Husqvarna YTH24V48 greasing

[Nodeuce]

I'm new to having a riding mower and purchased a Husqvarna YTH24V48 last year. This year I bought a cheap grease gun to lube the zerk fittings and have a few questions: I was told to pump until I saw grease coming out, but I never saw any. I just pumped until the grease gun handle was hard to pump, about 7-8 pumps. Did I over grease? If so, do I need to worry about it? Also, the couplers supplied with the grease gun fell apart when I opened the package and I had to put them back together. They seem to work and I can get them on the fittings, but to get them off I have to take the hose off the coupler or it won't let go of the zerk fitting. I'm assuming this isn't normal, so can I just buy new couplers? Lastly, after mowing today, the mower has started to make a squeak when moving forward, usually to the left. Hard to tell exactly where it's coming from, but I think it's near the front wheels. Is there something else to lube in that area besides the zerk fittings? Thanks in advance for helping out a newbie.

 

[tomplum]

Welcome to TBN. Some couplers are adjustable. A twist of the body may loosen the gripping force. In greasing the spindles at the axle, you can't really over grease. I'll do 5 give or take. On your wheel bearings 10 or so. About the same with the zerk on each deck spindle. The numbers are all negotiable depending on history and your intentions on greasing in the future. Squeaky wheel? hit it a few more times or pop the cap and clip so you can inspect the bushings / spindles and lube by hand.

 

[Nodeuce]

Thank you very much. Wanted to make sure I didn't screw anything up.

 

[RandyT]

Also, even though the spindles are greasable they may also have sealed bearings in them, and you may not be able to push grease out of those, so if it got tight that may be an indicator that the area between the bearings is full, and since the are a press fit with seals you could possible damage the seals if you try to force it.

 

[tomplum]

Also, even though the spindles are greasable they may also have sealed bearings in them, and you may not be able to push grease out of those, so if it got tight that may be an indicator that the area between the bearings is full, and since the are a press fit with seals you could possible damage the seals if you try to force it.

Yeah, don't you love the grease it 'til you see it guys on packing their deck spindles? Like your signature BTW.
Deck greasing UBI:
For those reading most greasable spindles have no seal on the inside of the lower bearing to allow grease in. Husqvarna, Deere, many MTD fall into this category. Very few bearings on the top have no inner seal as the grease doesn't migrate against gravity very well. Some greasable spindles are made with sealed bearings all the way around. Some old Murrays were that way with bearings that fit looser in the housing to "reduce heat". More times than not lower bearings will fail ahead of the upper bearing. On occasion I open someones aftermarket spindle and find fully sealed bearings on the inside with a zerk on the outside. Grease outside the spindle means that the seal, well didn't seal. . .

 

[RandyT]

Yeah, don't you love the grease it 'til you see it guys on packing their deck spindles? Like your signature BTW.
Deck greasing UBI:
For those reading most greasable spindles have no seal on the inside of the lower bearing to allow grease in. Husqvarna, Deere, many MTD fall into this category. Very few bearings on the top have no inner seal as the grease doesn't migrate against gravity very well. Some greasable spindles are made with sealed bearings all the way around. Some old Murrays were that way with bearings that fit looser in the housing to "reduce heat". More times than not lower bearings will fail ahead of the upper bearing. On occasion I open someones aftermarket spindle and find fully sealed bearings on the inside with a zerk on the outside. Grease outside the spindle means that the seal, well didn't seal. . .

Murray tested the theory of using sealed bearings with grease zerks for the people that want to grease but is not necessary They found that if they install one colored grease inside the sealed bearing and another colored grease outside the bearing in the cavity between the two bearings and then run the spindles found that the grease will migrate inside the bearings. Like red grease on the inside and yellow grease on the outside would find orange grease inside the bearing.

 

[Nodeuce]

So, to be clear, do you guys think I screwed anything up? I used up the 3oz tube that came with the gun, but that includes the big glob I put on the steering gear, the grease still in the hose and metal grease gun tubes and a few miscellaneous globs when testing the gun.

 

[RandyT]

If those spindles are the sealed bearing type they may of had little to no grease in the cavity between the bearings. That cavity alone could take about 3 ounces in some cases.

 

[tomplum]

Those were the days! Official Murray tool box had to have a claw hammer and fence wire...

 

[cdaigle430]

YTH24V48 and I always pump 7 times in each bearing, on the front axle I usually pump till I see grease coming out. Going on 13 years old with this tractor (400 hours) and only had to replace the battery once, mower deck belt once and my forward linkage welded back together.