# Greasing mower deck spindle bearings .



## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

The spindles on my lawn mower deck has grease fittings . The owners manual says if using a hand grease gun to put a pump or two of grease in these fittings when servicing mower which I did .
The spindle housings are pot metal & one broke . I ordered a new one & replaced it . I took the broken one apart & found the shaft that ran through it , sealed bearings on top & bottom & quite a bit of empty space inside the housing . 
The grease I had pumped in there didn't come close to filling the empty space inside the housing & didn't appear to have done the bearings any good . The bearings were several years old , sealed as I said & still had the factory lube & were still in good shape .
It would probably take half a tube of grease to fill the empty space & quite a bit of force to force grease into those sealed bearings . Are those fittings just a feel good thing or should the housing be pumped full & grease forced into those bearings ?


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

I would pop the inner seals of those bearings and hit them good with a grease gun every ten hours of use. Once the housing is filled with grease a couple of pumps on the grease gun should do it. Your baring life will be drastically improved. Sealed bearings are only good until the seals fail. By keeping them lubed they are good for years.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

These bearings don't have a separate grease seal . They are more the type of bearing that you would find in an electric motor that are supposedly lifetime lubed . They are bearings , not bushings .


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I've heard 'em called mandrils. If you do any mowing at all other than a sissy lawn, they will be about the first part to break on a mower deck, whether you lube them or not.

FWIW, those "lifetime" bearings on electric motors aren't meant to go forever either. My water distiller has a fan with that type and I was pleasantly surprised how much better it worked with just a drop of machine oil.


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## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

WV Hillbilly said:


> These bearings don't have a separate grease seal . They are more the type of bearing that you would find in an electric motor that are supposedly lifetime lubed . They are bearings , not bushings .


Y H and I both understand those bearings and yes we can and do remove or defeat the seals on the inside of those things . That is just the inner seals ,carefull work with a small drill works too. :awh:


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

*4 Spindle MANDREL Mower Deck Bearings 532110485 532137645 Husqvarna Poulan *

They are called mandrels . At the link is a picture of what those bearings look like .


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## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

WV Hillbilly said:


> *4 Spindle MANDREL Mower Deck Bearings 532110485 532137645 Husqvarna Poulan *
> 
> They are called mandrels . At the link is a picture of what those bearings look like .


Yep notice those plastic seals ?:hobbyhors


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

You can remove the seal from one side and intall the bearing with the remaining seal facing whichever way you feel would do the most good or make sure the sealless side goes towards where the grease comes in. A small screwdriver or scratch awl will pry the seal out easily.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Take a small sharp punch and punch a hole into the seal. Don't use a drill because you'll get filings in it.. once you have a small hole in the seal you can pry it out. Just don't punch in too far and damage the part that holds the balls. I usually punch into them at an angle along the outer side of the race.


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