How to proceed on spindle refurbish on mystery 36" deck

[GAJoe 842]

I have a few questions on this 36" deck that I bought that was said to come from a B-80. The tag was painted over and I was unable to get the paint off and preserve the #'s.

 

I got the large 1 & 1/16" nylon lock nuts off of the spindles but I can't tell if the spool piece underneath is also threaded. It seams to be attached to the pully and also it also looks to have a key-way. It can't turn to un-thread if there's a key in the shaft.

There are holes in the pully as if a spanner wrench type tool is used to spin it on and off on the threads. Someone has used a pipe wrench on the spool piece in the past. How do I proceed? Try to lif it off of the shaft with the two "Wonder Bars" , one on each side (or is that a different version) or make a spanner wrench and spin it off counter clock-wise by the threads?

When I get the pulley off of the top of the deck should the shaft with blade still attached fall out of the spindle housing if everything is freed up and not "brown welded"? 

If it should and things are "brown welded" and it doesn't come out easily should I try tapping it out using a brass rod on the top of the shaft?

Is the snap ring accessible with the shaft in the housing? I'm guessing not.

 

 

The wheels on each end of the deck have zerk grease fittings that seem to just fill the middle of the wheel with grease to lubricate the axle and hub bushing. See the void with grease? So does the grease just slowly leak out to lubricate the bushing? Is the proper procedure to  pump grease until I see some escaping around the shaft?

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by GAJoe

[daveoman1966 3,745]

For the Left and Right spindle pulleys, rent a Power Steering Pulley Puller tool from AutoZone.  There is a 'ridge' in the top of each pulley and the puller tool will grip that ridge to pull it off of the center shaft.  The tool works like a 3-jaw puller...with it looks like this:  

[GAJoe 842]

Remove the Zerk grease fitting and let the end pivot on that hole? I just watched a YouTube on the use of that tool and the end of the threaded shaft is too far from the groove for the "Clam shell" to reach the groove I think. Is there different length "clam shells" in the kits?

Edited January 3, 2023 by GAJoe
reduce burden on web site

[daveoman1966 3,745]

44 minutes ago, GAJoe said:

Remove the Zerk grease fitting and let the end pivot on that hole? I just watched a YouTube on the use of that tool and the end of the threaded shaft is too far from the groove for the "Clam shell" to reach the groove I think. Is there different length "clam shells" in the kits?

Of course, remove the grease zerk.  Rent the tool / kit from Autozone...it'll work.  Return the tool undamaged and you'll get the rent back.   

[GAJoe 842]

When I get the pulley off of the top of the deck should the shaft with blade still attached fall out of the spindle housing if everything is freed up and not "brown welded"? 

If it should and things are "brown welded" and it doesn't come out easily should I try tapping it out using a brass rod on the top of the shaft?

Is the snap ring accessible with the shaft in the housing? I'm guessing not.

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by GAJoe
change question

[peter lena 8,590]

@GAJoe   this is my  approach to  deck rebuilding , most important LEVERAGE SPOT  is spindle bolt s to deck , under pulley . use top of bolt as rocker / leverage point , wonder bar up against the center of the pulley , that strength area , on each side , with wonder bar , will move the pulley with ease .  another vital part is the hi temp 560 deg lucas grease  in the regreasing of related bearings . regreased  all deck bearings  and mule drive bearings , same bearing. also regreased the PTO cone bearings . that lubrication makes those decks wun without effort , and no noise . my 3 decks are set up like this , no noise or failures , pete 

 

[GAJoe 842]

1 hour ago, peter lena said:

@GAJoe   this is my  approach to  deck rebuilding , most important LEVERAGE SPOT  is spindle bolt s to deck , under pulley . use top of bolt as rocker / leverage point , wonder bar up against the center of the pulley , that strength area , on each side , with wonder bar , will move the pulley with ease .  another vital part is the hi temp 560 deg lucas grease  in the regreasing of related bearings . regreased  all deck bearings  and mule drive bearings , same bearing. also regreased the PTO cone bearings . that lubrication makes those decks wun without effort , and no noise . my 3 decks are set up like this , no noise or failures , pete 

 

That took about two minutes using the Wonder bars (: . Easy as pie! Thanks Peter!

Can you address my other questions? Should the shaft come out the bottom of the spindle once the belt pulley is off? Update: the center one did! (: A couple other questions in my opening. I would appreciate any insight.

Edited January 2, 2023 by GAJoe

[peter lena 8,590]

@GAJoe if the center one released the  shaft the others  might too , would not force , possible snap ring . would remove the  spindle housing anyway , for clean up and bearing removal , my bearings are , 6203 ( 3/4 ) 2RSC3. those wide rubber side grease shields , are easily removed with  a small putty knife , be careful , no damage , so they pop right back in . wipe out original grease , flush with carb cleaner , repack with lucas hi temp  , green grease , marine grease , both are rated at 560 temp . also do your  mule drive bearings , same bearing . and your  pto drive cone bearings , inner needle bearing , wipe out , and very small amount of grease , so it does not sling to clutch face . this detail combo , really frees up that deck , for amazingly free , spin up , also did this , went after every  sloppy area , pto lever related drive is smooth / solid / easy .also did a ground upgrade from same spot.  let me  know , pete  , everything said is in use on my 3 horses , very reliable , it all works , pete

 

 

[GAJoe 842]

16 hours ago, peter lena said:

@GAJoe if the center one released the  shaft the others  might too , would not force , possible snap ring . would remove the  spindle housing anyway , for clean up and bearing removal , my bearings are , 6203 ( 3/4 ) 2RSC3. those wide rubber side grease shields , are easily removed with  a small putty knife , be careful , no damage , so they pop right back in . wipe out original grease , flush with carb cleaner , repack with lucas hi temp  , green grease , marine grease , both are rated at 560 temp . also do your  mule drive bearings , same bearing . and your  pto drive cone bearings , inner needle bearing , wipe out , and very small amount of grease , so it does not sling to clutch face . this detail combo , really frees up that deck , for amazingly free , spin up , also did this , went after every  sloppy area , pto lever related drive is smooth / solid / easy .also did a ground upgrade from same spot.  let me  know , pete  , everything said is in use on my 3 horses , very reliable , it all works , pete

 

 

Yes another did come out after I removed the woodruff key but the last is putting up a fight. So I'm force feeding Kroil using a rubber tip that came with my grease gun with an extra long red spray can tube that I saved from a SeaFoam treatment kit. I removed the zerk grease fitting and cleaned out the grease in the shaft with Q-Tips. I put the tip to the zerk hole and the rust colored Kroil came bublin' up.

Edited January 3, 2023 by GAJoe

[GAJoe 842]

And It worked great! Three pullies off and shafts out in a morning.

[GAJoe 842]

I got the bearings and seals out today also. One thing that I learned is that the top bearing and seal have to come out of the top of the housing and the rest out of the bottom after removing the snap rings. As I found in a post the spacer between the bearings can be shifted to the side so that a punch can be used to tap the bearings out slowly and evenly tapping opposite sides. Hope this helps someone else. 

[kpinnc 11,941]

You definitely did this the right way. Often times tearing into the spindles ends up being just that- and pulleys often get destroyed.

 

Congrats! 

[peter lena 8,590]

@kpinnc  those pulleys are  very weak  on an  edge pull attempt , most strength right at  hole shaft  shoulder , using the  spindle  mount bolts as a  leverage rocker point is the easiest mechanical advantage , 

[peter lena 8,590]

@GAJoe   note last side picture, of mower deck , notice the flat / back side  idler pulley in the picture ? slight deflection of  deck pulley belt?  install that on my decks , to eliminate  belt bounce , 2 ft of unsupported belt  is not a good design , anything I  have done is to eliminate a problem , no failures , no whining noise .  you understand , you use kroil , pete

 

[Pullstart 62,813]

On 1/1/2023 at 7:45 PM, daveoman1966 said:

For the Left and Right spindle pulleys, rent a Power Steering Pulley Puller tool from AutoZone.  There is a 'ridge' in the top of each pulley and the puller tool will grip that ridge to pull it off of the center shaft.  The tool works like a 3-jaw puller...with it looks like this:  

I don’t have to do much deck work… but I have one of those tools.  I’ll be sure to remember this if I ever have the need!

[GAJoe 842]

I got the spindle bearings replaced and back together. 

I have no experience / feel for greasing these spindles. I know in HVAC applications  you could easily blow the seals on fan bearings if you pump in too much. I repacked the bearings with Lucas Green. On the top bearing of each spindle I left both seals off so that the grease added would travel through the top bearing cage and go down to the bottom bearing. I left the top seal off of the bottom to allow the grease into that cage. I left the bottom seal in to keep the grease from running out. Will the air displaced by the grease escape easily enough but once the air is out the grease builds pressure rather quickly so that you can feel a sudden resistance to going in knowing to stop pumping?

 

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

This thread reminds me of one of the things I like about WH.

 

Spindles, and pretty much everything else, are actually meant to be rebuilt. While it is true that is in part because that how they did things back then, but it is also true that Wheel Horse took this philosophy to extremes and made a lot of things in house that others out sourced.

[GAJoe 842]

I forgot to update; I got the deck back together.

 

The rain let up long enough that I had to see how the (bought separately and rebuilt) mower deck and new belt would fit. I'm waiting until after my first grass cutting to see how the belts do before putting the pully guards back on.

 

I got the new belt threaded through the Mule with a little YouTube help. I gave it a spin and all is smooth and quiet. I'll be cutting grass next weekend.

 

THANKS! to all of you that contributed to my success.

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by GAJoe

[peter lena 8,590]

@GAJoe  nice , glad you did it , you learned as you  went , gaining insight into a thorough  job,  pete 

[kpinnc 11,941]

5 hours ago, GAJoe said:

THANKS! to all of you that contributed to my success.

 

A C160, tied to a 36-inch deck? Sir, that thing should be able to trim brush in the woods without the governor pulling in! 

 

Now you can start looking for a decent 48-inch deck. That 16hp won't even know it's there!

[GAJoe 842]

2 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

A C160, tied to a 36-inch deck? Sir, that thing should be able to trim brush in the woods without the governor pulling in! 

 

Now you can start looking for a decent 48-inch deck. That 16hp won't even know it's there!

It came with a 48" that needed to be patched but it made the footprint too big for my parking spot and a pain to get around obstacles. My yard is small; it'll blow through it in no time with the 36". I really wanted a rear discharge 36" but settled for the side discharge.

[GAJoe 842]

I found this idler pulley at Tractor supply Company to be the same outside diameter and width as the original. I just had to add a few washers and 5/8" x 3/8" spacer.