# Ouch!



## steventhomas42 (Jul 8, 2004)

We cranked the 180 today for what should have been the last mow of the season. I noticed the deck was a bit louder than normal when my wife hit the PTO and began mowing.

As she turned the tractor away from me, I saw sparks on the rear of the deck. I stopped her and we put the tracker in the carport and pulled the deck. Before I ever got the deck out, I saw the problem the main deck pulley (the one that transfers the power to the deck belt) was lifted up about 3/4" and angled sickly forward.

When I got the deck out, I was able to lift that whole pulley off the deck. 5 ball bearings fell out, the rest were gone. The ring clip on the top and the washer that goes under it are gone.

The worst part is the shaft. Before we saw the problem, the bearings were able to chew into the shaft leaving us with some nasty grooves on the shaft.

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=65443> 

What are my options?

Any ideas?


----------



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

For the life of me having owned a 180 for so long a time and being pretty darn intimate with it, I can't seem to place the upper section of the shaft in the picture in regards to what it does......Isn't the tensioner bracket / pulley just to the left in the picture? Is not the pulley assejmbly that gones on this shaft a dual pulley setup. One pulley is driven from the PTO and the pulley below it drives the deck and both are connected to a common hub?

So let me see if I got this right...the upper groove on the shaft is for the retaiing ring.......and the lower groove in the same shaft thats nice and shiney as well as the lower groove in the larger diameter section of the stub shaft thats shiney is whats been worn into the shaft itself......

Since the bearing has its own inner race the score on the shaft is not going to hurt anything........I would simply use some abrasive paper (emery cloth and clean it up and install a new pulley assembly with bearing (I think thats how they come) or possibly just replace the bearing assembly....... Push come to shove if its worn just to much you can always grind out that old shaft section and install a new one, as its only welded in place........I don't know if JD sells a "replacement" shaft , which you would just have to go online and lookup, but if they did not, any machine 
shop could make another shaft that could be welded in place. 


Now I know why I was not familiar with the part in the image., this is 47" deck not the 38" right? Still not a problem to fix.


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

I agree with Chip. Worst case would be you would have to cut the worn shaft off, drill it and tap it for a replacement stud to thread in place. Here is a diagram of the 180 mower deck. It is the high serial number 46" deck. If you would like; give me the deck serial number and width if this is not it and I can post the correct deck for you if you think it will be of any help. 


<img src="http://jdpc.deere.com/pimages/MP88/MP8819_________UN01JAN94.gif">


----------



## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

I just checked Deere parts on line site and the shaft for a 46" mower is still available from the dealer. It is part number AM39916 and is listed at $19.50.


----------



## steventhomas42 (Jul 8, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Chief _
> *I agree with Chip. Worst case would be you would have to cut the worn shaft off, drill it and tap it for a replacement stud to thread in place. Here is a diagram of the 180 mower deck. It is the high serial number 46" deck. If you would like; give me the deck serial number and width if this is not it and I can post the correct deck for you if you think it will be of any help.
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks Chief. I have printed most of those diagrams that pertain to my tractors, but I hadn't gone and looked up the part number yet.

I was just so %$#@$% disgusted when it happened. The only thing that I can figure is that I had the deck mounted too far back somehow and the drive belt had that pulley in a bind.

My wife was extremely  (at the mower, not me) because we've had so much trouble with mowers this past two years. Add to that the fact that her JD string trimmer has been in for warranty repairs three times. You could NOT convince her of JD quality right now. 

Steve


----------



## steventhomas42 (Jul 8, 2004)

Chip, Chief, and Joe:

From Chief's huge picture above, I believe this is the shaft/post that we're talking about.

<img src="http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=65720">

The one with clip number 39 going onto it.

Don't know that there's actually a part number for that  

Steve


----------



## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

There isn't............that spindle shaft is one you definitely don't want to break or damage beyond repair.


----------



## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

Odds are it failed mianly due to age, use and lack of lube, which is of no fault of yours as it has no provisions for relubing it, short of popping out a seal on a bearing which in this case I would not do. On any exposed sealed bearing device be it spindles etc I always remove any belts so I can "feel" and "hear" these bearings when I periodically check things over......You can get a tuned ear to some extent, and can pick up a bearing that is not running properly a lot of times............and I often picked upand tuned in on a dry bearing or one that was starting to pit on my old 180 w/38" deck.


----------

