mowerman1193 42 #1 Posted October 25, 2013 Due to some health issues I had about a year ago I have been unable to mow my grass.. I normally kept it nice and tidy, but this summer it has been up to my son and wife. Well wife only did it a couple times because my boy was busy working and doing his fireman training stuff. Wife has a bad back so she can't ride the tractor. Anyway my son couldn't get to it until it was really tall grass before cutting and we kept blowing belts... It is a 42" rear discharge with the mulch baffle installed. I figure it was because he was trying to mow too tall of grass so I swapped the deck out for another deck I had from a parts tractor I parted out. which is a 42 side discharge. He mowed about half the summer with it and no issues. Today I went out to put the mulch deck back on as the grass has slowed down some but the leaves are falling good. I like to mulch them up good before running the sweeper and sometimes don't bother sweeping if enough of them blow off. Anyway installing the belt I squeezed the belt to check the tension and noticed what looked like the center pulley move so I did it a few more times and sure enough..Though I cannot seem to wiggle it by hand..and the mower for a few years now has seemed to skip grass sometimes with that center blade.. Now while typing this I am wondering it the keyway for the pulley is messed up rather than the bearing / shaft.. as I never felt any play in the blades or anything.. Guess I will find out upon disassembly. Any tips suggestion on getting these apart without breaking / bending pullies? Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,523 #2 Posted October 25, 2013 Well, don't need grass cuttin' or leaf mulching much longer. I rebuild and / or inspect my decks every winter. Perhaps this link'll come in handy if you don't have printed data or this link. http://www.partstree.com/parts/?lc=Toro+Consumer&mn=E5-48SC01 Let us know how you make out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don1977 605 #3 Posted October 25, 2013 Some decks don't have keyed pulleys they use compression from the top nut and lock washer to hold the pulley tight. The metric spindles don't have keyed pulleys if the get loose they will spin on the shaft. The two out side blades will still cut as you describe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mowerman1193 42 #4 Posted October 26, 2013 Thank for the info guys, we are supposed to get a little warm up this week so maybe I can get out there and get the thing apart and see what is going on with it.. I do have a complete set of spindles from another side discharge deck that was rotted away. I couldn't remember how the pullies came off that one as I pulled it apart about 8 years ago, lol I see I don't have the pullies though so I assumed I destroyed them taking it apart..or maybe I didn't look hard enough for them, Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #5 Posted October 28, 2013 I just fixed my middle pulley that was wobbeling. But mine isn't the keyed type. It just goes on the shaft andn a big nut keeps it snug. Anyway mine was wobbeling because the shaft was worn where it went in the pulley. The shim in the pulley was worn also. They were both worn enough to make the shaft wobbel a lot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mowerman1193 42 #6 Posted October 28, 2013 Well I took a better look at it and I do have the keyed type and so far the pulley is not moving..Soaked everything down good with PB Blaster and going to wait a few days..Might have to get some gas for my little torch.. Also looked to me like maybe a really bad bearing and probably the shaft too. I knew the deck was getting noisy but was certain it was just that idler pulley as it had some drag and sounded a little dry when I put the new belt on back a year ago before I got sick..I was hoping to make it till winter to refurb the whole deck.. Didn't realize the spindle was the making noise too though.. Looks probably like at a minimum I will need new bearings, possibly a shaft and pulley.. I doubt I will get that pulley off without messing it up..This deck was bought new by my dad back in 1985 and has never been apart other than a used idler I put on it a few years ago..Mowed two acres with it since 85 with nothing more than keeping things greased.. Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #7 Posted October 29, 2013 The bearings aren't too bad. I paid $80 for my center double pulley and around $30 for the shaft. Just make sure you get the right part numbers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roscoemi 245 #8 Posted October 29, 2013 Check the Big Bearing House online for bearings, very reasonable. I posted a link to it in the implement section. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
