TripleJackInGA 2 #1 Posted July 15, 2009 Hi All - I went to mow the grass the other day, and as usual, the front tires were flat. It's normally no problem, as I just air them up, and then run over whatever, and next time they're flat again. Sometimes I plug them if they leak too fast. Anywho, this time a valve stem was leaking, so I took the wheel/tire/hub assembly off to get at it easier, since it's on the inside of the wheel. When I did, I found that one of the bearings was all coming apart, so it needs to be redone. I may just end up getting new tires while I;m at it. So it occured to me that it seems that it would be a much better idea to use a separate bearing hub and wheel, rather than a wheel with the hub integrated into the wheel. If you ever have to remove the wheel to replace a tire, plug a tire, change a valve stem, etc., you run the risk of either contaminating the grease in the integrated hub, or at the very least, you have to make a mess. Is there any way to convert the front axle on the 520-H to use a more conventional separate hub and wheel setup? I believe the inner and outer bearings are for a 1" spindle, so something like this may work, if you re-tap the studs for a lawn tractor wheel. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/sto...34714_200334714 Opinions? Jack Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,030 #2 Posted July 15, 2009 Yes that will work but you need to make sure of a few things before buying, double check the size of your spindles, if you have the forward swept axle or the heavy duty spindles they are 1" if not they are 3/4" you will need to know how long of a spindle is needed to hold that hub? does it have tapper bearings like a car, if so you will need to be able to preload them and lock it there, if you have the 1" spindles I think you should be all set there, if the bearings are flat sealed type you can just use washers to take up the slop, as for wheels just buy 8" rims that are 6 or 6.5 wide that fit the hubs and mount the tires. I have a set of hubs I picked up at the local junk yard that fit my 1" 520 spindles like they are made for it, even had rims, and only paid $10 for all of it. :thumbs2: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don1977 604 #3 Posted July 15, 2009 It will work great if your spindles are long enough for the hub and to be treaded on the ends for a castlelated nut and carter key. To get all that to work you may have to have the hub shortened by a machinist. I did it with 3/4" spindles and 3500 psi hubs and spindles by cutting and drilling the large spindle to fit over the Wheel Horse spindles. I also had to shorten the WH spindles. Here is a picture, there is a post on here some where with more details. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TripleJackInGA 2 #4 Posted July 15, 2009 I have a set of hubs I picked up at the local junk yard that fit my 1" 520 spindles like they are made for it, even had rims, and only paid $10 for all of it. Thanks for the info. So can you give me specifics on exactly what hubs you got? I assume they came off of a car or something, since you got them from a salvage yard, but did they come with 8" wheels? As for using trailer hubs as mentioned before, it sounds easy, but can you get a small enough wheel that is already in the bolt-circle of the hub? I had assumed I would have to have the hub machined and re-tapped to accept standard lawn tractor wheels from some popular model. Perhaps a hub assembly from a golf car? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kelly 1,030 #5 Posted July 15, 2009 The hubs I picked up came off the back of a small utility 3 wheeled thing, and they came with 8" tires Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CasualObserver 3,410 #6 Posted July 15, 2009 PF Engineering has a nicely laid out version of it being done to a cub here.... Obviously they're different original spindle configurations, but you can probably adapt changes to the original WH configuration without too much trouble. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don1977 604 #7 Posted July 15, 2009 The hubs you were looking at from Northern are 4 bolt - 4" bolt circle standard 8" boat trailer wheels will fit. They come in 4.80 x 8", 5.70 x 8", 16 - 650 x 8" and 18 - 850 x 8". the tire and wheel 4.80 x 8" I saw at Walmarts were $30.00 each Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TripleJackInGA 2 #8 Posted July 16, 2009 Hey guys - I may have found a simple solution. I went down to the trailer parts store (www.hitchesforless.com) and got a Dexter trailer hub for a 1" spindle. It actually calls for the same exact bearings as the OE Toro ones. So I get it home, and do a test-fit on the spindle. I used the OE Toro bearing seal, the OE Toro spacer that was already there, and slid it on. Fits like a glove. The only concern I may have is that the spindle is just a tad short. The outer bearing is halfway on the actual spindle, and the other half extends out over the threaded part of the spindle. This doesn't seem to be a problem, as when you put on the washer and nut, and tighten it down properly, the inner race on the bearing (the part that contacts the spindle) doesn't rotate. The whole thing seems tight as it should. I think I'm going to go with this setup and some 8" trailer wheels/tires, and see how it works. What do you guys think? Jack Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
73-18 automatic 8 #9 Posted July 17, 2009 Idid it on the front of my D160 and I love it here are some pics I picked the two hubs and two wheels at a place in Petersburg Va called Agri Supply for I think $78 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tsmall07 49 #10 Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) I just went to take the front wheels of my 520H and I was like...where's the lug nuts.... haha. I've got a leak in one of my front tires and I was going to go stick it in the bath tub, but I guess I'm not doing that. Maybe I'll have to upgrade the hubs like this. The factory setup seems like a PITA. Edited September 22, 2016 by tsmall07 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tsmall07 49 #11 Posted September 22, 2016 (edited) Hubs http://www.agrisupply.com/tailwheel-hub-kit-with-bearings/p/40246/ http://www.agrisupply.com/galvanized-trailer-hub/p/59367/ (1" spindle with 4x4 lug pattern) http://www.agrisupply.com/trailer-hub-capacity/p/25669/ (Says 2" bolt circle, but that doesn't make sense to me. Maybe they meant 4x4) http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442390_200442390 Wheels http://www.agrisupply.com/on-lug-whte-standard-trailer-wheel/p/20017/ (4x4 lug pattern) http://www.agrisupply.com/on-lug-galv-standard-trailer-wheel/p/20031/ (4x4 lug pattern) It looks like the galvanized hub above would work best since both wheels are 4x4 lug pattern. Edited September 22, 2016 by tsmall07 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
