because the cost to repair or replace worn out parts is outrageous. I had to say it but they don't make em like they used to.
Great video, very informative and great back drop! All I would add is that you can put your wrench on the movable pulley nut and pull it toward the engine (front), giving you slack to remove/put the belt on more easily!
Jeff, I have the same mower, my deck spindles have grease zerks, but does it really do any good to grease the spindles as it appears from your video the bearings are sealed bearings, so they would never get the grease,
Good observation and you are correct. Although greasing all of the interior can help to keep out debris and water and hopefully help keep the bearings from freezing to the shaft if it ever needs to be disassembled again.
You can simply remove the plastic seal on the inner facing side of the bearing. That will keep the bearing sealed and protected on the outside while allowing grease to fill on the inside.
My exact deck is the same set-up, but when I grease the zerks I KNOW I can see grease come out of both the top and bottom of the shaft. All I can assume is the grease is getting past the inner bearing and shaft fit. I know a shot of two per zerk once or twice a mowing season isn't hurting anything, and so far I have close to 10 years on my spindles with no problems. Probably just jinxed myself! lol. Idler bearings have not held up as well, and they require full replacement of the pulley and bearing.
Part numbers are on the old bearing. You will need to pull the spindles off and get to the bearing outer race. NSPA will probably have the part and probably the parts diagram of the mower deck by brand of mower deck but I would not swear to it. I have a Husky tractor with 54 in deck. The decks look like almost identical. My buddy landscaper tells me almost all small mower and tractor brands are made by one plant. Same one making Murray Brand. I’m betting there is probably only one major deck manufacturer servicing almost all brands of mowers. Anyone know for sure? Same goes for heat pumps. All buy maybe 6 are made by Goodman. JoeB
Recently acquired mower about shake me out of the seat when blades engaged. Figured something was worn or bent...not a mechanic....Good video ! Now know where to look for vibration producing wear ! Chickens nice touch....lol
What do you think is a fair price to sell one of these? It’s about 10 years old obviously not in excellent condition but it’s not terrible looking and will start and cut no problem every time
FYI ; the plastic seals on “sealed” bearings do not keep moisture out of the balls & inner cage of the bearings, Only grease can do that. Metal “shielded” bearings allow both grease & moisture in So, best not to use them. You’re correct to remove 1 seal of each one, facing the grease fitting on each spindle. I grease my deck bearings every 50 hours or so, usually 3 times per mowing season. Uncle Fudd😃🇺🇸
Tnx Jeff, I wasn’t intending to disagree with anyone, only to clarify a bit. By the way, If your bearing housings or shaft may be to worn, your supply house offers inexpensive, corrugated Split rings, in many sizes, that will increase the life of those Expensive parts. Uncle Fudd 😀🇺🇸
Hello - thanks for the instruction - I will be replacing the bearings on my MTD yard machine today thanks to this. Questions: what causes the bearings to go? And what kind of cordless drill are you using to remove the bolts around the belt housings? I'm a newbie at this but really like working on stuff. Thank you!
How often do you have to trim the feathers around the eyes on your chickens? Have a friend who has these chickens and the rooster has a problem with those feathers growing out and actually covering his eyes so that he can't even see. She has to wait until he can't see so she can grab and hold him while her husband snips off those heavy feathers around the eyes. Then, he's all good again for awhile until he can't see anything again. It's really funny how he sometimes walks into something, doesn't know what it is, and attacks whatever he has just run in to.
Some of what you say is wrong, particularly needing an impact wrench. First clue was not knowing how to take off the deck. Lower the deck on 2x4s and all the tension is gone. Owner doesn't take care of it either.
I've watched a lot of videos of people removing the deck off their mowers. None of them used 2x4s. The company I bought my mower through has a video on removing the deck and the video does not show using 2x4s. It shows lowering the deck to the ground or floor.
@@danielameel7437 If you are going to make a video that teaches novices something, teach them correctly per the manufacturer's instructions. The owners manual and technical service manual clearly states lower the deck on wooden blocks.
u are correct Sir , ive done spindles and much more on my HD 75 walk behind with a 54 inch deck. LITTLES JOHN DEERE in PA is excellent for service and parts..
I'm sorry but I did mine yesterday. I wouldn't even try to do it in the grass. It went a lot quicker than this. I don't think I would be visiting Jeff's Little Engine Service too soon.
Hey, Loved your video! I really liked you making it fun with the chickens and then the yellow lab. Also, thanks for cleaning up dog poop! Do the chickens try to peck dog and does dog chase chickens? 🤠
A bit off topic, but have you ever worked on the transmission of these LA145, I want to change oil in my transmission by sucking out the old oil, no drain plug on this transmission T40, I plan on adding back 5-50 synthetic oil to the transmission, understand transmission is the weak part of these mowers, Thanks for your consideration on this request, Fred,
Fred they are a sealed non serviceable unit.....usually Tuff Torq trans and about $700 to $900 !!!! If they go out you might as well buy a new mower !!! Not much more money !!!
It's just a hydrostatic swashplate pump and a plunger motor in the case. No big deal. It was built by a human..... it can be repaired by one too. These units typically fail from lack of oil.
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After 10 years my LA145 mower deck spun a bearing on one of the idler pulleys - I could have replaced just that item but after a decade of use I decided to rebuild the entire deck. I bought a rebuild kit from Green Dade Outdoor the "48” John Deere 100 Series 145, D140, LA145, X140 Deck Rebuild Kit" @ $138.00 + shipping. Includes belt, three blades, three blade spindles, two small and one large idler pulleys. Here are some tips: 1) After removing the deck, clear off any grass clippings and take a picture of the belt arrangement for future reference. 2) After so many years the nuts won't want to come off without a fight - an impact wrench with 10mm, 15mm and 22mm sockets will solve this problem. 3) The idler pulleys are sealed bearings - so no lube required. And UNLIKE the video I did NOT repack the spindle bearings - the new spindles come fully assembled in new spindle housings. The spindle housings have grease fittings so I filled them with grease - they took quite a bit. Other posters claim this is not needed but hey, it's only grease. I was pleased with the quality of the components supplied in the re-build kit - the job itself is pretty straightforward as described in the video - WITH ONE EXCEPTION. 4) When I went to mount the re-worked deck the new belt was about an inch or so too small to fit over the electric clutch pulley. Even using a crow bar to push the belt-tensioner assembly FULLY forward I could not get the new belt over the clutch pulley - close but no cigar. I decided to try removing the idler pulley on the LEFT side of the deck (the left as seen from the drivers normal position). This gave me about 4 more inches of belt to work with so it was easy to get the belt over the clutch pulley - the belt tensioner took up the slack, for now anyway. BUT the left belt guard is now in the way so I left the belt guard off and ran the mower - works fine. Of course, if you try this BE CAREFUL not to make contact with the belt. After four mowings of my 3/4 acre lot I found that the belt had been stretched enough so that it now fits properly with the idler pulley and belt guard back in place. Hope this helps!
I use a large screw driver on the idler tensioner to take the pressure off, which allows me to then slip the belt over the pulley. I almost takes 3 hands, but I've played with it a few times, so I've got it figured out.
Absolutely loved this video! VERY informative and filmed well. That's a nasty job you took on there but you made it seem like it wasn't too difficult. My experience is anything that can go wrong will but in this case things went rather well I'd say. Deck was a filthy mess! Probably coulda used a good pressure washing while it was off...but that wasn't your mission. Not sure how long this took you in total time but it would have taken me like a week. And lots of cussing and cut fingers and such along the way. Not sure why you didn't do it in a garage but you showed every single step quite clearly and made what you were doing understandable too. My hat's off to all good mechanics! I think they are under-rated and often under paid. Takes a lot of skill and experience to be a good mechanic. Also love your laid-back attitude and constant informative comments.
Took ALL 6 bearings out of my d140 48" deck today. I grease 2 x per year. ALL 6 bearings were fully packed with grease. the seals on my bearings were not fully covering the bearing innards. Sound like Deere fixed the greasing problem when using the spindle zerts.
As mentioned, if you're using a wrench, you definitely need to keep the blades on with a chock of some sort (2x4) in order to get the spindle bolts off.
Just a couple of comments. My deck (same model) is still on the original shaft bearings, but has gone through several sets of idlers due to bearing noise. The idlers come as a complete unit, no bearing change possible. The deck you were working on showed lots of neglect. FWIW, the spindle bearings are indeed sealed, but by greasing the spindle shaft zerk fittings you keep the shaft cavity full until it forces grease up & down the shaft and keeps moisture out of the shaft and what is forced out the shaft itself prevents moisture from creeping up the shaft when mowing wet grass. When removing that deck, it is much easier if you RAISE the deck all the way slip a few 2x4's under the sides of the deck and let the deck down on the 2x4's (also suggested in the owners manual). When removing the blades, NEVER use your hands to hold the blade. A block of wood between the blade and deck to jamb it up works better and keeps blood off the paint. Finally, NEVER EVER hammer or press on the inner circle of a bearing that is going to be used. Fine for driving a bearing out, but for installation do what you did with the one bearing and use a deep well socket that is just slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the outer bearing surface. OK, sounds like I found a lot of faults, but at my age I've been to this rodeo a few times and know what saves fingers and parts. Good video overall
Possibly. I found bearings on Amazon for 15 bucks for a set of 10, The initial mod takes some time, but once the bolts are installed, the effort is much less.
Many people complain that mower decks don't last that long - rust out. Mower decks must be thoroughly cleaned underneath after the last mowing of the year. Remove the deck - examine the mandrels for wear, check the blades, check the belt for cuts, and clean all clippings from the surfaces of the deck housing. You can double the life of your mower deck by doing so. Riding mower decks are very expensive.
Yes if the deck is worn to much find a good welding shop and they can make a ring to put where the spindle connects to the deck. When you put it back together you can use washers to get better alignment of the blades and pullies. It costed about 65 dollars in louisiana at a welding shop verses 450 for new deck and works like new now.
Since you used sandpaper and grease on the shaft it will not be a pressfitted bearing installation which is needed. The innerring of the bearing will now spin freely on the shaft = wrong.
look at the rust on that deck. every john deere deck ive seen has been in that state. you would think they would do a decent paint job with undercoat given the price they charge for those machines.
I have a Z225 thats 11yrs old and still has a good shine on it, no rust at all. I just blow everything off after each mow and that seems to keep it looking new.
I have a gx355 that I have never serviced except for 3 belt changes a new transmission pulley a new fuel pump two new deck brackets that were made out of some scrap mettle as the old ones broke due to fatigue and the odd clean in its 17 years of service. it has been used to cut a paddock that is thick with weeds almost 2 feet high almost once a year as well as normal lawn use and a lot of trailer towing and I can report that it doesn't have a speck of rust on it other than a few small dings so it is a real decent mower in my vew
Deere powder coats everything. AS soon as a pin hole lets in moisture the rust spreads under the "paint". Then large sections of powder coating come off in sheets. What you find underneath is surface rust. The deck is powder coated and the body is too. Big mess if you really use the machine. Starts out green and yellow and ends up rust. Give me paint any day.
There are several videos where hey remove the dust caps on the inward-facing side of the bearings to allow grease to penetrate into the bearings and actually make the zirc fittings useful.
sweetbeef is dat an international harvester I am looking for aftermarket blades for my mahindra emax25m-2514 60 inch mower deck model AEMAHME60. blade oem part number AME050008. 21 INCH BLADES WITH A 5/8 INCH CENTER HOLE
I have the same Mower and Deck, Do you happen to know a brand and Part# for those bearings you installed. I got the part number off the one you showed in the video, but I cant get it to break on Google. Thanks for the video, I was going to replace the whole spindle again, But now im looking to change just the bearings. I'm thinking if I can find a quality bearing, Maybe I can get a few years out of them.
Boy, are you right! If the spindle housings have zerk fittings on them and you do not remove the inner side seal cover on the bearings, filling the spindles do absolutely nothing to keep the bearings lubricated. Use a bearing pick or ice pick to remove thhe inner seal so the grease can reach the bearing and race. A rookie miistake, unless he did so, but did not show us.
@@lomgshorts3 You're wrong about filling the housing with grease does absolutely nothing. Water wont reach the bearing from inside the housing either. Water is destroying these bearings.
@@parkerbirch1475 That is THE reason I NEVER use water to clean the underside of my deck. Water and mechanical things don't mix. I clean the deck manually by using compressed air!
@@lomgshorts3 A grease gun puts out 10 000 psi with every pump them bearing covers don't stop it lol , they are not seals just loose fitting dust covers ya can pick em out with your fingernail. Grease until you see it come out both ends of spindle , the grease goes threw the bearings .
Man, you made that look easy.I'm a rookie at this, but will be attempting it for the first time on my LA145 very soon.I guess the bright side is if it goes awry I can always buy 3 new spindle assemblies and replace them.Just curious, are both sides of the bearing supposed to be closed?The ones I ordered are, but I've watched a couple videos where one side was open.Thanks for the video!
Just checked my Model 145 I purchased at a J-D tractor dealer (same as the LA145) just a different model # put on it. Yes, mine's 13 years old and doing well. Did some reconditioning over the winter - had to replace the steering assy. with parts I found on internet. Don't have to use J-D parts which are about half-again, or more, higher priced. Note: using a large screwdriver or pry tool on the tensioner pulley assy. on the mower deck enables reinstalling the belt around the clutch pulley a lot easier. Hmm...should have made a video.
Same with my LA145from Home Depot. !00 hours - no problem - other than early-on crack in yellow seat and peeling yellow paint under plastic guards from packed grass which my Stihl blower never did clear over the past few years. Just installed new air filter, spark plugs, fuel filter, oil and oil filter from a JD kit. Only greased the spindles once. I can see the water resistance function of the grease in the spindle.
I always drive my mower onto a tarp so if I drop anything I can find it . And I have a magnet handy to retrieve the parts I drop . Comes from working on farm equipment out in the hayfield .
Nero Gomez Check the belt but most likely the transmission if hydrostatic drive !!! Expensive fix since they are mostly sealed at the factory !!! $$$$$$$$$$$
I had the same trouble with that exact same unit and it's just low on hydraulic oil. You have to take the sealed hydrostatic drive apart and replace the oil. You're going to be amazed at the simplicity of its insides.... a rotary swashplate pump with a plunger motor.... all cool! It splits from axle to axle, horizontally. So take it out, remove all the bolts and pull it open. Pour out the old fluid and just fill up the bottom half with new oil before you put the halves back together. Simple once it's out.
Hi Jeff. Just a question for you, I have a Stiga Park Frontcutting mower that dosen't bog down in the motor when mowing but the deck is running rough? Can that be a too lose belt or a bad bearing or what could it be. Thank you.
And it also collects lots of grass up underneath. And after a bit, it stalls out the motor because it is fully packed so the blades aren't running/very low rpm's.
Jeff, HELP!...First, THANK YOU for the video!Without it and videos like it I wouldnt even attempt half the jobs I am able to accomplish now.After months of putting this task off, today much to my surprise I successfully changed the 6 bearings in my LA145 deck with little to no major obstacles.The pulleys which had had some play in them are now tight, buuuuut after re-attaching the deck and firing her up and engaging the blades she was AS LOUD if not LOUDER than before.Any ideas as to why or what else may be causing her to run so loud with the blades on?Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks sgain!
Also, you should get the proper sockets for use with an impact driver. Those skimpy sockets you're using will break on a really stuck bolt and round off the bolt head. When they break they open up like the barrel of Elmer Fudd's shotgun when Daffy Duck plugs it with his finger. So it loosens and rounds off the bolt head before you know it.
@@engineclinic Sorry mate, that's just not true. From ehow.com, "Manufacturers construct impact sockets of hot forged Chrome Vanadium steel with a significantly thicker socket wall. Not only does this heat treatment produce a harder surface, it also imparts a darker coloration to the metal, which helps you distinguish impact sockets from standard sockets in the tool box." www.ehow.com/info_8096190_different-impact-socket-regular-socket.html
@@calebsturge8713 does ehow make sockets? m.facebook.com/notes/snap-on-tools/snap-on-technical-reference-impact-vs-chrome-sockets/251237528642/ Don't confuse impact sockets with power sockets. This doesn't mention the effect on the impact but from direct conversations with snap-on I know it to be the case.
John Deere said I needed a new deck, about $550.00. Thank the Lord I saw your video. This is ALL my deck needs. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.
Thanks for the video! Being and old man wearing glasses, owning a impact driver, and not wanting to stoop over for the whole project, my choice would be to slip off the blades and use that impact driver to remove each whole bearing housing. Then I would rebuild it on my work bench where I can stand straight up and see it much better. That also might give you a better chance to clean up all parts including your deck and check for any cracking etc. Your method achieves the same results of course. My back just hurts watching you wrestle that deck around on the ground. If you have a pickup truck, the tailgate area makes a good workbench for mower decks if you can get someone to help you put it there initially. Good Luck!
Thanks friend! good tips with the tailgate idea. I do have work benches but they are always full!
I love the attention to detail and how he so carefully flips the deck over...
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING AND USING HIS TOOLS FOR A HAMMER
And dropping the parts in the grass
Rule #1 - take care of the equipment. Rule #2 - take care of your tools. Staying organized is a plus too.
He's a true shadetree, he is.
You explained step by step so simple and clear contrary to other videos where you dont know what language they speak. You are now my go to videos for my lawnmower needs...thanks Jeff
Brilliant video. Thank you. I ate a bearing a couple weeks ago on my JD D-140. Dang it. And I'd replaced all three spindle assembles about 2 years ago. This got me up and mowing again. And yes, embarrassed about replacing last time rather than rebuilding. This time a couple of bearings at TSC cost me $17, way cheaper. Then I ordered 10 bearings from Amazon for $16. Now to rebuild those spindles I had on the shelf.
I keep a hundred just to start the year off and busyness is good
@11:18 "A little tap with a rubber mallet here..." and the bolt slides out in fear. :) What tool are you using, an air impact wrench or an air impact driver?
Interesting approach to replacing deck bearings. I caution those watching this video to be a bit more gentle installing new bearings in the housings. Never ever beat a bearing into place with a hammer!! The housings should be removed and the bearings pressed into position. Note the 5:10-5:15 sections of the video.That particular housing is clearly shot and should have been replaced.
good tips! but hammering the "outer" race evenly on a bearing to install it is usually ok to do
Had mandrel bearings go bad on one of my blades. Bought the entire assy. for $17 on eBay. That thin casted housing only lasts so long. And, don't have to beat bearings in and out of aluminum housing.
I just bought an LA145 with 130 hours, it is probably ten years old but looks new, but the deck has a loose spindle, cant believe it, thought it would be like new... Thus... a mower deck bearing can fail in 130 hours on one of these if not greases, it does not look abused... and original owner and deck...
I paid 1000 Canadian, and that was a good to great steal...
Thanks for the video, if I have zerks, I will remove the inner bearing seals, and those belt guards are going so I can blow off the dust and debris to prevent rust... wish John Deere was more heavy duty... I have a 445 with the Kawasaki and the five foot mower I thought something was wrong with it so I bought the 145, but when the 145 spindle was screaming after an hour use, I fired up the 445 and it mowed my farm no problem, the mole hills dulled the blades, so I just slowed down for the wiry thick and tall grass...
Am going to head to a bearing shop for the best quality bearings, JD is just too overpriced.
Same for the oil filter and air filter for the Kawasaki...
thanks. having to work on my husqvarna deck. broke the belt so figured i should take the blades off and sharpen them while i am at it. shafts are wrapped up in old electric fence i ran over last season. glad i can just pound out the shafts instead of replacing the whole mandrel. i'll do new bearings while i am at it since the pulleys aren't moving too nice. they are probably shot anyways after 6 years.
Sure am glad I do all my own maintenance and repair work. Everybody treats equipment differently.
It’s a good idea to also add grease fittings to housings too (if the manufacturer didn’t) and then remove seals from inner surfaces of the new bearings so grease can actually enter the bearing and do its job. Leave the seals in place on the outer surfaces of the bearing to help prevent entry of contaminants and water. Then advise/instruct owner to grease the fittings each month and prior to winter storage. The manufacturer builds these machines with sealed bearings and no grease points because they believe most homeowners are too lazy and stupid to service equipment properly. This causes premature wear and bearing failure, which typically ends in service expense.
Too lazy and stupid is a fact of life for humanity, even mechanics often fail to do adequate maintenance on their own garden tools. Part of the reason grease fittings disappeared from cars everywhere is because new sealed bearings were better than relying on maintenance. It would be interesting to see a trial of bearings intentionally damaged to permit maintenance vs sealed bearings with no maintenance. I will guess that the sealed bearings would win, even in those homes where backyard mechanics stated full intention to grease the fittings every month. Life gets in the way of best intentions.
I have to take deck off to get to the blades to sharpen them,so since I'm there we pull the shafts and bearings pop the seals out of the bearings clean check condition of bearings regrease with wheel bearing grease. Reassemble seems to work great.
@@spelunkerd Even if you removed both inner seals off the bearings unless you drill some small holes in the outer seals the outer seals would pop out under the pressure of the grease. It defeates me why JD actually has a grease point at all, with sealed bearings it does absolutely nothing at all apart from fill a void with grease.
@@spelunkerd IM very curious about your response . All my trucks since 2000 havent had zerts. one ford person said once they need grease its probably already a bad bearing... I wonder if maybe the engineers think that we over grease things that allows moisture to get into bearing cups?? i mean Ive sen people use air greasers that hold the trigger like its an automatic gun. i think maybe it causes damage to over grease and blows seals to keep out moisture .. Your thoughts??
@@culbyj3665 I share your concern about over greasing and pressure effects on the seal. But in the big picture, most grease fittings never get used.
Great video. Whenever I need to change mine on my cub cadet I'm gonna remove the bearings inner seal so some grease actually reaches the bearings. I understand why they made them that way,but I stay ontop of maintenance pretty good.i cant complain about the original bearings either,on their eighth season and no problems.
Thanks for the video. Funny you used the video to put the belt back on. I'm glad that I took a picture before I replaced mine a few years ago, Normally I don't have that foresight.
Hi question..Shouldn't the shaft be a tighter tap in fit inside the bearing inner race( time 14 .50 in video)..otherwise the shaft is just turning in the inner race and the bearingins't actually performing its function ?
Yes you are probably right. You can "peen" the housing to prevent the race from spinning.
Really appreciate the effort of filming while you're working on that mower deck. Trying to hold a camera and work must be tough.
Getting ready to replace my bearing, your video will help me so much, thanks.
Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to put this out there and share.. YOU THE MAN! 👍
Thanks really helpful to see how it comes apart, I would have taken off aluminum housing if I hadn't seen your video
Good video, I'm needing to do the same to my raggedly old 212. I was thinking I might need to replace the whole hub but I'll try your approach and hope that does it. I'm sure it will be way cheaper.
Looking at the parts as you were working on them the spindles looked the same as on my Deere 7H17 except the spindles had holes where mine has zerks (grease fittings) installed. If they are then I would have popped the inner dust covers off the berrings and installed zerks.
On my mower I need to replace the berrings as they have over 10,000 hours on them. Deere commercial mowers are almost bullet proof!
At the prices of "commercial" mowers, they ALL should be bulletproof!
Good job figuring it out. . Gave me an idea of what to do. Though I probably wont hammer on my new bearings since i won't be needing my repeat business next year.
lol! Make sure toonly contact the outer bearing race when "pressing/pounding" them in to place
did you have to replace the idler pulley bearings? i'm in the middle of this job also and have replaced both spindle assemblies and was thinking whether the idler pulley bearings were shot too? will the have play like the spindle bearings if they are shot i wonder?
I did not have to replace them. Some idler pulley bearings are not replaceable so you would have to buy a new pulley if the bearings were bad.
Jeff's Little Engine Service thanks for that. How would you know if the idler pulley bearings were bad? Would they have play like the spindle assembly does where it kinda rocks back and forth?
yeah I spin them too. They should spin freely for awhile before they stop and not make too much noise.
Good vid! A man that knows the value of pre-lubing nuts/bolts, no wasted time!-
Nice job! It looms in my future, so youi can imagine how pleased I was to find your vid! I especially liked the camera work - you knew what we needed to see and it was clear and easy to follow. Thanks for a job well done... Yes, I downloaded it for future ref! Cheers!
Awesome, thank you!
Also I don't have a impact gun but I jam a peice of wood behind blade to keep it from turning and use a breaker bar to get blades off .
What about the other pulleys. What size bearings do they use?
You don't have to remove the blades to replace the bearings. Work from the top of the deck. The shaft and blade will fall loose once you remove the top nut.
True and that’s how mechanics do it
@@philliphall5198might as well sharpen the blades at this point😊
That video was well-done. I would suggest working on a mower on a concrete slab. Working in grass, you were dropping hardware in the grass, messing with dog crap, having leaves stuck to your leg, kneeling in wet grass. Yecch.
Jeff, thanks for this video. Have you replaced bearings on a JD x350 with spindle part # AM144608? That's what I have on my mower and I can't get the shaft out of the spindle so I was wondering if this particular spindle is designed that way. Thanks.
What kind of grease did you use?
Great video, I noticed when you engaged the deck, it really shakes, you might want to check the balance all 3 blades.
Thanks friend! Good tip!
This is a great video. I had trouble removing the pulley, the impact wrench was the key! I have a simpicity and it is very similar.
Good video, lots of useful information for first timers. One of my spindle pulley nuts and the shaft thread galled when I took them off (first time removed in 13 years of service). Do you know the metric size (diameter and pitch) die and tap needed to dress these threads?
I do not
Found it : 9/16-18 tpi. Won't find it at Lowes...😂
Bearings going in a bit too easy. Might be needing to replace mandrel/spindle housing soon. I had a similar experience with my John Deere. Thanks for the video!
Good eye Gilbert you are right!
I noticed the same thing with my old Craftsman mower, even with new spindles. The outer race would spin in the mandrel, wearing it out quickly. A little green Loctite 640 sleeve retainer solved that problem. Kept the race from spinning. I'm going to use it on the Deere too. Can't hurt.
He belted them in from the inner race . That destroys the bearing .
Yes, I think I would have used sleeve and seal retainer on those.
In the elevator business I seem to remember replacement of bearings always required a Loctite bearing compound on the outer race and/or inner face to seal the bearing in the seat . I believe it helped prevent blowing out the bearing with a grease gun. Anyone know for sure?
JoeB
At 15:08 you say to check the octagon, but I have to tell you it is a hexagon also at 22:49 you refer to it as an octagon again, and looking at the pulley in the grass you can see clearly its a hexagon. And at 4 extra bolts to remove per spindle I would have removed the whole spindle assembly take them to my workbench and clean them properly before reassembling it, with bearing Locktite also put some Anti-seize on the spindle were the nut that holds the blade goes. Also, when you removed the mower deck from the tractor at 1:52 you said no washer, but you can clearly the outline of a washer, you must have lost it the last time you removed the mower deck. Next time you work on your tractor put a tarp or cardboard under it so you don't lose any parts.
good tips
what part numbers were the replacement bearings?
Go online to John Deere parts diagrams and the parts for you model will be there.
Great tutorial! I commend your efforts, but I choose to replace the spindle assemblies along with two pullies that had bad bearings...done and done ✅.
that's way to go and then you good for another few years. You can get deck rebuild kits with 3 spindles, blades, and belt CHEAP on Amazon and Ebay. I was like you, pull that damn deck off and I'm just replacing whole assembly. Might as well clean deck underneath and get a can of yellow tractor paint for like $7.00 and your deck is back to new after you put blades back on and ew belt. Can do pulleys for cheap if u need but if nothing wrong with can always replace later when doing belt replace or sharpening blades. Don't have to take deck off to change pulleys.
Thanks for the video. Were the idler bearings o.k. I have to change them often on my JD.
yep the other pulley bearings were still in good shape. Thanks for watching
Some of the shaft housings have grease fittings to apply grease when it is fully assembled. Problem is that if the bearings are sealed from both sides they won't receive any lubricating grease. On mine I have removed the seals from the bearings on the side facing down from the top and up from the bottom. Thought this made sense and now when I add grease I can be sure that the bearings are being lubricated potentially extending the life of these bearings. If they don't have grease fittings it won't matter much.
A grease gun puts out 10 000 psi with every pump them bearing covers don't stop it lol , they are not seals just loose fitting dust covers ya can pick em out with your fingernail. Grease until you see it come out both ends of spindle , the grease goes threw the bearings .
Need advice on d140 cutting off when mowing.
cute family day out. Thanks for the video!
I thank you very much and a good greeting because thanks to your video I learned yesterdayhow to change of my tractor
Wish mine were that easy.. Pressed bearing and seemingly seized on the double pully, seized clips on the bottom, seized shafts in the bearings, different bearing on the idler... It wasn't the easiest to get together either. It's got new bearing and fresh grease in the idler bearing. It's ready to go on now but they are not all butter like this. I just hope those rivets hold up on the idler lol. If not, it's getting rod through it and peened flat. Don't wanna use bolts, might work loose. It also had to be welded up because of rust around the spindle on one side, also a few cracks around the brackets. You had it easy lol.
Lots of comments about cheap mowers. What are good quality mowers that are recommended and price range?
I like Craftsman because they are not expensive and easy to work on. Make sure you get one with a Briggs and Stratton engine.
I'd suggest an older well kept mower made in the 60's, 70's or 80's. Most can be had for less than $500. I own a 41 year old Cub Cadet garden tractor and a 32 year old Wheel Horse riding mower. Both have never let me down and do a great job cutting the grass with very minimal maintenance. The build quality is head and shoulders above what you'll find today. That's why they have been cutting grass and working hard for decades. My neighbor has a couple of newer riding mowers. Well, there always having an issue with something. They'll last for a few year's. After that it's about time to scrap em because the cost to repair or replace worn out parts is outrageous. I had to say it but they don't make em like they used to.
I agree with the craftsman. I have two from the 90's and love them. I'll go one more and say the Koehler engine runs great just like the Briggs.
Great video, very informative and great back drop! All I would add is that you can put your wrench on the movable pulley nut and pull it toward the engine (front), giving you slack to remove/put the belt on more easily!
good tip! thanks friend!
A little anti-seize on the blade side shaft threads will go a long way to increase the life of the shaft, and make the nuts easier to remove.
Jeff, I have the same mower, my deck spindles have grease zerks, but does it really do any good to grease the spindles as it appears from your video the bearings are sealed bearings, so they would never get the grease,
Good observation and you are correct. Although greasing all of the interior can help to keep out debris and water and hopefully help keep the bearings from freezing to the shaft if it ever needs to be disassembled again.
You can simply remove the plastic seal on the inner facing side of the bearing. That will keep the bearing sealed and protected on the outside while allowing grease to fill on the inside.
My exact deck is the same set-up, but when I grease the zerks I KNOW I can see grease come out of both the top and bottom of the shaft. All I can assume is the grease is getting past the inner bearing and shaft fit. I know a shot of two per zerk once or twice a mowing season isn't hurting anything, and so far I have close to 10 years on my spindles with no problems. Probably just jinxed myself! lol. Idler bearings have not held up as well, and they require full replacement of the pulley and bearing.
I can’t find the bearings. Can you provide the part number. Thanks
Part numbers are on the old bearing. You will need to pull the spindles off and get to the bearing outer race. NSPA will probably have the part and probably the parts diagram of the mower deck by brand of mower deck but I would not swear to it. I have a Husky tractor with 54 in deck. The decks look like almost identical. My buddy landscaper tells me almost all small mower and tractor brands are made by one plant. Same one making Murray Brand. I’m betting there is probably only one major deck manufacturer servicing almost all brands of mowers. Anyone know for sure? Same goes for heat pumps. All buy maybe 6 are made by Goodman.
JoeB
I have a mower deck on a 1965 Cub Cadet that has the original bearings greaseable, still good
Thanks! It is nice seeing all the parts involved in those spindles and deck bearings and how they fit together!
Recently acquired mower about shake me out of the seat when blades engaged. Figured something was worn or bent...not a mechanic....Good video ! Now know where to look for vibration producing wear ! Chickens nice touch....lol
George First thing to check is the blade balance...easy to do with a nail through the blades center hole... and then ALL the bearings in the deck !!!
What do you think is a fair price to sell one of these? It’s about 10 years old obviously not in excellent condition but it’s not terrible looking and will start and cut no problem every time
$500.00 - $700.00
What purpose does the grease serve with bearings that are sealed?
not much...lol. Although it may help prevent moisture from reaching the bearings...
FYI ; the plastic seals on “sealed” bearings do not keep moisture out of the balls & inner cage of the bearings, Only grease can do that. Metal “shielded” bearings allow both grease & moisture in So, best not to use them. You’re correct to remove 1 seal of each one, facing the grease fitting on each spindle. I grease my deck bearings every 50 hours or so, usually 3 times per mowing season. Uncle Fudd😃🇺🇸
good tips uncle Fudd
Tnx Jeff, I wasn’t intending to disagree with anyone, only to clarify a bit. By the way, If your bearing housings or shaft may be to worn, your supply house offers inexpensive, corrugated Split rings, in many sizes, that will increase the life of those Expensive parts. Uncle Fudd 😀🇺🇸
None lol
I have to drop my deck on a D100. From a wheelchair. Gotta grind of the deck and paint it. Wife loves to use it
Right on
Hello - thanks for the instruction - I will be replacing the bearings on my MTD yard machine today thanks to this. Questions: what causes the bearings to go? And what kind of cordless drill are you using to remove the bolts around the belt housings? I'm a newbie at this but really like working on stuff. Thank you!
I use a Dewalt cordless drill
How often do you have to trim the feathers around the eyes on your chickens? Have a friend who has these chickens and the rooster has a problem with those feathers growing out and actually covering his eyes so that he can't even see. She has to wait until he can't see so she can grab and hold him while her husband snips off those heavy feathers around the eyes. Then, he's all good again for awhile until he can't see anything again. It's really funny how he sometimes walks into something, doesn't know what it is, and attacks whatever he has just run in to.
lol! luckily I have not had to trim around their eyes yet
The bearing is spun in the spindle housing you need all new spindle assemblies.
And the bearing should not fall onto the shaft that easy.
@@crashland5711 and
or knurl them and use some Loctite 640 sleeve retainer
Some of what you say is wrong, particularly needing an impact wrench. First clue was not knowing how to take off the deck. Lower the deck on 2x4s and all the tension is gone. Owner doesn't take care of it either.
I've watched a lot of videos of people removing the deck off their mowers. None of them used 2x4s. The company I bought my mower through has a video on removing the deck and the video does not show using 2x4s. It shows lowering the deck to the ground or floor.
Just because you struggle and need your “2x4s” doesn’t mean the rest of us do
@@danielameel7437 If you are going to make a video that teaches novices something, teach them correctly per the manufacturer's instructions. The owners manual and technical service manual clearly states lower the deck on wooden blocks.
u are correct Sir , ive done spindles and much more on my HD 75 walk behind with a 54 inch deck. LITTLES JOHN DEERE in PA is excellent for service and parts..
14:30 The dog looks like he's hungry and is thinking a chicken sandwich would be good right about now.
lol!
I'm sorry but I did mine yesterday. I wouldn't even try to do it in the grass. It went a lot quicker than this. I don't think I would be visiting Jeff's Little Engine Service too soon.
perfect
Hey, Loved your video! I really liked you making it fun with the chickens and then the yellow lab. Also, thanks for cleaning up dog poop! Do the chickens try to peck dog and does dog chase chickens? 🤠
no they ignore each other
A bit off topic, but have you ever worked on the transmission of these LA145,
I want to change oil in my transmission by sucking out the old oil, no drain plug on this transmission T40,
I plan on adding back 5-50 synthetic oil to the transmission, understand transmission is the weak part of these mowers,
Thanks for your consideration on this request,
Fred,
I am not familiar with that procedure. You may have to "purge" the transaxle of air after you fill it back up with oil.
Fred they are a sealed non serviceable unit.....usually Tuff Torq trans and about $700 to $900 !!!! If they go out you might as well buy a new mower !!! Not much more money !!!
It's just a hydrostatic swashplate pump and a plunger motor in the case. No big deal. It was built by a human..... it can be repaired by one too. These units typically fail from lack of oil.
Thank you that was great. Nice of you to take the time. Thank you
Thanks David
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I don't know about using a 12 point socket with an impact gun. Not good for the nuts or bolts usually.
And it was a standard socket, not an impact socket. All impact sockets are six point.
Good work Jeff it's ready for another season.
After 10 years my LA145 mower deck spun a bearing on one of the idler pulleys - I could have replaced just that item but after a decade of use I decided to rebuild the entire deck. I bought a rebuild kit from Green Dade Outdoor the "48” John Deere 100 Series 145, D140, LA145, X140 Deck Rebuild Kit" @ $138.00 + shipping. Includes belt, three blades, three blade spindles, two small and one large idler pulleys. Here are some tips: 1) After removing the deck, clear off any grass clippings and take a picture of the belt arrangement for future reference. 2) After so many years the nuts won't want to come off without a fight - an impact wrench with 10mm, 15mm and 22mm sockets will solve this problem. 3) The idler pulleys are sealed bearings - so no lube required. And UNLIKE the video I did NOT repack the spindle bearings - the new spindles come fully assembled in new spindle housings. The spindle housings have grease fittings so I filled them with grease - they took quite a bit. Other posters claim this is not needed but hey, it's only grease. I was pleased with the quality of the components supplied in the re-build kit - the job itself is pretty straightforward as described in the video - WITH ONE EXCEPTION. 4) When I went to mount the re-worked deck the new belt was about an inch or so too small to fit over the electric clutch pulley. Even using a crow bar to push the belt-tensioner assembly FULLY forward I could not get the new belt over the clutch pulley - close but no cigar. I decided to try removing the idler pulley on the LEFT side of the deck (the left as seen from the drivers normal position). This gave me about 4 more inches of belt to work with so it was easy to get the belt over the clutch pulley - the belt tensioner took up the slack, for now anyway. BUT the left belt guard is now in the way so I left the belt guard off and ran the mower - works fine. Of course, if you try this BE CAREFUL not to make contact with the belt. After four mowings of my 3/4 acre lot I found that the belt had been stretched enough so that it now fits properly with the idler pulley and belt guard back in place. Hope this helps!
When I replaced bearings, I filled the empty spindle housing up with grease, then all is needed is a few pumps of grease after each mow.
I use a large screw driver on the idler tensioner to take the pressure off, which allows me to then slip the belt over the pulley. I almost takes 3 hands, but I've played with it a few times, so I've got it figured out.
Absolutely loved this video! VERY informative and filmed well. That's a nasty job you took on there but you made it seem like it wasn't too difficult. My experience is anything that can go wrong will but in this case things went rather well I'd say. Deck was a filthy mess! Probably coulda used a good pressure washing while it was off...but that wasn't your mission. Not sure how long this took you in total time but it would have taken me like a week. And lots of cussing and cut fingers and such along the way. Not sure why you didn't do it in a garage but you showed every single step quite clearly and made what you were doing understandable too. My hat's off to all good mechanics! I think they are under-rated and often under paid. Takes a lot of skill and experience to be a good mechanic. Also love your laid-back attitude and constant informative comments.
Took ALL 6 bearings out of my d140 48" deck today. I grease 2 x per year. ALL 6 bearings were fully packed with grease. the seals on my bearings were not fully covering the bearing innards. Sound like Deere fixed the greasing problem when using the spindle zerts.
As mentioned, if you're using a wrench, you definitely need to keep the blades on with a chock of some sort (2x4) in order to get the spindle bolts off.
I use electric halve inch impact wrench works great,got from harbor freight also impact sockets.
ITim O'Sullivan oolllô
Just a couple of comments. My deck (same model) is still on the original shaft bearings, but has gone through several sets of idlers due to bearing noise. The idlers come as a complete unit, no bearing change possible. The deck you were working on showed lots of neglect. FWIW, the spindle bearings are indeed sealed, but by greasing the spindle shaft zerk fittings you keep the shaft cavity full until it forces grease up & down the shaft and keeps moisture out of the shaft and what is forced out the shaft itself prevents moisture from creeping up the shaft when mowing wet grass. When removing that deck, it is much easier if you RAISE the deck all the way slip a few 2x4's under the sides of the deck and let the deck down on the 2x4's (also suggested in the owners manual). When removing the blades, NEVER use your hands to hold the blade. A block of wood between the blade and deck to jamb it up works better and keeps blood off the paint. Finally, NEVER EVER hammer or press on the inner circle of a bearing that is going to be used. Fine for driving a bearing out, but for installation do what you did with the one bearing and use a deep well socket that is just slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the outer bearing surface. OK, sounds like I found a lot of faults, but at my age I've been to this rodeo a few times and know what saves fingers and parts. Good video overall
Excellent tips Rags722!
Idler bearings can be changed, but you have to drill out the rivets and replace them with small bolts. It works.
True, but at some point the labor involved isn't worth the cost difference.
Possibly. I found bearings on Amazon for 15 bucks for a set of 10, The initial mod takes some time, but once the bolts are installed, the effort is much less.
Rags I noticed that also and I too have been there done that !!!!
Many people complain that mower decks don't last that long - rust out. Mower decks must be thoroughly cleaned underneath after the last mowing of the year. Remove the deck - examine the mandrels for wear, check the blades, check the belt for cuts, and clean all clippings from the surfaces of the deck housing. You can double the life of your mower deck by doing so. Riding mower decks are very expensive.
Yes if the deck is worn to much find a good welding shop and they can make a ring to put where the spindle connects to the deck. When you put it back together you can use washers to get better alignment of the blades and pullies. It costed about 65 dollars in louisiana at a welding shop verses 450 for new deck and works like new now.
why not take the seals off of the bearings before putting them in
how did you manage not to loose every nut and washer you took off.
I am sure I lost a few...lol... I have a $25.00 kids metal detector that I use when I lose a nut or bolt in the gravel or grass .... :)
Since you used sandpaper and grease on the shaft it will not be a pressfitted bearing installation which is needed. The innerring of the bearing will now spin freely on the shaft = wrong.
good info!
You are correct. If the bearing is not a tight fit, apply loc-tite to make sure that the bearing turns and not the shaft inside the bearing.
My Man At The Store Said There Is A Standard Or A Metric 6203 Bearing . Was Just Wondering Which One It Was You Got . Thanks
look at the rust on that deck. every john deere deck ive seen has been in that state. you would think they would do a decent paint job with undercoat given the price they charge for those machines.
I agree, but they are made to sell, not to last. Entire deck should be dipped prior to paint.
I have a Z225 thats 11yrs old and still has a good shine on it, no rust at all. I just blow everything off after each mow and that seems to keep it looking new.
I have a gx355 that I have never serviced except for 3 belt changes a new transmission pulley a new fuel pump two new deck brackets that were made out of some scrap mettle as the old ones broke due to fatigue and the odd clean in its 17 years of service. it has been used to cut a paddock that is thick with weeds almost 2 feet high almost once a year as well as normal lawn use and a lot of trailer towing and I can report that it doesn't have a speck of rust on it other than a few small dings so it is a real decent mower in my vew
Deere powder coats everything. AS soon as a pin hole lets in moisture the rust spreads under the "paint". Then large sections of powder coating come off in sheets. What you find underneath is surface rust. The deck is powder coated and the body is too. Big mess if you really use the machine. Starts out green and yellow and ends up rust. Give me paint any day.
@@robremlap4071 What about underneath?
How do it get grease in bearing if it seaked on both sides😅
thses are already greased and sealed bearings the extra grease just helps keep dirt and moisture out.
There are several videos where hey remove the dust caps on the inward-facing side of the bearings to allow grease to penetrate into the bearings and actually make the zirc fittings useful.
Block of wood when you're removing/installing the blades ??
yep it works
I never take the blades off it comes out from the bottom
sweetbeef is dat an international harvester I am looking for aftermarket blades for my mahindra emax25m-2514 60 inch mower deck model AEMAHME60. blade oem part number AME050008. 21 INCH BLADES WITH A 5/8 INCH CENTER HOLE
Thanks for video. Now I understand what that noise is and how to fix it.
I have the same Mower and Deck, Do you happen to know a brand and Part# for those bearings you installed. I got the part number off the one you showed in the video, but I cant get it to break on Google. Thanks for the video, I was going to replace the whole spindle again, But now im looking to change just the bearings. I'm thinking if I can find a quality bearing, Maybe I can get a few years out of them.
What did your bearings cost?
about $10-$15 each online Amazon
Because you left both seals in the bearings, packing grease in the spindle won't do a thing for them.
I've found factory spindles (most) do not have grease fittings, therefore I leave seals. Aftermarket spindles do have grease fittings.
Boy, are you right! If the spindle housings have zerk fittings on them and you do not remove the inner side seal cover on the bearings, filling the spindles do absolutely nothing to keep the bearings lubricated. Use a bearing pick or ice pick to remove thhe inner seal so the grease can reach the bearing and race. A rookie miistake, unless he did so, but did not show us.
@@lomgshorts3 You're wrong about filling the housing with grease does absolutely nothing. Water wont reach the bearing from inside the housing either. Water is destroying these bearings.
@@parkerbirch1475 That is THE reason I NEVER use water to clean the underside of my deck. Water and mechanical things don't mix. I clean the deck manually by using compressed air!
@@lomgshorts3 A grease gun puts out 10 000 psi with every pump them bearing covers don't stop it lol , they are not seals just loose fitting dust covers ya can pick em out with your fingernail. Grease until you see it come out both ends of spindle , the grease goes threw the bearings .
Man, you made that look easy.I'm a rookie at this, but will be attempting it for the first time on my LA145 very soon.I guess the bright side is if it goes awry I can always buy 3 new spindle assemblies and replace them.Just curious, are both sides of the bearing supposed to be closed?The ones I ordered are, but I've watched a couple videos where one side was open.Thanks for the video!
Love the Sears/Craftsman vintage tractors I was never into John Deere
You and me both!
everyone told me this model was junk but I wore out a set of tires before I had to change a belt. still running good at 12yrs old.
Just checked my Model 145 I purchased at a J-D tractor dealer (same as the LA145) just a different model # put on it. Yes, mine's 13 years old and doing well. Did some reconditioning over the winter - had to replace the steering assy. with parts I found on internet. Don't have to use J-D parts which are about half-again, or more, higher priced.
Note: using a large screwdriver or pry tool on the tensioner pulley assy. on the mower deck enables reinstalling the belt around the clutch pulley a lot easier. Hmm...should have made a video.
Same with my LA145from Home Depot. !00 hours - no problem - other than early-on crack in yellow seat and peeling yellow paint under plastic guards from packed grass which my Stihl blower never did clear over the past few years. Just installed new air filter, spark plugs, fuel filter, oil and oil filter from a JD kit. Only greased the spindles once. I can see the water resistance function of the grease in the spindle.
This is good DIY video, but doing this in the grass might loose a lot of parts, but each to their own.
I was thinking the same thing.
I always drive my mower onto a tarp so if I drop anything I can find it . And I have a magnet handy to retrieve the parts I drop . Comes from working on farm equipment out in the hayfield .
HEY JEFF WHATS WRONG WITH MT CRAFTSMAN LT 2000 PUT IN DRIVE AND IT GOES GOOD THEN STOPS THEN GOES AGAIN
I???? maybe needs a belt?
Nero Gomez Check the belt but most likely the transmission if hydrostatic drive !!! Expensive fix since they are mostly sealed at the factory !!! $$$$$$$$$$$
I had the same trouble with that exact same unit and it's just low on hydraulic oil. You have to take the sealed hydrostatic drive apart and replace the oil. You're going to be amazed at the simplicity of its insides.... a rotary swashplate pump with a plunger motor.... all cool!
It splits from axle to axle, horizontally. So take it out, remove all the bolts and pull it open. Pour out the old fluid and just fill up the bottom half with new oil before you put the halves back together. Simple once it's out.
Hi Jeff. Just a question for you, I have a Stiga Park Frontcutting mower that dosen't bog down in the motor when mowing but the deck is running rough? Can that be a too lose belt or a bad bearing or what could it be. Thank you.
And it also collects lots of grass up underneath. And after a bit, it stalls out the motor because it is fully packed so the blades aren't running/very low rpm's.
if the belt is too worn or has a thin spot/burned area it could cause the deck to wobble. Bad bearings of course will cause that too.
Jeff's Little Engine Service i dosen't wobble but bogs down when mowing? And the motor dosen't, quite weird
Jeff, HELP!...First, THANK YOU for the video!Without it and videos like it I wouldnt even attempt half the jobs I am able to accomplish now.After months of putting this task off, today much to my surprise I successfully changed the 6 bearings in my LA145 deck with little to no major obstacles.The pulleys which had had some play in them are now tight, buuuuut after re-attaching the deck and firing her up and engaging the blades she was AS LOUD if not LOUDER than before.Any ideas as to why or what else may be causing her to run so loud with the blades on?Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks sgain!
Nice video. Good shot of the doggy -do...
Great video, thanks. Not octagon, hexagon. But who's counting?
Also, you should get the proper sockets for use with an impact driver. Those skimpy sockets you're using will break on a really stuck bolt and round off the bolt head. When they break they open up like the barrel of Elmer Fudd's shotgun when Daffy Duck plugs it with his finger. So it loosens and rounds off the bolt head before you know it.
@@calebsturge8713 impact sockets are softer so as to not destroy the anvil in the impact driver.
@@engineclinic Sorry mate, that's just not true. From ehow.com, "Manufacturers construct impact sockets of hot forged Chrome Vanadium steel with a significantly thicker socket wall. Not only does this heat treatment produce a harder surface, it also imparts a darker coloration to the metal, which helps you distinguish impact sockets from standard sockets in the tool box."
www.ehow.com/info_8096190_different-impact-socket-regular-socket.html
@@calebsturge8713 does ehow make sockets?
m.facebook.com/notes/snap-on-tools/snap-on-technical-reference-impact-vs-chrome-sockets/251237528642/
Don't confuse impact sockets with power sockets. This doesn't mention the effect on the impact but from direct conversations with snap-on I know it to be the case.
On most John Deere mowers the belt diagram is on the bottom side of the running board ! :-)
Great video. Love the shorts. Winter is a state of mind
Hi mr. Jeff i love watching your video and the chickens...any way when i engage my pto lever its starts smoking. Can u give advice.. Thanks n ADVANCE
make sure the blades and all pulleys can spin freely
Dude- Just buy the spindle kit and replace it. You made way more work for yourself than needed!
Great video, thanks and love your commentary style and sense of humor.
That deck needs rust inhibitor as well. Just did mine. Decks are exxxxxxpensives! Ask me how I know.
2 years late on this post but, today I yanking mine out to flap sand it and paint it. They rust before a bearing goes
Use old motor oil when you change oil and paint the bottom of deck with it
Take time to pressure wash it and dry first