Cheaper Alternative for 122791 Idler Pulley

[Theroundhousernr 589]

 Just picked up a 520HC needing the 112791 flat idler pulley. This pulley is used on all later model Hydro tractors without the belt tension release lever.  Thought no problem, till I saw the price( $66.70 ).   Called my local dealer and he said there is another comparable pulley (93-1622) but the spacer needs to be swapped from the old pulley. This pulley which is the same size in every aspect but with a smaller spacer was $25.00. These are both toro pulleys and pricing?    I guess the longer spacer justifies the $40.00 price difference, silly me.


 
Anyway, swapping the spacers is very simple. It can be done very easily with a press and tooling. It can also be done just as easily with 1/4" rod, 2 washers, 2 nuts and a socket. My press is at work so I chose to use the second method. The most important thing to do is to support the bearing and not the pulley. Find yourself a deep well impact socket that sits evenly around the inner most spot of the pulley( the lip that contains the outer race of the bearing). Take your rod and run it through the socket and the bearing/ spacer. Tighten your nuts and washers down on either side while making sure everything is lined up and keep on tightening. Once the nut can no longer be reached inside the bearing ( due to the nut being pulled into the bearing with the spacer coming out the other side), unscrew the 1/4" rod. Find another socket smaller than the inner race of the bearing that reaches the spacer down inside inner race. Support the pulley on your deep well socket and wack the smaller socket with a hammer and out pops your spacer.

  To install the longer spacer, swap the deep well socket to the other side of the pulley. Tightening the nuts will now draw the spacer into the pulley. Tighten just enough to seat the new spacer. This is an easy and cheap way to do this and prevent damage to the bearing or the new pulley. 

 

  I have not seen this documented before and searched for awhile till coming up with this. This is simple for anyone and hope it helps save someone some time and money. Glad my local dealer wasnt trying to up sell me and helped me out on this one.
      Kyle

Edited June 21, 2015 by Theroundhousernr

[daveoman1966 3,610]

I had offered to send you a perfectly good original pulley 112791 and even posted pics of it....for $37....SHIPPED.   Did you not see that posting....
 

[Theroundhousernr 589]

Yes, after I bought this pulley. Was going to send you a message this morning. $25.00 dollars for the same thing but new works out a little better for me. Thanks for the offer though.

[Hodge71 663]

I dont think this is about you Dave. I think he was helping others learn of a cheaper alternative to getting raked over the coals by Toro.. I would have bought a brand new pulley for $25 vs a used one for $37. Just seems to make more sense

[Theroundhousernr 589]

To add to the original post. The new pulley is the same size bearing also. A friend asked me if the bearing was smaller and maybe had something to do with the price. It is not smaller and is built the same in every way as seen in the pictures. Perfect original replacement.
  
     Kyle

[daveoman1966 3,610]

I wasn't offended or anything...just thought MAYBE there was a reason my pics couldn't be viewed...given the recent forum changes, which I like.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Kyle, thanks for taking the time to document the alternative method. I saw "press" and thought: Ugh! I'd buy new/used.

I'm sure that I'll use the method on something.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Thanks for the write-up on the make-shift press.
We all have had to rig a press or puller out of sockets, black-iron pipe, duct tape, threaded rod and what ever else works!!
I once had to use a 1 7/8" ball as a bearing race driver!

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

http://www.amazon.com/GENUINE-OEM-TORO-PARTS-PULLEY-IDLER/dp/B008TSW47W

[Theroundhousernr 589]

Thanks for the write-up on the make-shift press.
We all have had to rig a press or puller out of sockets, black-iron pipe, duct tape, threaded rod and what ever else works!!
I once had to use a 1 7/8" ball as a bearing race driver!

Yea , I am getting tired of my press not being at home. Time to buy another maybe. I have some deck spindle bearings to replace and would much rather use a press for the job.....
 

http://www.amazon.com/GENUINE-OEM-TORO-PARTS-PULLEY-IDLER/dp/B008TSW47W

Yes and as SOI posted ( Thanks SOI! forgot to mention that ). The pulley can be had for as little as $14.00 from other suppliers but they will usually make up the difference with shipping so its a good idea to order other things you might need to even things out a little. I like to support my local guys if the price is reasonable. Maybe that's why they help me out sometimes to.

[Xearl 131]

I had a bad bearing in a pulley on the 523dxi I just bought. To solve the problem I ground off one of the lips that hold the bearing in place. I PRESSED IT OUT USING A bolt some washers and a large socket. Bought a new  bearing for $12 and pressed it ln.the way I took it out. Pressed in the spacer with bolt and washer. When I put it back on the mount used a large washer to hold the bearing in the pulley.



 

[Theroundhousernr 589]

I had a bad bearing in a pulley on the 523dxi I just bought. To solve the problem I ground off one of the lips that hold the bearing in place. I PRESSED IT OUT USING A bolt some washers and a large socket. Bought a new  bearing for $12 and pressed it ln.the way I took it out. Pressed in the spacer with bolt and washer. When I put it back on the mount used a large washer to hold the bearing in the pulley.



 

   Thats sounds ok but I am fussy and that would bother me. Another thing that you can do is drill the spot welds and seperate the two halfs. Replace the bearing then either weld the pully back together or some have used bolts already in the past. If you use bolts make sure to use red loctite. You dont want that flying apart on you. 

  In my case, I had no choice but to replace the pulley. As you can see in the pictures, the pulley had holes rotted in it. Not good.....



 

[smoakey 1]

The spacer can easily be removed and replaced using 2 sockets and a vice. Use the vice as a press. Support the bearing on one side of the pulley with a socket and push the spacer out with another socket with similar diameter to the spacer on the opposite side of the pulley. Slowly close the vice until the spacer is removed. Reverse the process to insert the new spacer.

[5151 11]

Here is an old topic I needed to read.

[peter lena 8,064]

@Theroundhousernr  tractor supply has related pulleys with , larger bearings / and wider rubber side shields , that combo lets you , do a removal , clean out and regrease .they also have related bronze bushings , so uou can make a larger bearing , into a 3/8  " mount bolt size . same issue with the engine drive belt idler pulley , undersize bearing , non specific lubrication , noisy / rough , why not eliminate the problem ? every one of my related bearings has been changed out , no noise or failures , just a reference , pete 

[PAguy 5]

Came accross this post and had the idler on my 520h go on me. Taking it off realized the previous owner must have just taken the bearing out and replaced it with what I can't tell since the bearing sort of rusted away it seems. Any way was going to try replacing the bearing rather then pay the 75 for a new idler. Problem is could not find a bearing to fit but did find at tractor supply an idler that seems to be similar in size and can take the spacer part # 1185277. Anyone try using a non wheelhorse idler or see an issue I am not?

[sjoemie himself 2,918]

It would seem to me that an idler pulley is one of the least critical pulleys on a machine as long as the size is similar and the groove is not too narrow.

Bearings used should be up to the task ofcourse!

[ineedanother 1,365]

I've used pulleys from t/s and mcmaster-carr without any issues.

[PAguy 5]

Thank you! @sjoemie himselfthe bearing seems well made. I just got it on and it runs quiet without issue and the belt does not appear to have issue running through at all. Just got a little nerves using a non wh part but liked the idea of saving a few bucks if I could. 

[PAguy 5]

6 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

I've used pulleys from t/s and mcmaster-carr without any issues.

That gives me some peace of mind, it said made in USA so figured it could not he to bad of a part. 

 

Appreciate this group! It has helped me keep these two wh going and given the confidence to make repairs, much appreciated. 

[lynnmor 6,775]

I use Stens 280-495 pulleys and add a .467" spacer to match the OEM offset.  You may be able to find a spacer at a hardware store that is close enough.  I do see the inflation reduction act has increased the price to over $30.

Edited August 20, 2023 by lynnmor