[Kawasaki Old Man]

Today I started the process. There is plenty of spindle length to work with, the factory welded-on stop(washer) is at 3 inches. But there is 5 inches of usable length after you grind off the factory stop. I opened the hole on a heavy washer to 1" and will weld it on at 4.5". The new hubs measure 3.625" - outside to outside of the bearings. I opened a 1" hole in some 1.25" stock and will cut a .75" spacer for the inside for the rubber seal to run on and be the inside stop for the hub bearings. I plan on using a piece of 1/2-13 redi-rod for a stud(Joelk's idea) in the end of the spindle and a fresh ny-lok nut for bearing preload. While I have the front-end apart I will install new kingpin bushings, there was a lot of play in them, but with 1190 hours on the tractor I'm sure they are original. I'll post more tomorrow as it all comes together.

Bill

 

[Steve Urquell]

Great job Bill. I had my XT3 front wheel off yesterday to put a tube in a tire and looked at the stop washer on it. It didn't have the extra length the 3000 axle has and begins to curve up just behind the washer.

I still may look into this for it and my 3240 when you complete yours. Very curious on wheel offset and tire clearance on this.

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

As I took things apart, I noticed the wear on the bottom of the spindle. I replaced the bearings in the front wheels last summer, but this upgrade will let me adjust where the bearings actually ride on the spindle. Also with the addition of the hydraulic front hitch to this tractor, the added load capacity of the tapered roller hubs will be a plus.

Bill

 

[Steve Urquell]

As I took things apart, I noticed the wear on the bottom of the spindle. I replaced the bearings in the front wheels last summer, but this upgrade will let me adjust where the bearings actually ride on the spindle. Also with the addition of the hydraulic front hitch to this tractor, the added load capacity of the tapered roller hubs will be a plus.

Bill

Hmm, I may need to look at the 3240 spindles closely. Been carrying 200lbs of bucket and up to 300lbs of dirt in it

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

One hub and wheel and tire on. The numbers work pretty impressively. I cut a .75" spacer from 1.25 round stock and that worked out very well. I drilled it on the lathe to 1" and that is a little looser than I would like. I will make a replacement and drill to .8750 and use the boring bar to open it to a tight press fit. With these measurements, it puts the wheel flange at 1.8750 from the end of the spindle. In the stock configuration we were splitting a 3" spread. I purchased a set of golf cart wheels and tires, 18x8.5-8 for $40, they are really wide, measuring 9.25 for width. At full lock left the tire just makes contact with the front hitch. At full lock right - no contact. The new bushings on the king pin really exacerbate the play on the left side. Steve, I think this will be a tight fit for the XT3 but for your 3240 this is definitely a go.

Bill

 

[Steve Urquell]

Nice job Bill. Looks great.

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

The studs on these hubs are quite long, I will try a .75" spacer on the studs.

Bill

 

[Joelk]

Looks like a very good way to install the 4 bolt hubs!

I have contemplated doing something similar, but I am concerned about clearance issues and I'm not sure I can get a deal on Golf Cart wheels and tires near where I live. Not many GC dealers nearby.

Have you checked the clearance by turning lock to lock, with the suspension at "full jounce"? Does the tractor have 4 front hydraulic lines? Have you checked with a mower deck on, and with the deck raised and lowered?

The ability to use spacers might make it feasible to avoid clearance issues, but I have discovered that there are sometimes unintended consequences to modifications. Example: I have installed 25 x 10 x 12 ATV tires on some of my 3000 Series tractors, much improved traction over OEM Turf tires, and I like how they slightly increase how high I can raise the mower deck. They work great on tractors with 54" and smaller decks, but the tires rub on the deck roller axle with my 60" decks, when I raise the decks off of the rollers.

 

[Steve Urquell]

One thing I wanted to add about GC tires is that they are tough as iron. I've been mowing down 3/4"-2.5" sumac with my brushhog towed by my 3240. Those tires are regularly running over those ragged woody sumac stalks that stick up 5" or so. No flats. GC tires are TOUGH.

Bill, can you post up a pic of a finished spindle before assembling it? Want to see how you did the end threads. And it would help to have a tape measure on it from the stop washer to the end of the spindle. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

Joelk, I can appreciate your concerns, and you are right if this tractor had to do full duty as a mower. But this one is my "helper" out in the yard, with nearly 1200 hours on it, it will never need to be run over half throttle for the rest of its or my life. I'm going to give it a new paint job and add the electric hydraulic selector valve. I plan on building a sod cutter/edger for the front hitch and an under belly ripper bar for it. We have several hundred feet of walkway we would like to add to the yard and this little guy is going to help.

Bill

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

Steve, I will get the pictures you want when I finish up the other side. I think all the current clearance issues will be remedied with different tires. These golf cart tires are a great deal, but a little strange as the numbers go. They are 18x8.5-8 but only measure 16.5 tall and are 9.25 wide. When I order custom wheels, I will order 18x8.5-8's from Walmart, like the ones I put on my 3205, their profile is taller.

Bill

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

I found some wheels I really like and they were on sale and free shipping - just had to do it. They are on the way.

Bill

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

Steve, did you happen to measure the axle length of the XT3 to the stop?

Bill

 

[Steve Urquell]

I found some wheels I really like and they were on sale and free shipping - just had to do it. They are on the way.

Bill
View attachment 2454824

Steve, did you happen to measure the axle length of the XT3 to the stop?

Bill

Are those 8X7"? Should look good on the Cub.

Yep, I measured 3 5/8" from stop to axle end. My XT3 axles don't have very much straight axle behind the stop like the 3000s do though.

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

Yes, 8x7. I did find one of your previous posts with all the numbers on the XT3. The hole in the end of our 3000's is 1/2-13 bolt and it is about 1.5" deep. So you should be able to drill for a 3/8" bolt in the end of your XT3 spindles with no real issue strength wise.

Bill

 

[Steve Urquell]

Yes, 8x7. I did find one of your previous posts with all the numbers on the XT3. The hole in the end of our 3000's is 1/2-13 bolt and it is about 1.5" deep. So you should be able to drill for a 3/8" bolt in the end of your XT3 spindles with no real issue strength wise.

Bill

Thanks for the info. On the tire height: When I mounted the golf cart tires on my 3240s factory 5.5" rims they got really tall as they were squished upwards. I wonder if 5.5" 4/4 rims are available?

 

[Joelk]

Yep, I measured 3 5/8" from stop to axle end. My XT3 axles don't have very much straight axle behind the stop like the 3000s do though.

Any chance you could use modified 3000 series knuckles on your XT3? Looking at parts diagrams it seems like it MIGHT be possible to use 2 left side 3000s knuckles, if dimensions, taper at the top etc. are the same.

 

[Steve Urquell]

Any chance you could use modified 3000 series knuckles on your XT3? Looking at parts diagrams it seems like it MIGHT be possible to use 2 left side 3000s knuckles, if dimensions, taper at the top etc. are the same.

Definitely an option. I really need to get up to my FILs house and pick up my golf cart wheels/tires he got for me. If I can mount the tires on the XT3 rims and not have rubbing issues I'd be happy with that. Mainly due to the toughness of the tires--tired of getting flats. I did put a tube in one of my XT3s tires the other day so I'll see how long that will last.

I really need to look at the bottom of my 3240s spindles and see if the factory bearings are tearing them up. May be more of a reason to switch to tapered bearing hubs than just for the tire interchangeability as it performs loader duty every time I use it.

 

[Kawasaki Old Man]

Here are some pictures of the left side hub installed and a couple for Steve that show the spindle in it's altered state.
After grinding off the stock welded-on stop, I welded the new on at 4.5" from the end of the spindle. Then installed a .75" spacer that is 1.25" OD for the grease seal to run on and act as a the bearing stop for the inside bearing. In the end of the spindle I installed a 2" piece of 1/2-13 redi-rod and used RED locktite to hold it in place, this leaves enough thread for a ny-lok nut to hold the bearing preload, but not stick out too far so that the dust cap won't go on. Currently I have a stack of 7/16" washer on each wheel stud to space the wheels out for clearance, but have ordered 4 - 10mm spacers. I will use 2 on each side for a combined thickness of 20mm or .790" and all clearance issues are cured. I installed new bushings on the kingpin and that seemed to clear up the excessive play I was seeing in the front axle pivot.

Bill

 

[Joelk]

Looks good! Where did you get the spacers?

Can you post photo/s, showing the hub assembly mounted on the axle, without the nut and dust cap installed.