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Twins (h3013h)

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Discussion starter · #23 ·
larryccf said:
i'll be pulling the deck off in a couple of weeks to replace the spindle bearings, guess i'll check it then
Click to expand...
Let me know how to replace the spindle bearings. I bought new spindle bearing a few months ago before I found the problem to be an idler pulley. Might as well install them during the winter.

By the way I just receive another price match credit from boats.net on the idler pulley. Wasn't sure they would honor it since the total cost (with shipping) was cheaper at boats.net. Guess they don't bother checking other vendors shipping cost.
 
#24 · (Edited)
not that difficult mechanically to dis-assemble, in fact it's pretty straight forward - what'll get you is if there's corrosion in there keeping a bearing, usually the top one, from sliding out

on top side of deck, after you've removed the pulley covers, there are three bolts holding the spindle housing up to the underside of the deck

i saturated those bolts, with deck upside down, with ATF fluid thinned with MEK (acetone instead of MEK works as well, and gas would probably work), i mean repeated hitting it everytime i'd walk by thm in the garage - i didn't want to screw with having to rethread the house if a bolt sheared off

the housing is cast, so if you use heat, be careful, keep the heat low and spread it - too high a heat and the casting will crack

but once you've got them off the deck, assuming the cutting blade is off, and the pulley bolt is off as well as pulley removbed, just slip off #1 & 16

spindle shaft should come out either side, up or down. Bearings will have to come out the bottom.

reason i take em off, a) the bearings like to get stuck inside the housing from corrosion and b) with the housing away from the deck, i can recoat that portion of the ddeck that's rusted. I bought a 46" deck and went thru it on that deck, as well as a 38" deck i bought with my junker - rebuilt and sold it last year

i remember i had one bearing that was frozen inside - it took 3-4 days, with it in the vice, that i'd walk by, heat the housing some, while heated hit with some of my home brewed oil/MEK concoction, doing that maybe 3-4 times a day - all the while, i had a gear puller i was using in reverse - ie, had the puller clamped to the casting or housing, and the center bolt pushing (from the topside of the housing) against the bearing - i kept the tension on that fairly high and it stayed on it the whole 3-4 days, but the bearing finally let go and came out

when you re-assemble, you wouldn't hurt yourself to pack some true synthetic grease into the cavity between the bearings just to keep moisture from collecting and corroding that well or helping the bearings freeze corrode themselves to the housing
Image
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
Sounds like a brutal task removing those spindle bearings. Wonder if a bearing puller would work? Autozone has a two-prong puller for rent or buy for $15 Harbor Freight also has a 3-prong bearing puller cheap.
 
#26 ·
Generally, a bearing puller would be used to pull a bearing off a shaft. To remove the bearing from that cast housing, you would need to press it out from the top. Lacking a hydraulic press, I would do it in a big bench vise. Just be sure to support the housing right around the bearing, not out at the mounting lugs. Lacking a big vise, you could pound it out with a drift, again supporting the housing from below right around the bearing.
 
#27 ·
that was why i said i used the gear (bearing) puller in reverse mode - the puller claws were gripping the housing body, and the large center bolt was being threaded into the opening from the top (with a number of thick washers on the bearing) to push the bearing out - and to keep tension on the bearing while i applied some heat and thinned oil
 
#28 ·
bigredd said:
Let me know how to replace the spindle bearings. I bought new spindle bearing a few months ago before I found the problem to be an idler pulley. Might as well install them during the winter.

By the way I just receive another price match credit from boats.net on the idler pulley. Wasn't sure they would honor it since the total cost (with shipping) was cheaper at boats.net. Guess they don't bother checking other vendors shipping cost.
Click to expand...
unfortunately my experience with their price matching isn't good
1st - one order was being held up for one item that showed "No ETA" for ship date - so i told them to cancel that and ship the **** order - three calls later i still haven't gotten a refund, even though i was told on call $2 & #3 that they were handing this up to a "supervisor"

on the price matching, i first asked about it before placing the order, they confirmed, told me to place the order and then email the info to whatever email box - i've mentioned to them i'm still waiting for that refund in the #2 & #3 call above

tomorrow i'll call and ask if i need to send ninja terrorists to kidnap and hold someone hostage to get my refund

not worth the hassle, to be frank

in the future, i'll just assemble a larger order and order from parts.org
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
I just replaced the spindle bearings for one of the shafts. From what I had researched, these bearing can be pushed through the housing, so I started pounding away at the bottom bearing. Thats when I knew something was definately wrong. The housing definately has stops for the bearings and they must be pulled out.

Lacking a bearing puller, I decided to use what I had, which was a dremel with cutter wheel. Managed to cut the inner steel ring of the bottom bearing in two placed and took it apart. Then was able to push the top bearing out from the bottom, and then hammer out the outer ring of the bottom bearing.
 
Discussion starter · #33 · (Edited)
After replacing one of the spindle bearings on my h3013, it fixed the problem with the howling bearing, but still had considerable vibration with the blades engaged.

I decided to check the blades for balance, and low and behold the blade on the spindle with the bad bearings was way unbalanced. Just happened to have some new blades and after replacing them, it now has minimal vibration and mows much better. No doubt that unbalanced blade contributed to the bearing failure.


Found this sharpener/balancer kit at HD for only $7 and it worked great for me.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...N-5yc1v/R-100326193/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
 
Discussion starter · #35 · (Edited)
I finally fixed the vibration problem that was occurring with one of my h3013 riders. Replaced the bearings on both shafts, which took care of the howling noise, but still had vibration. After examining the diagrams on boats.net, turns out the blade holders that fits in the grooved shafts have been installed backwards ever since I bought the mower 2 years ago. Corrected the problem and it's a night and day difference. No doubt that was a major factor in both sets of bearing needing replacing.

The weeds and fescue are just starting to grow now, so should be much more enjoyable mowing the lawn this season.
 
Discussion starter · #37 ·
Thought I would share this tip on restoring sun-faded plastic on Honda Tractors. One of my h3013 riders had severe fading when I bought it. Tried multiple cleaners, waxes and power buffing to little effect. Finally tried some Armor All (original formula) and it had it looking like new with two coats. A weeks gone by and it still looks like new. Here's some pics.

http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/bigredd1/Honda h3013h/IMG_0006.jpg
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/bigredd1/Honda h3013h/IMG_0005.jpg
http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx78/bigredd1/Honda h3013h/IMG_0008.jpg
 
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bigredd
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