Unnecessary MMM greasing

[nyone]

Actually Ralph, it gets contaminated with dirt and metal particles from the joint itself.

And at that point it turns to more of a sand paper. Giving a U joint a squirt every 10hrs of mowing shouldn't hurt any thing. Some may say that grease attracts dirt and that's true but also where the seals in your U joint come into play.

 

[Sberry]

We like to grease when we unhook.

 

[oldballs]

Maybe you are talking about a rear mount mower....
The MMM are different in some respects.

 

[ruffdog]

I have found that the wheels on the deck lose their grease quickest. Also the high speed bearings on the blade spindles. The u-joints and slip joint on the pto shaft seems to hold it's grease for a long time.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Maybe you are talking about a rear mount mower....
The MMM are different in some respects.

No ramps for yours or no FEL? Unless you are one of the lucky ones who can have both mounted at the same time?

Quite a few brands now have drive-over decks and quick hitches for their mid mounts.

It is nice that it is now an option, not much room for clearance but an acceptable option, especially for landscape/maintenance usage. I think about making mid mounts every once in a while, but I am not sure that only 2 months a year justifies it until one of the rideons pack it in.

 

[Sberry]

A squirt cant hurt.

 

[RjCorazza]

I grease my ZD mower decks (and everything else) every 50h, which is what the manual recommends for the most part.
I do 3 pumps on the spindles, 1 or 2 for the universals, 6 for the king pins and wheels, and 2 for the deck wheels.

 

[hube2]

I have found that the wheels on the deck lose their grease quickest. Also the high speed bearings on the blade spindles. The u-joints and slip joint on the pto shaft seems to hold it's grease for a long time.

I'm hoping this is the case. Greasing the u-joints on mine requires removing the deck or at least disconnecting the shaft from the tractor. I have found connecting this shaft to be a real PITA, it takes me forever to get it lined up and started while lying on my back/side and reaching under. I've run it 10 hours since I put the deck on and was planing on greasing the tractor this weekend.

 

[sixdogs]

On my pull-type 7 ft Woods mower, I go 8-10 hours on the U joints and 20 or so on the spindles. On the four rolling rear wheels, I give them a quick hit of grease every time I mow my 2.5 acres. It only takes a moment for that.

Sure, the wheels are maybe overkill but it's just a metal shaft in a metal hole so the grease is gone quickly. On the plus side, in many decades of mowing with different mid and rear mowers, I have never replaced a stub wheel or spindle or anything other than a belt. My equipment feels and operates like new and I like that as well.

 

[oldballs]

Just for the hellavit.......I looked in the OE manual for my model of MMM. Actually the manual is kinda generic and vague as to the maintenance schedule IMO....as to greasing frequency. I counted 13 zerks just on the mowing deck...plus...3 more for the PTO shaft/U-joints.

That's a lot of grunting for an old man....to be done only as necessary. Heck, my tractor, by itself, only has one zerk for the whole thing....the HST pedal.

I think I'll stay with 10 hours with special attention to the spindles and gauge wheels & brackets.

Cheers,
Mike