Greasing of a LGTX 1050 front axles

[jim44]

I was greasing the front of my tractor as directed in the manual. Did the 2 fittings on the steering spindles with no problem. Attempted to do the front wheel hub/axle fittings, and could not get any grease to go into the fittings. It felt like the gun was snapping onto the fitting correctly, but the grease went everywhere but into the fitting. No pressure at all like the fitting was clogged, grease just pumped out everywhere around the fitting. A closer look at the fittings showed that these two are different than the spindle fittings--seem to have a much longer neck, and then the ball shaped end that receives the grease gun socket(?). Called Cub Cadet main CS number, and the lady checked and then came back to report that I needed a different fitting on my grease gun--different, but she had no idea how it needed to differ. So, I explained that I had no intention of getting a different fitting just to do 2 strange fittings. Then called the local CC dealer, and he said these fittings were exactly the same as the others, but were likely clogged. Told him that there was no pressure involved to indicate a clogged fitting, that it was just like pumping grease out an open hose. He stood by his clogged fitting diagnosis. We then moved on to greasing the front wheels on the deck. The manual says that there are grease fittings on them, and they are to be greased with a grease gun. The "grease fittings" are a short piece of plastic tubing about 1/8" diameter and 3/8" long. I see no possible way that any grease could be pumped into them with a grease gun. Maybe CC should do a tutorial of some kind to show how all this stuff works.......

Has anyone else run into this sort of thing? If so, what did you do? And, what exactly turned out to be the problem?

 

[RandyT]

If you have what I think you have the grease fitting is a molded part of the inside wheel bushing. A grease gun will not fit tightly, because there is no place for the gun to lock on to. What you are seeing is the normal for these fitting. And if it did take grease it will come out around where it goes into the wheel, and the outside bushing will be running dry because you can't push the grease though the wheel.

MTD had been using this setup for years now, and is a complete failure. Been there and done that as a dealer. That type fitting bushing has been used for about 12 years no.

 

[jim44]

Thanks for that info. You would almost think that the service people at CC would be aware of that, but I suppose that would be asking too much. I guess we can safely assume that CC service folks have never tried to grease front wheels. I won't either. They'll probably go for years without grease anyway.........

Thanks again

 

[dieselbob69]

Seems weird they'd use greasable bearings on the low-end mowers,as my GTX 2000 doesn't have grease fittings on the wheel,but IIRC, the 3204 and 2165 I owned before did. Those plastic fittings on the deck wheels suck,3 out of 4 wheels took grease,other one just spit grease out around fitting. I'm wondering if I'd be able to drill a hole and either use a push grease fitting or thread one into the plastic if it would hold-might have to try it on 1 deck wheel as an experiment......

 

[mowcub]

Thanks for that info. You would almost think that the service people at CC would be aware of that, but I suppose that would be asking too much. I guess we can safely assume that CC service folks have never tried to grease front wheels. I won't either. They'll probably go for years without grease anyway.........

Thanks again

If you are talking about the front steering wheels and not the plastic deck wheels, you do need to grease them. My LT1042 had and my GT2550 has grease fittings on the front wheels. Try loosening the collar on your grease gun nozzle before snapping it on and then tightening it on the nipple. If this does not work. You can simply unscrew the nipple and replace it with one that matches your others. The threads should be the same as the other nipples unless they are press fit. You can buy an assortment of grease nipples at Harbor Freight or an auto parts store.

 

[jim44]

This involves the front steering wheels AND the plastic deck wheels. Both have the same kind of "fittings". The problem is that the grease gun nozzle has absolutely nothing to snap on to. My LT 1050 also had fittings on the wheels that were greaseable. The LGTX 1050 has these other little tube-looking things sticking out that are completely useless. Still seems kind of funny that the dealer I called had apparently never attempted to grease one of these things. We'll discuss it further the next time I happen by there.

 

[rau2009sch]

I think I have that sort of fitting on some mower or other. I use a Lubri-Gun with a small pointy-end fitting, shoots a thin stream of grease right where you want it. Wrks great. In fact, you can drill a small hole, make your own place to grease anything, and shoot a small stream right inside. Check eBay for Lubri-Guns.