Loud GT48 317 Deck
 

The 317 deck on my 1641 is much loader than the one on the 1863. Nothing seems to be too tight, I can move the belt and turn the blades with two fingers but that may mean much on tapered bearings. With the belt off one of the outer spindles does not have any movement when I wiggle the blade up and down, one has a little more than you would want in a wheel bearing and the center has what I think is to much. I had the blades off a while back and did torque the blade nuts when I put it back together. I don't see any way to adjust the bearing, no shims or castle nut like on a car. I looked in the tech section hoping to find a thread on rebuilding these spindles but didn't find anything. Is my next move to take the spindles apart and replace the bearings and seals?
Cannon

Probably wouldn't hurt to take it apart and see what's going on. At least you can clean the old grease out. Not much to them, just 2 tapered bearings with a split sleeve spacer between them. This is your typical bearing set up.

A pitted/galled bearing will be noisy. a loose bearing will be loose but not very noisy.
From your description, I would be inclined to think the bearings are worn/pitted, causing the loose clearance.
Your planned inspection will tell you the condition.
If those are the new style tapered bearings ,try Rockauto.com
just go to parts search and type in the number
Or if you prefer, NAPA or Autozone if they are LM 11949/LM 11910 they are outer wheel bearings for 70's GM vehicles as well as others.
LUCK!:beerchug:
EDIT Sam types faster than me

Just want to add one thing, when you put it back together make sure you install one of the seals upside down so that when you grease the bearings it will allow the old grease to be expelled.

Before you tear the deck down, spin the pulley on the tension idler on the deck and the belt pullies on the mule drive and make sure none of them make noise. They shouldn't make any noise.

They will really make a racket if they are dry on lube and they are sealed.

Good point Mike. :beerchug:

I thought to turn on the PTO with the deck off to see if it made noise but didn't think about the mule drive pulleys. I know they spin but not if they make noise. Probably won't do anything else till tomorrow, Just got back from mowing my mothers grass. Pretty rough caught between taking care of elderly parents and grown kids.
Thanks

Taking care of your mother is honorable, and what you should do.

"Taking care" of your grown kids............ My parents quit taking care of me when I moved out. Now it's my responsibility. Someday, I'll take care of them. :beerchug:

Haven't used my 48" deck yet. This winter we did all we could; paint, blast, belts, blades. The whole shebang.

Did run the deck many times. Not on grass. Sounds great, I know it'll do the job.

Can I make a butt out of myself when I think the deck sounds like a jet engine? :bigthink:

So true, but my kids keep telling me they are going to be the ones that pick my nursing home
Ha,<LOL :bigthink:

This morning I checked the idler pulley on the deck and the mule drive pulleys. One mule drive pulley had a slight squeak as it turned. I removed it and found that it was rubbing the arm at one point (12 o'clock in picture), I put a washer between the arm and the pulley and it now runs quiet. I decided to take the center spindle apart, it was just to loose and noisy. Both bearings and races have rough places on then, I took a picture of one race after cleaning it with carb cleaner. The bottom seal was turned out but the lip was torn off it (picture), the top seal was better but both spacers where the seals run have grooves. The bearings are Timken LM11949, I assume all three spindles use the same bearings. Do I need to just use Timken or whatever the bearing house has. The small spacer between the bearings, I've never seen one used on a car except the crush spacer on Chevy rear ends. I think at this point I might as well take the other spindles apart and replace all the bearings and seals, opinions.
Cannon

do I need to remove the pulleys from the shaft for any reason?
Cannon

Probably not. Looking at your second pic you better plan on replacing the races also, they look like they are in pretty bad shape. You can get them out with a BFH and a punch. Try to drive them out straight by hitting on each side. You'll see a notch that you can get the punch in so you hit on the bearing. I'd also remove the housing so that you can clean it good before putting it back together. It's also easier to work on when it's out of the deck shell.

$5.55 free ship on Evil pray
I.E. 400317498031
Also Rock auto, Napa, Auto zone etc.
they are cheap.

I drove one of the races out after my earlier post to verify the number. I called the bearing house in Chattanooga, they only had 2 but they were $13 for a bearing and race. I was going to do some more checking but looks like George has that covered. At one time I had a piece of brass that I used to drive in some wheel bearing races but I haven't seen it in years. I'll go ahead and take the housings out of the deck and clean them up.
Cannon

This morning I ordered the bearings and races in Georges post from ebay. They won't be here until next week. I should spend that time sandblasting and painting but I never seem to get stuff like that done.
Cannon

I went out and starting removing the spindle housings, it has not gone well. The center spindle came off by just taking an impact to the 3 bolts. The two outside spindles have apparently lived most of their life under the covers full of wet grass. The nuts were so rotten I had to split them with a cutoff tool. Some of the nuts on the support plate are the same way, I can't bring myself to leave them like that. This may turn into a long term project. One of the outside spindles did not have the center spacer or I managed to loose it. One spindle housing has some of the top lip rotted away, the seal was tight in it so I think it will be alright.
Cannon

Glad to see you doing the right way. Plenty of Never Seize when it goes back together. :beerchug:

I got everything off the deck housing today. I guess it time to start sandblasting of going at it with a wire wheel. I found the missing bearing spacer stuck in a grease rag in the garbage can.
Cannon

Aww that makes it easier, always like a happy ending

The bearings arrived today from VBX http://www.ebay.com/itm/400317498031...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I cleaned up the spindle housings and parts and drove the races in. I packed the bearings and put them, the center spacer and the seals in. I turned the bottom seal out, hope it doesn't get torn up.
I didn't expect Timken bearings but was surprised that the numbers are not the same. I trust that VBX knows more about bearings than I do. Still haven't started on the deck shell. The bearing and cone are both marked 78049.
Cannon

Give them a call to check that what you got will interchange before you install.

I believe he posted he installed them, prolly just selling them as a set.
If they were not right I think he would know it, as they would not fit.
They are not top of the line, but for the price I don't think a fellow could go too
far wrong.
Kept lubed, they will prolly outlast the deck.

They are installed, the races went in about as tight as the old ones that came out. Bearings are a slip fit on the shafts. I did send an email through ebay asking if they were the same. I was just looking at old Cub Cadet spindles on ebay, $$$
Cannon

I sent this message.

Dear irvineman,

The bearings I received were not numbered as expected. The item was supposed to be a bearing and race LM11949/LM11910. The bearings I received were marked 78049 (made in Russia) on both the race and bearing. Are these bearings a direct replacement for the LM numbered bearings.
Thanks

Received this reply today.


We do apologize. We are sending out another package right away.

Regards,
Diane

- irvineman

I thought they would say they were the same. I guess I need to knock the others out.
Cannon

I would wait till you get the second shipment, might be the same bearings.
and if the bearings you put in there are tight, and fit correctly, use them.
And save the second shipment for the future.

X2 on what George said plus you stand the chance of damaging them when you remove them along with the possibility of damaging the housings. If they fit I'd run them. Put the extras in a zip lock bag after you oil or grease them and put them away.

Well I do have another 317 deck.
Cannon

Well there you go, spare parts for free is always a good thing. :beerchug:

I would use them and keep the other set for future use. Here is what my cheap a$$ got but I haven't used them yet. Has anyone tried these yet?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281469436514...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

At least they have the right numbers on them. I might have done that if I had seen them.
Cannon

Should be a BCA brand A2 bearing set. I keep 8 sets of A2's on the shelf. Outer wheel bearing set for lots of GM cars/trucks.

Bingo, 6 more just like the others.
Cannon

Ha,LOL figgered as much, use em and enjoy them.
You got spares, they prolly will be just fine.:beerchug:

After a year sitting apart I got a friend who works at a metal shop to take some of the 317 deck to work and blast and prime it. I sent the deck, the 3 reinforcing plates and the 2 pieces that bolt underneath. I didn't send any of the smaller parts for fear some of them would get lost. I brushed a coat of yellow on the underside of the deck and sprayed what I had of a can of yellow on the outside but need to get some Cub Yellow (or close) to finish the outside. I've got the new bearings in, the spindles mounted, the blades sharpened and torqued, and the baffle and other piece(?) on. When I took this apart I had to cut some of the bolts off. I have been salvaging what I could of the hardware at the grinder with a wire wheel. I haven't been able to locate any "Short Neck Carriage Bolts" locally but did see some at fastenal's website. Now I need to get out there and clean up the rest of those parts.
Cannon

Looks good Cannon51. I just buy a bunch of grade 8 China bolts at TSC. I like the look of them against the yellow. I'm sure some grass and stuff will catch on them but it doesn't affect the cut.

This project is approaching the 2 year mark. Today I got the small sandblaster and the 4 inch cup brush out and worked on the rest of the small parts. I got them cleaned up and sprayed with primer. I used some wire and a push mower for a drying rack. I've got to many half done projects around here, every time I buy something I start on it and quit what I was working on. Still have the spindle covers and gage wheel brackets to do.
Cannon

I got the small parts painted and on the deck yesterday. I used the old hardware on most of the parts but the pieces where the head was behind the baffle I used new hex head bolts. I got the spindle covers wire brushed and sanded. Probably won't paint anything today since it in the 40's here. I took the gauge wheel assembly apart. Looks like I need some new wheel bolts, I remember buying 2 of these for my other 48 inch deck and crying all the way home. One of the dog bones is twisted, I haven't figured out how I will go about straightening it yet. With the paint on I can see that it was pitted worse than I thought it was. I started out using whatever yellow Rustolum I had and ended up using "Tuscan Sun" to finish the deck shell and small parts. It's not as good a match as I hoped it would be.
Cannon

Stick it in a press and have at it. :biggrin2:

No Press. I'll have to come up with a redneck solution.:bigthink: