new bearings for spindles

[drewd 55]

Hi All,

 

I am about to reassemble the three spindles for the 36" deck I am rebuilding.  Do I need to use a press to seat the bearings?  Or can they be worked in with a punch or dowel?  What has been your experiences?  This is a first for me!

 

Thanks,

Drew

[daveoman1966 3,611]

Find a bolt 6 - 8 " long (or all thread) and run thru housing.  Put a BIG wahser on one end and bolt thru that...extending thru other end of housing.  Then , on the other end, start the bearing (grease the edges) into the housing.  Draw it in slowly by turning the nut...as in this pic using a couple of 3/4" dia dollars as fillers...  NEVER hammer any bearing to 'seat' it....just draw it in tiight with a large bolt & nut. 

[drewd 55]

Excellent!  Thank you very much for the tip.  

[doc724 924]

I always used a socket with the OD just a tad smaller than the outer race.  I put a socket extension into the socket and then would tap the end of the extension with a hammer to get the bearing seated.  The biggest challenge was to get the bearing square with the spindle housing before starting to seat it.  The extension allowed you to eyeball it much easier.  The irony in all this is I finally scored a big arbor press to do this exact job and NEVER got a chance to use it before I sold out all my WH stuff.  I like Daveoman's idea but again you have to put pressure on the OUTER race, never the inner race.  When the spindle is finally assembled, the inner race is squeezed tight by all the spacers etc.

[Goofey 89]

you can not just press on the inner race. You have to press on the outer race. With a socket that fit snug, you can also tap them in no problem, but NEWER on the inner race. ALWAYS on the outer race.