I posted something on this two years ago, (I think it was two years ago) but it sure was a huge huge help today. The Lawn Tractor Lift.
I have a 22 year old Craftsman LT1000 42" mower and needed to change the spindles out and add new blades. The first set of spindles lasted 12 years. Every three years since then - I have had to replace them. The new spindles just are not as good as the first ones. The spindles are not built to exacting standards and after two or three years the bearings are loose inside. Not only that, with the last set I put on - the blades were about 1/4" off set from each other. I didn't notice when I put them on but I sure did when I cut the grass. I let it go. So I ordered a new set of spindles and blades, added some great zerks to the spindles and filled the inside with grease. I also added some silicone caulk when I re-set the bearings into the housing to keep water out (hopefully.)
I put the lawn tractor on the lift and raised it. Plenty of room up under to work. I placed a long square 1" steel bar from one side of the mower to the other and clamped it on both sides to the deck to measure the level of the blades. It was easy, using the bar, to see the alignment of blades. Both blades had one side about 3/16 lower than the other. It wasn't the spindles out of perpendicular to the ground, but both blades with all the curves on them - not level from one end to the other and therefore when tight, one side would be lower than the other side when making a revolution. I felt couldn't square / level the blades without introducing another distortion, so I shimmed one side of each blade at the spindle. Perfect of both.
The lift was excellent. I could not have done that kind of work without it. I have worked on the mower numerous times over the last 20 years, and working under a lift has made it SOOOOO much easier.
When I finished, I gave the mower a tryout. It seemed to be runnings smoother than it has since shortly after it was new. The grease fittings, the balancing the blades helped a lot! Thanks to the lift.
That is what I did today.
I have a 22 year old Craftsman LT1000 42" mower and needed to change the spindles out and add new blades. The first set of spindles lasted 12 years. Every three years since then - I have had to replace them. The new spindles just are not as good as the first ones. The spindles are not built to exacting standards and after two or three years the bearings are loose inside. Not only that, with the last set I put on - the blades were about 1/4" off set from each other. I didn't notice when I put them on but I sure did when I cut the grass. I let it go. So I ordered a new set of spindles and blades, added some great zerks to the spindles and filled the inside with grease. I also added some silicone caulk when I re-set the bearings into the housing to keep water out (hopefully.)
I put the lawn tractor on the lift and raised it. Plenty of room up under to work. I placed a long square 1" steel bar from one side of the mower to the other and clamped it on both sides to the deck to measure the level of the blades. It was easy, using the bar, to see the alignment of blades. Both blades had one side about 3/16 lower than the other. It wasn't the spindles out of perpendicular to the ground, but both blades with all the curves on them - not level from one end to the other and therefore when tight, one side would be lower than the other side when making a revolution. I felt couldn't square / level the blades without introducing another distortion, so I shimmed one side of each blade at the spindle. Perfect of both.
The lift was excellent. I could not have done that kind of work without it. I have worked on the mower numerous times over the last 20 years, and working under a lift has made it SOOOOO much easier.
When I finished, I gave the mower a tryout. It seemed to be runnings smoother than it has since shortly after it was new. The grease fittings, the balancing the blades helped a lot! Thanks to the lift.
That is what I did today.
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