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Hello all,
I have a 2013 John Deere z445 with a 48” deck model1m0Z445KPDM131408 and I’m starting to hear the sealed bearings start to “rattle”. My question is should I just buy the 6 sealed bearings from JD? I’ve seen the aftermarket complete spindles for not much more than what my dealer wants for the bearings. I am a big fan of you guys that regularly participate in helping us and I find your experience and knowledge unsurpassed. As somewhat a turf expert myself, I have really relied on the info you guys provide on the mechanical aspect of small engines. I think I
know what you guys might say, hearing your opinions on Chinese replacement carbs etc When I replace the sealed bearing I’m afraid I might find more worn parts like spacers etc inside that might need replaced as well. Any experience with aftermarket spindles? These bearings have 676 hours on them and although I am the second owner I believe they’ve never been replaced as I bought it at less than 300 hours

From what I see the 48C deck uses L44643/L44610 tapered bearings. You need them and the six seals. Can get the bearings in after market but seals currently I don't have cross for available so those have to come from JD.

I did a z445 spindle rebuild and if i remember right JD bearing number m110024 which crosses to 6204 2RS

usually SKF, FAG, NSK, INA, or Timken are the better bearings. Many bearing houses can get you seals and bearings if you take the old ones in. That said, that isn't always less than going to the mower manufacturer. Avoid the cheaply made bearings or you will be doing it again.

Hammermechanicman said:

I did a z445 spindle rebuild and if i remember right JD bearing number m110024 which crosses to 6204 2RS

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Then it is another bad JD alternate crosses to A&I. Sorry the bad info but you depend on the OEM website you get accurate info. Boy I hate it when I am given wrong info by the OEM. I have seen this a couple times lately with JD Parts website. I have no idea what they are doing. It is getting confusing.


What is worst is when I pass it along. Please forgive me for the incorrect info.

Anyway Hammer I will correct it on my system. The 6204-2RS C3 bearing are something I keep on hand as currently I got 29 of them. Personally if the image on the IPL is correct and the spindle has grease fitting and grease seals I would pop the seals on the 6204-2RS so grease can get into them.

sgkent said:

usually SKF, FAG, NSK, INA, or Timken are the better bearings. Many bearing houses can get you seals and bearings if you take the old ones in. That said, that isn't always less than going to the mower manufacturer. Avoid the cheaply made bearings or you will be doing it again.

Click to expand...

Here I use Spinco bearings. Yes they are Chinese made but they have been holding up very well. The only thing is as with all sealed like the 6204 I repack them before installing as I don't like the grease that comes in them. JD is using Koyo bearings in several the machine I recently repaired.

As others will note a lot of the Chinese stuff is just plain junk and will not last. I brought a lot of 6204s from Amazon and they failed within a few months. I was back at replacing for the customers for free at the time. Glad I had only installed 20 of them. I usually just warranty things for 30 days but in this case it was a bad product I install and I made it right for the customer.

StarTech said:

Then it is another bad JD alternate crosses to A&I. Sorry the bad info but you depend on the OEM website you get accurate info. Boy I hate it when I am given wrong info by the OEM. I have seen this a couple times lately with JD Parts website. I have no idea what they are doing. It is getting confusing.
View attachment 60548

What is worst is when I pass it along. Please forgive me for the incorrect info.

Anyway Hammer I will correct it on my system. The 6204-2RS C3 bearing are something I keep on hand as currently I got 29 of them. Personally if the image on the IPL is correct and the spindle has grease fitting and grease seals I would pop the seals on the 6204-2RS so grease can get into them.

Here I use Spinco bearings. Yes they are Chinese made but they have been holding up very well. The only thing is as with all sealed like the 6204 I repack them before installing as I don't like the grease that comes in them. JD is using Koyo bearings in several the machine I recently repaired.

As others will note a lot of the Chinese stuff is just plain junk and will not last. I brought a lot of 6204s from Amazon and they failed within a few months. I was back at replacing for the customers for free at the time. Glad I had only installed 20 of them. I usually just warranty things for 30 days but in this case it was a bad product I install and I made it right for the customer.

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It is disheartening,but there it is..The last spindle bearings I had to replace,I went looking for Timken bearings and found them. BUT ,the boxes were marked: Made in China".

That is why if I want premium bearing I order KOYO which are made in Japan.

StarTech said:

That is why if I want premium bearing I order KOYO which are made in Japan.

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Good to know. Thank you for that bit of valuable information. The parts people weren't able to tell me when I asked, are the bearings assembled in Mexico,or totally manufactured there. If the bearing were assembled in Mexico of USA parts,I'd be OK with that. Exporting jobs may be better than 'importing" people.

SamB said:

Good to know. Thank you for that bit of valuable information. The parts people weren't able to tell me when I asked, are the bearings assembled in Mexico,or totally manufactured there. If the bearing were assembled in Mexico of USA parts,I'd be OK with that. Exporting jobs may be better than 'importing" people.

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I don't many would know one or the other. It sorta like me asking the pharmacist if it was safe to take a strong dose of BP med. She had no idea and she supposed to know this.

maybe print them on a 3-D printer? The young crowd does a lot of that these days on 50 year old VWs instead of ponying up for an old stock new item, or a good used one.

Made in China does not mean the item is junk
Chinese factories make WHAT THE CUSTOMER ORDERS and if the customer is Walmart who orders "the cheapest possible part" then that is what they make .
If the custoer is Harvard University and they ask for " the highest precision possible " then that is what they get.
The reason why the USA ( And OZ ) is awash with junk that is made in China is because the USA companies order junk quality and mark it up somewhere between 5 and 10 times the purchase price then sell it for 10% less than the quality item made in the USA / Canada / Australia and of course we buy them thinking we will be getting a bargan because we are cheap, greedy & selfish .
Bearing factories in China will brand a bearing with whatever name the customer wants .
So slick Sam orders 10,000,0000 shopping trolley grade ( unhardened high carbon steel balls & races ) 6203 bearings with the word Timken printed on them for 50¢ a piece
He then orders 10,000,000 bearing cartons printed the same as a Timken box .
When they arrive in the USA ( Oz , The Phillipines etc ) slippery Sam gets the bearings removed from the trays & put in the boxes.
HE then uses the retail platform custom built for selling stolen & counterfeit goods , ebay & amazon to sell them into the USA market .
HE pays an Indian IP company to post good feed backs then sits there raking in the cash from the suckers ( you ) who are too cheap for their own good .
The most counterfitted items on the planet are bearings .
Timken at the moment are paying a reward to people who send them fake Timken bearings with the purchase receipt so they can trace them back to the source & prosecute .

IF the Timkens you bought were purchases off ebay or Amazon then there is a 99% chance they are fake .
If you bought them from a real bearing shop either ovr the counter or on line then there is 99% chance they are genuine .

Chinese factories do not sit there making fake / infeariour products then look for some one to sell them to.
They only produce to order so it is flag waving , church going , sound patriots who order all the junk you buy .