RCK60-24B bearing failure ??

[DanR67]

Hello all -

Another thing to add to your checklist: the tightness of the zerk fitting / extension!

While I haven't (yet) pulled the blades / grease cups (only got @ 5 - 6 hrs total mowing so far) I was giving everything (including the FEL) a greasing before today's mowing - when I discovered that the lower zerk / extension for the right side pulley was *looking funny* - by that I mean the zerk was *pointing down* - making attaching the grease gun impossible?!?

When I went to clean the zerk off - it moved! I must have given it 3 full turns before it tightened!

So just FYI - check those zerk fittings every so often as well!

I plan on buying a spare set of blades (to alternate / sharpen *off-line*) - when I go to install them before the next mow - I'll check that I'm getting grease at the bottom of the pulley shafts.

Thanks to everyone for the detailed posts - great info & will probably save us all frustration and $$ in the long run!

Dan

 

[Junkman]

When I greased my deck, I didn't find the Zerk's loose at all, but after greasing and using the deck, I put the tractor away for the night. On the way back into the house, I spied a orange spot on the lawn. Closer examination showed that it was Kubota orange and I knew it fell off the tractor, but where, I was not certain. After close examination, I found that it came off the top of the deck. It was held on by the Zerk fitting, which is presently MIA. I ordered another from the dealer along with the washer under it, but haven't installed it. It just arrived on Friday. I would suggest that everyone check the grease Zerk fittings for tightness, because I have a bad feeling that the decks are not properly set up by the selling dealers. The service manager at the dealership where I picked up the parts told me that he was aware of the spindles not being greased properly at the factory and also mentioned that sometimes they are shipped without sufficient grease in the gear boxes also!!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Going to take it off and check it this week....

 

[r0GuE]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( it's called "the easy way out" now, now, I know I will probably get alot of comments on this one, but it is a personal choice and I don't expect others to take the same approach...I do respect your opinion.
thanks,
stumper
)</font>

Fair enough! I like the easy way out too... Only I have found that the easy way out is to do it right. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
That is not a slam on you, but just my own thoughts on how I would percieve that situation. You see it different, and that's just fine... It's your tractor and yard! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[robertm]

I posted two years ago on "hard" pumping of grease into spindles on my 60" MMM (B7500), and that problem mysteriously went away. I never had a problem. Now, on my new B7510 with a 60" MMM again, I have been seriously watching this thread.

I have about ten hours on my new 60” MMM, and thought I’d better see this grease thing through. Here is what I found this weekend after I pulled the blades and the cups:

The outboard spindle (opposite discharge) took 55 pumps before it showed any grease coming out. It came out in a lime green color, and spit out more water than I cared to see. The center spindle on the other hand, took 27 pumps, showed no water, and produced dark green factory grease. The discharge side spindle took 22 pumps, spent dark green grease, and again, no water.

The problem I really had was the grease color and consistency, as follows:

I assume the lime green colored grease was due to the water being “whipped” in the grease. Figuring this contaminated grease was bad for the spindle and my pocketbook, I pumped the spindle opposite the discharge chute until the all the grease coming out was my fresh red colored high-temp grease. I was surprised the factory lime green grease was still thick when it obviously had mixed in water in it.

The center spindle and the discharge chute side spindle were a different story. I pumped them also to purge the factory grease because the factory grease ran out like syrup. Normally, grease will ooze out of the seal and form a blob or ribbon that will just fall on the floor when the grease is too heavy to allow it to stick to the outside of the spindle anymore. Not these two spindles. The grease just ran out like syrup on the floor before I could catch it. Certainly, this was not good.

I’ll say that anyone skeptical about this grease thing should really reconsider taking off their blades and cups, and greasing their spindles until they purge the factory garbage grease out. Use a good quality high-temperature grease. I only had to pump in the 20’s (average) into each spindle, were some of you are pushing 100. The objective is not only to have grease in the spindle, but to have clean grease in there, too. The way I look at it is these are not sealed bearing spindles. They have the ability to blow old dirty and contaminated grease by its seal. Seals allow expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. That is why I think high-temperature grease is best. I have noticed my greasing has been cut down on other things I use high-temp on because it is thicker, too. If the spindle is full of a good high-temp grease, a few maintenance pumps a few times a season should be good enough. This pressure and blowing seals thing I’m not buying… as long as you take care and don’t reef on the grease gun. There is aot of psi in a grease gun squirt. You don’t have to enhance it.

I had a small engine business for about twelve years, and rebuilt my share of spindles- mostly due to lack of greasing, and some due to really dirty contaminated grease. Both due to pure lack of care and maintenance. Pumping in good quality grease on a good maintenance schedule is where it’s at. But let’s face it, a measly 6-8 pumps into an empty or partially-filled void wont do. There has to be enough internal pressure inside the spindle to “push” the grease into the bearing race. That is where the seal plays a part in equalizing pressure and letting out what grease it can’t hold. Be sure to use easy and gentle pumps. Those of you who crank down on the grease gun with excessive pressure and force should expect blown seals, bearings, spindles and problems your future.

 

[r0GuE]

Unless bearings "use" grease and it magically disappears, then grease always comes out the seal when you put new in. Blowing a seal is a silly arguement. Perhaps with a pnuematic grease gun you could pump faster than the purge, but I doubt that too..

 

[robertm]

I fully agree. The point I was trying to make, but you said it in few words. Thanks.

 

[Burk]

I learned along time ago, whenever I tried to take the easy way out it came back to bite me in the butt and I ended up doing or having it done the correct way. I agree on the amount of grease and the seals. The seals are to keep the grease in and the dirt out. The only disadvantage to over greasing is the mess. After I made sure the spindles were full, I wiped everything down. I now grease (a couple pumps)every 6-7 hours and wipe any excess off and everything is staying pretty clean.

 

[DanR67]

Hi folks,

Finally had some time to take apart my 54" deck over the weekend - sharpened and rotated the blades - and made sure grease was making it's way to the bottom of the spindles:

Outboard (opposite discharge): @ 20 - 25 pumps
Center: @ 15 pumps
Discharge: @ 20 pumps

I had used my pressure washer to clean the underside beforehand - as well as take off a bit of the blackish "grease splatter" on the topside. WIth a bit of moisture about - I could hear a faint "whistling" as the air was forced out of the spindles and grease replaced it.

I also discovered (the hard way) that the edges of the grease cups are quite sharp - very cleanly nicked one of my knuckles - adding to the mess! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I can at least feel more secure knowing that the spindles have plenty of grease in them - and can go several mowing sessions (@ 1 hr each) without having to worry. Thanks everyone for this excellent thread!

Dan

 

[John762]

great posts on the mower deck.

 

[jlbota]

Brought up this old thread to remind everyone to make sure their deck bearings are greased well. I have a Kubota ZD21 I bought last summer with the 60 inch Pro Deck and it burned up one of the top deck bearings today with just 52 hours on it.
I was informed by my dealer that mine was made during a time when a memo was out that some decks were shipped from the factory without any grease and were to be fully greased by the dealer. I was told when I got the ZD just to use about 6 to 10 pumps of grease per 10 or so hours of running time.
I usually did it at about 5 hours of running time just to be sure. Although I never saw any grease come out I always found grease in the deck cups while sharpening the blades....Apparently all it was doing was settling in the bottom.
I went ahead and just pumped away on the zerks today and the one that burned up took well over 60 pumps before I saw any grease....The middle was about 20 and the other was about 50.
Sorry to ramble on but I just wanted to inform everyone.
The good thing is that for the most part I have a great dealer as they came this afternoon and picked up the deck and should have it back to me tomorrow if its not too bad to fix.
He at least agreed that it may have been their oversight from the start and was going to check all the bearings to be sure they were ok. Nice guy..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif