ZD1211 Spindles and Grease

[Rob in Ontario]

How much grease is too much on the spindles of a ZD1211 or similar.? I feel like I'm greasing too much. User manual says to grease until it 'overflows'. Okay, but overflows from where?

I don't have a picture of it but under the deck at the blade on each spindle, there is a 'cup' has a 1/4" hole. Obviously greasing from the zerk on the top of the spindle/pulley - I've seen where some have said to grease the spindle until it oozes out of that hole. This is similar to my previous Toro ZTR so that's what I've been doing.

However I'm finding that grease then comes out and sits underneath each pulley above the deck. I do try to clean enough that it doesn't get onto the belt.

FWIW, I've got about 75Hrs and when I got it from the Dealer, I noticed there was enough grease on each to be visible within the 6 holes on top of each pulley.

Any thoughts? Go easy on me if I'm doing it wrong

 

[mikester]

When you have grease blobs on the floor you have used enough. Look under the deck at the spindles.

My old landpride has a sticker saying use 10 pumps

 

[RjCorazza]

I have 750 hours on my ZD1211 and use 6 shots per spindle every 30-40 hours. I have followed the same interval on my ZD326 with 1700 hours, and a previous ZD331 that I put 1200 hours on.

 

[turbo246]

I have never seen grease overflow off mine and I have pumped a lot in

 

[ruffdog]

I agree with the other's here. I might use 5 pumps every 20 hours on the spindles. One thing I have to say...it seems the dealer at least greased it before delivery. It is a big deal because the initial greasing has to fill the voids before it overflows.

 

[WoodDuck]

The spindles on my Ferris IS3200 are huge. I pump grease into them until it starts to come out around the upper seal underneath the pulley on the top side of the deck. Then run a rag underneath the pulley and "floss out" any excess. Don't want a big pile of grease under there migrating up onto your pulleys and belts. Under-lubed spindles cause way more problems than over-lubed ones.

 

[Brown Dog]

The bearings are probably sealed bearings so the grease is just a little insurance

 

[Gem99ultra]

As Brown Dog said, greasing thru the zerks probably has little effect. After watching on YouTube the process of greasing spindles, most or all are 'sealed' bearings. The only thing one accomplishes when just shooting grease in the zerks is filling the void in the spindle.

The only way to ensure greasing those bearings is to take the spindle off and removing the seal on the bearing, then manually filling the bearing with grease. At best otherwise all one accomplishes is putting grease on top of one side of the bearing, not 'in' the bearing itself.

I've greased the spindles on mine before both via the zerk and also by opening the spindle up and manually greasing the bearing, then putting the seal back. That's a lot of work removing the spindle just to get some grease in the bearing, so I'm 'hoping' someone on here can verify that I'm dead wrong in the info.

 

[big bubba]

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Gem99ultra​

Veteran Member​

Joined May 18, 2009 Messages 2,067 Location Mid-Georgia Tractor Kubota L3400HST






"As Brown Dog said, greasing thru the zerks probably has little effect. After watching on YouTube the process of greasing spindles, most or all are 'sealed' bearings. The only thing one accomplishes when just shooting grease in the zerks is filling the void in the spindle." Gem99ultra

good point. but why would manufacturer go to extra expense to include zerks on spindles if that's the case?

 

[arto98607]

Good commercial mowers have spindles etc. that can be easily lubricated.

I have bought two used ones, but both required some rebuilding due to high usage hours.



Conical roller bearings (standard trailer wheel-bearings)