[Fleadog]

hi guys I went to add grease to the deck Mandrel zerks on my 2012 gt6000. I was adding grease and not sure when you know it's loaded. I mean, I couldn't see anywhere where the grease would ooze-out indicting theyre full. I looked around the pulleys, all around the mandrel housing, and under the deck and couldn't see anything. I just gave a good ten pumps on the gun and figured it was ok. any advice. thx.

 

[txsteve]

If you bought it new. The spindles are empty. It takes about like 2 tubes or more of grease to fill all three spindles.

 

[Fleadog]

jeez ok ill get more thx!

 

[Plowthesidewalk]

Wow! Sounds like a lot of grease.

 

[Whirly]

all the craftsman decks I've worked on had sealed bearings in them... so when did they start changin that..

 

[swatara_gap]

all the craftsman decks I've worked on had sealed bearings in them... so when did they start changin that..

I'm no garden tractor guru myself, but I too was shocked to see mandrels with grease zerks!

Note, the zerks are the wettest dirtiest bits in the last two photos, and they're usually around the center of the photo.







I find it hard to believe that they're empty from the factory. When the truck dropped the tractor off, I checked the mandrel zerks, and they looked as though they'd been recently greased, but I gave them three shots anyway. On page 21, the book states they should be greased every 25 hours of operation. Our tractor sees 25 hours of grass cutting per year, and I give it three shots at the start of the season, and three shots halfway through the season. Once I have anything greased, I only give it three shots when performing preventive maintenance.

 

[Fleadog]

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...7/1509200/1303375P/00007?blt=06&prst=&shdMod=

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...MAN&modelDesc=TRACTOR&blt=11&shdMod=&keyId=13

reviewed the parts diagrams yes they are sealed bearings so why those things need to be greased - not sure...

 

[tomw0]

Fleadog:they are sealed bearings so why those things need to be greased - not sure...

Marketing. You note the zerks are visible when you see the deck at the showroom, and it makes you think you are a step up over the "other" brands. "Sears is on my side, providing zerks so my bearings will last longer..." That's my conclusion.
I wonder honestly what happens to all that grease when it gets full, and contacts the spindle at a couple hundred rpm. I'd think the grease got warmed up and started to leak out between the bearing outer races and the housing.
I don't have zerks on my Craftsman{AYP}, but there is one on the Snapper, that is on a 'three pumps once a year' cycle. May all be 'mental', rather than physical lubrication...
tom