Mower Spindle Bearing Removal

[DodgeM37 0]

 Trying to change the spindle bearings on my mower deck but can't seem to get the old bearing out of the housing; can't get the spacer off either. Have tried penetrating oil, heating. using bearing pullers and even a 40 ton hydraulic press to no avail. I was afraid of cracking the housing as they are no longer made. Any one have a method to get these bearings out of the housings? Acording to the drawings I have they are just pressed in. Am I missing something that's locking the bearing in the housing.

 

 Deck is a 36" rear discharge off a 1979 B-80. Don't know the number of my deck but the drawing I'm using is for the 75-36XR02, 75-38MS02 and it's the same as my deck.

[Lane Ranger 10,495]

You are going the wrong direction.

 

I think that housing has a lip on it.  You can't take it off from the top (bottom on the Mower deck)  It has to go down.  

 

I use a vise and a big dowell rod .  Open the vist to allow the bearing to drop out but retain the lip of the housing on the vise.

 

 

I spray PB Blaster on the bearing in the housing  (underneath the spacer)  and a hammer to know the bearking out.

 

You have to replace the bearing with a new one and the long side goes up to the pulley above the mower deck housing.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Lane Ranger

[DodgeM37 0]

 Yes, you are correct, the bearing goes out the other way. I posted the picture to shown what housing I was talking about. In the picture I am trying to pull off the blade spacer.

[daveoman1966 3,611]

1) Locate a steel plumbing straight collar of about 2" or 3" dia and 2" long.

2) Rest that collar on a SOLID anvil (or cement floor)and center the spindle on it, just as you have it positioned in the vise of your pic.

3) Find a short bolt and thread all the way into the shaft end.

3a)... prevents mushroom of the shaft end

4) Hold the flat face of a ball-peen hammer on the center shaft

5) With a BIG 2 or 3lb one-hand sledge hammer in other hand, whack the ball-peen VIOLENTLY...as if you had a pair.

6) If fearful of whacking your hands, have a friend hold the ball-peen for you.

7) You should be able to drive the shaft right down thru the 'spacer' and partly thru the spindle all in the same motion.

7a) Once it breaks loose, remove the short bolt and thread in one a bit longer, progressively until it all comes apart.

[DodgeM37 0]

 What are the chances of cracking the housing? These are not avalible and I was a bit timid in my aproach to prevent his from happening.

[daveoman1966 3,611]

Cast iron is very tough and will take lots of abuse, unless cold when it gets very brittle. The chances of you breaking it are small...but the chances of cutting grass with it as it is, zero. I have several of these if you break it, but don't be shy.

[DodgeM37 0]

 Got a chance to use a much larger hydraulic press this morning, and was able to remove the bearings and spacers from the housings. The bearings were very, very tight and moved in about 10 small jerks before finally letting go and coming out. They had been soaking in oil over night.

 

 Will clean up housing, press the new bearings in and get my Wheel Horse back to mowing; if it stops raining that is.

 

Thanks to every one who replied for the help.

[953 nut 51,735]

After 34 years in one place I guess they didn't like being moved!   May want to use some never seize so they will com out better next time; looks like that will be about 2047  .

 

 

[DodgeM37 0]

The new bearings went in easy; requiring only slight taps from a small hammer to drive them into the cleaned housing. And yes, I would recomend a high quality anti-seize compound on any thing that's being put back together.