42" rear discharge rebuild

[cleat 7,228]

This is the deck that came with the 416 I bought last fall and just brought home.

Previous owner decided that ATV tires were the way to go so the deck has unfortunately been notched for clearance.

Teardown just started.

 

This pulley was seized to shaft.

Heating the center of the pulley red hot freed it up.

The other two just slid off.

 

Deck shell.

Other than the notched cut out it looks to be in great shape.

 

Deck baffle is not as good.

 

Deck parts

 

 

Edited April 25 by cleat

[Skwerl58 761]

Other than the cut outs that deck looks very good. This deck will clean up nice. I do the under side oil soak on my deck every year and it does prevent most all of the rust. These rebuildable spindles are durable  and usually can be repaired  with local parts house bearings. "Greasy Pete" has guided lots of us in preserving bearing life and deck life with his tips.

[peter lena 9,215]

@cleat personally  do  not have any baffling  in any of my decks , they all cut  clean and clear , no  grass  build up any wehare , the related pulley bearings  , all 12 , have had the easy clean out  re grease , even on new bearings , also like to just touch up blades with a fine file , minimal  metal removal . rotational  resistance is minimal at best , pto lever engagement  is smooth / easy , just what I do , do what ever YOU WANT , PETE  

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,873]

The baffle is the recycler or mulching attachment for the 42”.  Stop by my house, I can give you one which is solid.

[ebinmaine 72,121]

[cleat 7,228]

On 4/25/2025 at 3:23 PM, nylyon said:

The baffle is the recycler or mulching attachment for the 42”.  Stop by my house, I can give you one which is solid.

 

I wish you were closer, I would pick that up right away.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Spindles taken apart and degreased.

Spindle components bead blasted and painted as required.

The bearings were all disposed as all new ones are going in.

 

Spindle assembly is now on hold until the paint dries.

 

 

 

[cleat 7,228]

Paint on the spindle housings is dry enough to handle.

I am using SKF 6203-2RSH/C3 bearings with one seal removed.

Also shown is the bearing driver tool.

 

I am using this press to insert the bearings.

 

Lower bearings pressed into housings with snap rings ready to be installed.

 

Snap rings installed.

 

I used this snap ring kit.

 

Spindle bearing spacers ready to install.

 

Spindle bearing spacers dropped in.

 

Upper bearings ready to install.

 

Upper bearings pressed almost all the way in then the spacers are centered in the housing so the spindle shaft will slide in then the bearings are pressed all the way in.

 

Threads for the mounting bolts are all verified to be clear by screwing in a bolt.

 

The rest of the parts need more paint drying time before final assembly.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Spindle shafts purged with fresh Mobil Mobilith 220 full synthetic grease to get rid of any old contaminated grease.

 

Spindles ready for assembly.

 

Spindle cup and spacer slid onto shaft.

 

Spindle housing and bearing assembly slid onto shaft.

 

I use these large nuts as spacers to hold spindle tightly together until the pulleys are ready to be installed.

 

Spindles assembled.

 

Blade washers ready to install.

 

Blade washers installed onto shaft in correct order with thin washer above blade and thick washer below blade and under nut.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Deck shell cleaned.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Bottom sanded, primed with rust converting primer, primed with regular primer, and painted.

 

I will let this dry for a few days and let the heat wave and bad weather pass then flip deck over and paint the top side.

 

 

Edited June 21 by cleat

[cleat 7,228]

Deck shell top side primed and painted.

 

Belt cover top side painted (bottom was done a few days ago).

 

[squonk 43,559]

Those recycler inserts have to be removed once in a while. Lots of grass gets trapped between it and the shell.

[cleat 7,228]

Don't know how many of you eagle eyed people noticed but the deck housing was drilled at the belt cover bolting locations for Rivnuts prior to painting.

That is because 4 of the mounting points were stripped.

 

 

Left side complete.

 

Right side complete.

 

All 8 mounting points now complete and will accept the OEM 1/4" bolts.

 

I wanted to install these before the paint hardened any more to prevent cracking.

 

Edited June 27 by cleat

[cleat 7,228]

For those of you wondering what a Rivnut is.

Here is one before installation.

 

You can buy the proper installation tool but I just use a bolt, washer, and nut.

 

I drill the hole the proper size to accept the Rivnut (23/64 in this case) then push the Rivnut through the hole.

I then screw the bolt through from underneath until the washer and nut can be screwed on to the top side.

Then I hold the bolt from turning with a wrench or socket on the bottom and using a small impact gun tighten the nut on the top side ensuring the Rivnut stays sitting nice and flat to the surface.

That will rivet the nut firmly in place.

You can now remove the nut, washer, and bolt.

 

Rivnut after installation.

 

[ebinmaine 72,121]

18 hours ago, cleat said:

I drill the hole the proper size to accept the Rivnut (23/64 in this case) then push the Rivnut through the hole.

I then screw the bolt through from underneath until the washer and nut can be screwed on to the top side.

Then I hold the bolt from turning with a wrench or socket on the bottom and using a small impact gun tighten the nut on the top side ensuring the Rivnut stays sitting nice and flat to the surface.

That will rivet the nut firmly in place.

You can now remove the nut, washer, and bolt.

 

 

Seems I've had dealings with these in the past but I couldn't tell you when. 

My success rate wasn't 100%.

I'll bet I wasn't aware of the installation process.  

 

Good post.  

 

[Brockport Bill 1,919]

i had a 42 rd in ok condition -- it had the recycler unit but fins were rotted ---- needed fins replaced so i had a local fabricator do a design he put on his computer and produced a set of replacements

[cleat 7,228]

7 minutes ago, Brockport Bill said:

i had a 42 rd in ok condition -- it had the recycler unit but fins were rotted ---- needed fins replaced so i had a local fabricator do a design he put on his computer and produced a set of replacements

 

These would be a great item to get made up for sale.

[cleat 7,228]

Blades ready to be installed onto the spindles.

 

Spindle threads coated in never seize and thin washer installed.

 

Blades installed with the thick washer on the bottom.

Nuts tightened with an impact gun.

 

[ebinmaine 72,121]

7 minutes ago, cleat said:

 

These would be a great item to get made up for sale.

 

Seconded

[Brockport Bill 1,919]

you noted that the rd rear flange had cut outs made by prior owner to accomodate larger tires --- a few years ago here on Red Sq someone sugegsted a replacement flange solution - here are some photos of the vinyl base molding i bought and used carriage bolts to install -- you would likely need a strip of metal bar to place along remaining flange and the cut out gaps but this may be a solution unless you just plan to use the deck as is with the existing cut outs --- of course as you likely know the rear discharge decks leave a notable debris on the underside rear of tractor - especially on hydros with the fins -- the grass also leaves lots of grass "sticky" on the rear inside rims and tires etc

[Brockport Bill 1,919]

13 minutes ago, cleat said:

 

These would be a great item to get made up for sale.

if someone needs those fins I may be able to get more produced from the fabricator guy where I had them designed and made up for me - let me know if anyone out there needs them and i will follow up?

[cleat 7,228]

Spindle assemblies ready to install into deck housing with new Stainless steel bolts.

 

Center spindle installed using blue loctite on bolt threads.

 

All spindles installed and torqued to 26 ft/lb.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Idler support bar ready to install with new bushings and Stainless steel hardware.

 

Idler support bar installed along with the belt tension spring.

 

[cleat 7,228]

Pulleys ready to install.

 

Spindle O ring partly then fully installed.

This is a #016 O ring made from Nitrile

 

Spindle shaft coated in never seize.

 

Center pulley installed using a new 5/8" lockwasher and Stainless steel nut.

Left spindle is ready for the pulley.

I used an impact gun to tighten nut.

 

All pulleys installed.

 

Belt installed.

Belt was loose so I moved idler pulley over to the left threaded hole in the bar.

Belt is tight now.

New belt is soon to be required so I will get one on order.