Finishing mower spindle bearings.

[Mace Canute]

A couple of days ago I was visiting a friend who had taken on the job of repairing the spindles on his neighbours finishing mower. He said the bearing were rough when turned by hand so he thought it would be just a simple matter of rebearing them which was true for two of them, the third had gone too long and had destroyed the bottom snap ring groove so it needed a new spindle.

The whole problem with them was a lack of lubrication of course BUT the factory bearings were sealed ball bearings (6205-2RS), not a cone and cup tapered bearing. There's no way possible for grease to make it past the shields even though the axle shaft itself is capable of passing grease to the spindle cavity.

I thought I'd mention this for those of you with finishing mowers...you might want to check to see if the bearings themselves are actually getting the grease you pump into the spindles!

 

[Bigfoot62]

Mace,
AFAIK, all finish mower spindles are built that way. You just keep grease in the cavity between the upper and lower bearings to help keep moisture and dirt out. My JD riding lawn mower has the same set-up.

 

[2458n]

The bearings wear out no matter how well you keep them greased for this very reason. About the only thing your saving is the shaft. The place I get bearings always have both bearings in stock for my 48 inch deck, off a 212. No zerk on those at all.

 

[Zebrafive]

I've replaced them on my mower twice in 25 years.