44C and the ST-745 Bearing

[Vrobert]

I have some updates on my 44C deck and spindles.

I sandblasted, patched, and painted the deck in time for mowing. This included treating the deck support plate and bearing mount surfaces with POR15. Also welded and redrilled the 1/2" mule drive holes where the deck mounts as they were badly egg-shaped. I was glad to finally practice using my MIG welder.

Here it is back in service! And a bonus, my friend found a picture of Gracie the birthday girl, 90 years young, sitting on my 1811 the day she received it in Nov 1986.

[Vrobert]

For those curious of what's inside the old style kkd-7505-tt1 spindle bearings, don't bother digging into them. I saved you the trouble and did it for you. And we like pictures so I will include some.

You can buy these spindles new for around $80, but if you are bored and have about $30 and a few hours to waste you can replace the balls and seals in these spindles. Balls are $10 per 100, and seals are about $3 each. The seals aren't strong like the originals so don't grease them until they are clamped into the shells, otherwise, they'll pop out.

Obviously, if the races are ruined, new balls won't help.

It's kind of tricky but I'll show ya'll how I did it later.

[DoubleO7]

So...................................did Gracie actually use the 1811??

If yes, that is so cool and I hope to be able to do that some day.

[DeltaCub]

Nice write up! Sweet picture too.

[twoton]

Originally Posted by Vrobert

........ I'll show ya'll how I did it later.

.

[Vrobert]

Originally Posted by DoubleO7

So...................................did Gracie actually use the 1811??

If yes, that is so cool and I hope to be able to do that some day.

Gracie did use the tractor a few times but it was a bit too much tractor for her age and the grandkids had to start mowing the lawn. The family traded in her first cub when they bought her this one. She had used it for a decade or so but I can't recall the model.

[Vrobert]

Since JMech is watching this thread with great interest I will forward some of his advice on this topic.

"Rebuilding the KKD-7505 spindle should never be attempted by anyone smarter than a box of hammers. If you don't value your time and money at all we can't stop you, but we tried. With your poor judgment, you should join the JD forum and volunteer as a moderator. The money you thought you would save will go a long way toward the noise canceling headphones you're going to need when those jacked up spindles start singing like a heartbroken chainsaw."

First step to rebuilding these spindles is to come in out of the rain. Then get a small chisel, gouge out one of the seals and throw it in the trash. Use a piece of tie wire with a little hook on the end to pull the plastic cage straight out. The cages are very sturdy and flexible. I pulled out six and they all seemed fine.

[J-Mech]

Here we go.


This isn't a repair that I would suggest to anyone to do. The races wear just like the balls do. It's a waste of time. Get a new bearing assembly.

[Vrobert]

Once the top cage is out, take a long punch or a blunted nail, push it down between the balls and tap on the lower cage in a few places. Go around tapping the cage until it pops out with the seal. You can reuse the seal or replace it with a new one. The original seals are really strong and drive in tight but I wouldn't know where to get them so instead you can use a standard 25x40x5 seal. They drive in OK but don't pump in grease until they are bolted in the clamshells, otherwise they will blow out. The balls are 3/8" and available anywhere. If you notice half the balls are pitted and the others look OK. The bottom ones sat in water I think and the lower races were also a little rust pitted. "I told you this was a waste of time!" All the balls measured about half-a-thou smaller than the new ones.

[Vrobert]

After cleaning out all the nasty grease you can inspect the races. In my case the lower races were a little rough but the tops were smooth. I flipped the shafts upside down so each bad race is paired with a good race.

"That's ridiculous, you must have more money than sense, and you're flat broke so that's really saying something!".

To get the bearings out is a real puzzle. All 12 bearings must be pushed to one side, then the shaft can be pushed off-center and a few middle bearings can be popped out which allows the shaft to be removed. Do the reverse to install new bearing but if you're a fumble-fingers you're in for a long night. Grease will help keep the balls in place but it's a little messy if you drop something on the ground.

Then there is the terribly pitted shaft where the seals ride. I used 220 grit to polish those surfaces up but it didn't help much. The further I get into this fiasco the smarter JMech looks. Why didn't I listen????

Pump some grease into the shaft before reassembly to ensure it's not clogged. Then grease the shaft a bit to get the seal to pop on. Tap them into place with a large socket. The new seals are 1mm thicker than the old but I think they are soft enough to squish into place when they are bolted into the clamshells.

Well, here we have one rebuilt defective mower spindle. We recommend you throw it right in the trash. It's not any worse than it was before the rebuild but I'll never install it on my mower. I always mow the lawn wearing nothing but flipflops and a smile. If those bearings come apart I'll be looking for more than just a dozen balls!

So, as the great Click and Clack (tappet brothers) say, I've wasted another perfectly good hour writing this garbage. Alot more than one hour I'll admit, but I have a clinical tinker addiction and I enjoyed every minute of it