LA145 48" Deck is high maintenance

[morser]

Thanks Jinman,

I'll support my local JD dealer since that is where my warranty is through, they are just up the street, and I'm getting to know them, but yes I'll compare on ebay for items. thanks for the tip.

The la145 is 25% quieter for now. Those old idlers were really rough!

I gotta say I had a great time replacing my own parts. My wife certainly has heard enough about it, she just wanted to get back to cutting her "zone".

Thanks again,

 

[piratesignal]

Great thread.

I have a 2008 LA150 with 52" deck. About 110 hours on deck. Of the three spindle bearings, 1 is very rough, 1 is ok, and the last one is perfect. The idlers and belt are all good.

I only clean with air, but I greased only about twice a season. In reading this thread I see I should have greesed more often. The bad part about my deck is that you have to replace the whole spindle, and not just the bearing.

 

[SandburRanch]

The bad part about my deck is that you have to replace the whole spindle, and not just the bearing.

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If your blade spindle assemblies look like ( or similar ) to this, the bearings are all that need replaced unless there is damage to the housing that contains them or the shaft.

Anyone with just a little mechanical ability, a few simple tools and the will to do his/her own work can do this repair. I've found foreign bearings for as little as $1.78 at the farmers Co-Op and for as much as $15.00 for Fafnir that are more than likely foreign made also.

 

[piratesignal]

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If your blade spindle assemblies look like ( or similar ) to this, the bearings are all that need replaced unless there is damage to the housing that contains them or the shaft.

Anyone with just a little mechanical ability, a few simple tools and the will to do his/her own work can do this repair. I've found foreign bearings for as little as $1.78 at the farmers Co-Op and for as much as $15.00 for Fafnir that are more than likely foreign made also.

Yes, those look like mine. One of the two bearings is replaceable, but then I read somewhere about how to pound the other one out, and press a new one in. Matching up a new bearing shouldn't be tough (and may even be the same size as the replaceable one I can buy from JD). When I get into this project I will definately see about doing what you recommend.

Thx for the comment!

 

[SandburRanch]

I only clean with air, but I greased only about twice a season. In reading this thread I see I should have greesed more often.

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Cleaning with air is a good idea.

I've cut out a couple of areas on the covers in case I decide to ever clean that area. As you can see I don't get to up tight about that as that grass dries in a timely manner and doesn't cause corrosion problems. Maybe start a fire but not corrosion. Rather than compressed air I like to use the shop vac. Compressed air packs debris in nooks and crannies where as a vacuum pulls it out and the cut outs are large enough to insert the shop vacuum nozzle. Whatever you do, avoid water on top of the deck.

Greasing -- if you ever disassemble a shaft housing and look at the bearings you'll discover a sealed and or shielded bearing and why greasing is a waste of your time and grease attempting to grease a sealed bearing. Grease zerks sure look impressive on the sales brochure though.