woodlandfarms
Super Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2006
- Messages
- 6,117
- Location
- Los Angeles / SW Washington
- Tractor
- PowerTrac 1850, Kubota RTV x900
I thought I would write a long story about rebuilding the mower. I think, though, that most everyone here knows how to change out axle bearings, so I am going to forgo the experience. If you need pointers, happy to help out.
I will post a few things that I change. #1 thing to know is that the bearings on my mower are open (not sealed). This means that in its current design, the upper bearing will not get any grease and is subjected to any weather or elements. When I put my mower back together I jammed the axle housing full of grease. We will see how this all works out.
Second thing I did was my first oxy cut. I probably should have practiced first. And doing a punch cut is harder the first time around than a sever. Anyway, pix of the holes I cut. three holes to allow access to the top of the mower hub, and two small holes to allow water to drain out of the upper deck.
Third, my neighbor looked at my spindle to repair and passed. He said that the shaft was cracking the metal of the rotor housing. Failure was immanent. I agreed so I took it to the local machine shop. $100 later and they welded in a support disk. Now when speaking with the machinist, he said the crack was at the weld (cold weld) and the metal under was good, but he said as this was the main drive no reason to not beef it up.
Anyway, there it is. I have two tear apart notes. The pulley hubs are held together with a cone / compression type fitting. The cone has three bolts in it. You remove those three bolts and move them one notch over and screw them back in and that pushes the hubs apart. Also there is a lock key on all the hubs
Second, on my tractor getting the center pulley off with the housing that supports the hydraulic motor prevented my gear puller from working. Thankfully my neighbor had a flat sided gear puller (think of it as as the pulling legs are 3/16 hardened L shaped grabbers).
I will post a few things that I change. #1 thing to know is that the bearings on my mower are open (not sealed). This means that in its current design, the upper bearing will not get any grease and is subjected to any weather or elements. When I put my mower back together I jammed the axle housing full of grease. We will see how this all works out.
Second thing I did was my first oxy cut. I probably should have practiced first. And doing a punch cut is harder the first time around than a sever. Anyway, pix of the holes I cut. three holes to allow access to the top of the mower hub, and two small holes to allow water to drain out of the upper deck.
Third, my neighbor looked at my spindle to repair and passed. He said that the shaft was cracking the metal of the rotor housing. Failure was immanent. I agreed so I took it to the local machine shop. $100 later and they welded in a support disk. Now when speaking with the machinist, he said the crack was at the weld (cold weld) and the metal under was good, but he said as this was the main drive no reason to not beef it up.
Anyway, there it is. I have two tear apart notes. The pulley hubs are held together with a cone / compression type fitting. The cone has three bolts in it. You remove those three bolts and move them one notch over and screw them back in and that pushes the hubs apart. Also there is a lock key on all the hubs
Second, on my tractor getting the center pulley off with the housing that supports the hydraulic motor prevented my gear puller from working. Thankfully my neighbor had a flat sided gear puller (think of it as as the pulling legs are 3/16 hardened L shaped grabbers).
