To replace spindle bearings: Remove deck and either rest on two saw horses or similar mounts, or stand on its side and fix to make safe and secure. Photograph the belt layout and also the grease nipple so you can easily refit.The object is to access the top and bottom of the spindle. Remove cutting blade. Remove pulley on top side. I reccomend that you also remove the spindle housing from the deck. You can remove bearings while still fitted but it is not so easy. Clean the shaft and remove any circlips or retaining nuts from spindle. Take the unit and clean shaft as clean as new. Use emery paper if necessary. Use light oil or CRC to lube the shaft to slide bearings off. Do not hold shaft in vise as this will cause deformation of the shaft surface and jam the bearing. Place lower side of housing on vise which should be open slightly more than bearing outer diameter. Take hardwood or industrial nylon [to protect the thread from bruising,] after refitting nut on shaft thread, and ensuring there is space between nut and bearing, tap down firmly with hammer. The shaft will move more easily after the initial freeing up. When it moves easily remove nut and tap down with wood between hammer and thread end. To remove the top bearing use a wooden shaft, a broom handle is ideal. The replacement bearings should have no seals on the inside. Remove if necessary. Make sure to scrub clean both housing end and deck where the housing fits. Any rubbish there will cause lines in the mowing as it can tilt the blades. The thickness of paper can mean 3mm at the end of the blades!
SOURCE: How do I remove the spindle from the deck of a Craftsman mower.
Put your blade back on so you will have some backup on the nut. Wedge a piece of 2x4 between the blade and deck to hold the shaft while you take off the nut. You should do that before unbolting the spindle. If you are just replacing bearings, you don't have to unbolt the spindle at all. Just remove the pulley on top and the shaft with blade attached will slide out the bottom. The botton bearing, however, will be on the shaft and is difficult to get off. I use a bearing splitter to get it down far enough to drive off the shaft.
SOURCE: How to replace lower deck spindle bearing on my
take the deck off or take the belt off of pulley there is a nut on top of pulley loosen nut with a brass hammer hammer it down & it should drop the spindle out to replace bearings
SOURCE: remove pulley on mower deck spindle
These are generally held on with just one large nut, I recommend you use a impact wrench otherwise it mau prove difficult ( you wont be able to hold the spindle tight enough) and certainly you will need a impact wrench to reassemble the spindle
SOURCE: Craftsman 42in mower deck spindle breaks and Strips.
there are thousands of these mowers out there, and most people do not have the problem that you are experiencing - let's face reality, you are hitting something, that's the only way these break - it is impractical to make a machine that will mow through rocks, stumps, and water pipes and not break - also, sears does not MAKE anything, they contract companies to make products for them - if you want a thicker, tougher mandrel housing, log onto www.amcpartsstore.com. they recently began offering a heavy duty version of the mandrel housing, part no. 130794. i've seen these and they are definitely beefy - just be sure to put everything together correctly and tighten all the nuts and bolts firmly, and try to avoid the rocks and stumps
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