Busted spindle guard prognosis?

[Sigarms]

See attached (found while sharpening the blades yesterday as they seemed to need it finally after about 100 hrs the last time I sharpened them).



So what is the prognosis if I don't take care of this right away? Thing is, not sure when it happened, but I grease them well after every mowing. This could of been going on for the last 100 hours or perhaps it just happened the other week, no clue on my end.

Any tips or anything I should look out for to replace it?

Thanks

 

[ovrszd]

Let's approach this from the other end. Describe to me what will happen if that quill breaks?

 

[Sigarms]

Let's approach this from the other end. Describe to me what will happen if that quill breaks?

If I knew, I probably wouldn't be asking

 

[ovrszd]

If you have to ask maybe you should just run it

 

[kthompson]

So far no other damage. If me I would replace it to prevent possible other damage. If a grease gun could crack such, would be very careful with that gun.

 

[Sigarms]

I would get a parts diagram and see what it does. You could be using a high pressure grease gun and just cracked it. Does it turn with the shaft, or is it a bearing holder.

Looks to be bearing holder, does not turn at all.

Simple $20 grease gun from Auto zone years ago. Since I had the deck up, I decided to give her more grease just to see if anything would come out.

 

[Sigarms]

So far no other damage. If me I would replace it to prevent possible other damage. If a grease gun could crack such, would be very careful with that gun.

I can procrastinate, but I'm not that bad. Just have perhaps one or two more mowings before I winterize her up and put her in the shed and was hoping to do the work then.

10 minutes before hitting the deck, I greased all the zerk fittings (every 10 hours) and honestly the gun seems to be working fine.

I'll stop by the local dealer and see how much the spindle guard is.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and their "story".

 

[arto98607]

I can procrastinate, but I'm not that bad. Just have perhaps one or two more mowings before I winterize her up and put her in the shed and was hoping to do the work then.

10 minutes before hitting the deck, I greased all the zerk fittings (every 10 hours) and honestly the gun seems to be working fine.

I'll stop by the local dealer and see how much the spindle guard is.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and their "story".

I think Kubota calls it spindle housing.
If you run it until it breaks completely, you will probably loose also the spindle shaft and who knows how many other pieces - perhaps the pulley, belt & blade etc. will get damaged?

Or maybe not but if it was my money, I would not risk it.

At least in F3060 deck the spindle housing is available separately and easily replaceable and the bearings are common conical roller bearings (standard L44810 $5 each trailer wheel bearings).

The $10 Kubota shaft seal kit comes with instructions on which direction to install the seal lips etc.

 

[Sigarms]

I think Kubota calls it spindle housing.

Actually talking with the owner of the Kubota place, it's just an aluminum dust cover. He said they had plenty in stock as they tend to get dinked a bunch. Like $6 each. I'll probably buy a couple extra:laughing:

I believe the issue is the terminolgy. When I talked with the counter guy when I went it, once you mention "spindle", they automaticall think of something else (which is kind of deceiving because when you look at the parts breakdown in the deck manual, they only mention "spindle"). The guy gave me a price of a "kit" for like $280 EACH, and I almost fell over dead. We went back and fourth on what I needed and he still couldn't come up with the "dust cover" even when I showed him the pic from my first post. The owner however picked up on it immediately.

 

[ovrszd]

Why is grease oozing out of it??

 

[oldballs]

I keep an extra set of cleaned up dust covers, those big washers, and the nut, along with as set of sharp blades ready when I service the deck each fall or spring (when I get to it). Those dust covers do take some "hits" now and then.

Sigarms split in the dust cover is allowing the grease to ooze out ... best I can tell. And he probably has no other damage.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[ovrszd]

I keep an extra set of cleaned up dust covers, those big washers, and the nut, along with as set of sharp blades ready when I service the deck each fall or spring (when I get to it). Those dust covers do take some "hits" now and then.

Sigarms split in the dust cover is allowing the grease to ooze out ... best I can tell. And he probably has no other damage.

Cheers,
Mike

Thanks for the clarity Mike. I originally thought the spindle was cracked. Not sure I understand the purpose of the cover.

 

[oldballs]

Maybe these pics will show how the dust covers work or help protect the spindles from dirt and encase the grease.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[arto98607]

I see what you mean - F3060 blade spindles do not have such a dust cover, and the shaft seals are oriented so that the old or excess grease will exit through the top seal.

It's probably good to have a cover like that in order to reduce chance of long stringy stuff from damaging the lower shaft seal.


View attachment F3060 Blade spindle parts.pdf

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Think I would slow down on the grease some.

David

 

[JB13502]

Why is grease oozing out of it??

That was my thought/question too. I think David's right about slowing down on the grease. I imagine that dust cover also makes it difficult to see when the old grease is pushed out.

 

[Iamblessed]

I thought that I could see where the mainshaft was broken, oh well anyway the dust covers on my deck have holes from factory and I assume they are to let excess grease escape.

 

[Sigarms]

I thought that I could see where the mainshaft was broken, oh well anyway the dust covers on my deck have holes from factory and I assume they are to let excess grease escape.

I was informed the biggest issue why those holes were there was to let water escape.

I've never had to take the dust covers off before, but after seeing Mikes pics, makes more sense.

Again what caused the confusion is that I (and I guess the Kubota parts counter person) didn't see dust covers mentioned anywhere in the manual and when he was showing me his parts break down on his computer screen screen, I don't rememeber seeing them (dust covers) as well. Thus the reason for almost dropping over dead for $260 parts/seal kit.