Export thread

I've got an old Snapper LT125 ( 2690808 - 42" deck) - and am looking for a spindle kit (housing with the shaft & bearings all assembled already - as a drop-in replacement)

I have the.pdf manual/parts list for my mower - and found the individual part numbers - but most other brands I'm finding aftermarket drop-in kits as an assembly. Any ideas on a spindle kit / assembly for this Snapper?

I suppose I can simply disassemble and replace the bearings themselves if a full drop-in replacement isn't available or made as an aftermarket item.

Unless the spindle housing is damaged , the bearings are very cheap and easy to change. Pull it apart and look at the number on the bearing - I usually pull the inner seal on the bearings and drill the housing to enable greasing the assembly. I think I got 3 pairs on amazon for under 20$

Thanks, I'll do that. Need to pull the blades to sharpen, anyway.

Well the bearings are 66/19.06 2RS [.750 x 1.78 x .610]. Very few sources for the sealed version other than Briggs but the OP can use Z9504RST metal shielded version but it is recommended adding a grease zerk to each spindle so these can be re-greased later. And with these Z9504RST you do not have to remove the inner shields.

StarTech said:

Well the bearings are 66/19.06 2RS [.750 x 1.78 x .610]. Very few sources for the sealed version other than Briggs but the OP can use Z9504RST metal shielded version but it is recommended adding a grease zerk to each spindle so these can be re-greased later. And with these Z9504RST you do not have to remove the inner shields.

Click to expand...

Thank you. The spindles do already have grease zerks. I just pulled the blades - and one of the spindle washers was completely broken, and the other was cracked. Time for some R&R maintenance.

Spindle nuts... That's why these don't get enough maintenance.

Bottom one for the blades came off fine (probably 90 ft lbs to loosen) - but how are y'all holding the spindle shaft or pulley to loosen that top spindle nut?

Use an impact and you can hold it easily with a rag or gloves

Actually you should remove the pulley nut first and then the blade. This way you can block the blade to help removing the nuts/screws.

Bertrrr said:

Use an impact and you can hold it easily with a rag or gloves

Click to expand...

Sprayed some PB Blaster on it - used some heat on the nut.... more PB Blaster...

Impact & rag/gloves just spun in my hands. I used a pair of vice-grips to hold the pulley (figure I'll replace the pulley if I destroy it trying to remove that nut) and that nut wouldn't budge. Put my 6' breaker bar onto it - and it just laughs at me.

I think a 1200lb gorilla must have tightened those nuts onto the shafts.

StarTech said:

Actually you should remove the pulley nut first and then the blade. This way you can block the blade to help removing the nuts/screws.

Click to expand...

I'll try that. See my other reply I just made for some entertainment value. lol

Did you manage to get any of the pullies off, or are they all stubborn ?
Could possibly be left handed thread although I've not seen any so far on anything I worked on. If all else fails you may have to cut the nut off.

BohoRex said:

I'll try that. See my other reply I just made for some entertainment value. lol

Click to expand...

Bertrrr said:

Did you manage to get any of the pullies off, or are they all stubborn ?
Could possibly be left handed thread although I've not seen any so far on anything I worked on. If all else fails you may have to cut the nut off.

Click to expand...

Not yet. I put the blade back on - tightened down as tight as my body weight could put into it.... put more heat to the top nut, more pb blaster... blocked the blade from underneath - and put my weight with a cheater bar on the top nut - and all it did was loosen the blade nut underneath.

I was looking at it and muttering all sorts of words under my breath - as I stared at it... thinking - "I'm gonna have to cut or split that nut off".... then came in to read that from you as well. lol.

I'll give it as rest for a bit - and come back to it later tonight. Thank y'all for the pointers.

As I look up the part number for that nut ( 1922014 ESNA Light, 5/8-18 ) - I realize I probably didn't do myself any favors by heating it up with the torch since there's apparently a nylon insert in that nut.. I'm going to try the other spindle first - since I haven't heated that nut yet - and see if it'll come off after putting that blade back on.

If not - I'll cut them off and deal with the repercussions of anything broken in process.

frozen nuts respond to impact much better than slow torque
so even with a 20' cheater bar they will not shift but come of easily when using a rattle gun.

bertsmobile1 said:

frozen nuts respond to impact much better than slow torque
so even with a 20' cheater bar they will not shift but come of easily when using a rattle gun.

Click to expand...

My air impact doesn't have the airflow to do the job properly. I tried that first. ( an excuse to buy more tools for Black Friday sales! A battery or corded impact may be in my future ) Amazon is delivering a nut-splitter later today. My angle-grinder/cutoff wheel combo wasn't precision enough.

And to read the following article written by a fellow of his own experiences with poor air performance.

Air Tool Performance Problems

Thanks for the article! I checked my fittings and they're all "M". I did turn up the psi on the output regulator, though - and that helped immensely. (It had been on 90psi. I turned it up to 110psi - and it seems to have much better flow and more ugga-duggas)

I've got one removed. I did have to use the nut splitter (I'd already messed up the pulley anyway) - then the impact was able to break it loose.

Trying to take off the 2nd one without having to cut it off with the splitter - as the pulley has to be destroyed (bent down) to get enough bite on the nut to break it. The shaft spins just like the first one.

And there was NOT a nylon insert in the nut of the 1st one. Maybe that's for replacement ones.

I'll muck with the 2nd one later when I'm home from work.

Had to split that 2nd nut also. I think rust and the very effective lock washer under the nut were the culprits.

Parts (new pulleys) and fresh bearings are on the way.

The good news is that I'm not spending $3k-$4k on a new mower.

Bertrrr said:

Unless the spindle housing is damaged , the bearings are very cheap and easy to change. Pull it apart and look at the number on the bearing - I usually pull the inner seal on the bearings and drill the housing to enable greasing the assembly. I think I got 3 pairs on amazon for under 20$

Click to expand...

You don't feel the need to upgrade the bearings to Timken, SKF or similar?
ETA: On reassembly on a similar situation, I used NeverSeize. Holy cow does that work. A little dab will do you.

Bertrrr said:

Unless the spindle housing is damaged , the bearings are very cheap and easy to change. Pull it apart and look at the number on the bearing - I usually pull the inner seal on the bearings and drill the housing to enable greasing the assembly. I think I got 3 pairs on amazon for under 20$

Click to expand...

If I just replace the bearings and it's got the rubber shield, I take off the shield and pack the bearing full and replace the shield. The bearings have the very minimum of grease in them when bought new. I've done this on numerous mowers and most outlive the spindle itself. If it's a metal shielded bearing you can do the same but you can either pack it with the shield on or off.

BohoRex said:

I've got an old Snapper LT125 ( 2690808 - 42" deck) - and am looking for a spindle kit (housing with the shaft & bearings all assembled already - as a drop-in replacement)

I have the.pdf manual/parts list for my mower - and found the individual part numbers - but most other brands I'm finding aftermarket drop-in kits as an assembly. Any ideas on a spindle kit / assembly for this Snapper?

I suppose I can simply disassemble and replace the bearings themselves if a full drop-in replacement isn't available or made as an aftermarket item.

Click to expand...

On most of these, if you just take the individual part number for the outer spindle housing itself and type that into a Google or eBay or Amazon search box you will find the complete assemblies that replace it.
This isn't always the case as I've seen some gravelies that nobody has made these for this way but for many of the mowers that are around 20 to slightly over 20 years old like the basic Craftsman 42 in that were made by ayp, Craftsman sells all the parts individually on there illustrated parts list but if you use this method you will find the complete assemblies all over eBay and Amazon very cheap.

TobyU said:

On most of these, if you just take the individual part number for the outer spindle housing itself and type that into a Google or eBay or Amazon search box you will find the complete assemblies that replace it.
This isn't always the case as I've seen some gravelies that nobody has made these for this way but for many of the mowers that are around 20 to slightly over 20 years old like the basic Craftsman 42 in that were made by ayp, Craftsman sells all the parts individually on there illustrated parts list but if you use this method you will find the complete assemblies all over eBay and Amazon very cheap.

Click to expand...

Yep.... Most.... Mine seems to be the exception. I *so * wish that there were a good cross reference chart that would say that xx parts will fit your yy riding mower - or would at least be a compatible upgrade to the 15-20 year old stuff that's costing as much for a single spindle shaft - as the aftermarket products charge for a whole spindle/bearing/shaft (and sometimes pulley) assembly for a set of 2 - for other brands/models.

I looked. Hard. And maybe I missed a kit - but I don't think I did. Would have been nice to just unbolt the spindle and put a fresh assembly in.

Maybe I'll get some decent use out of this once it's done - before I need to upgrade for real.

Donor parts from an old dead Murray mower....

While waiting on OE parts from the Snapper to show up - On a whim - I wanted to see if one of my other mower's parts might fit. I've got 2 Green ones (Craftsman) and an old red Murray mower - all sitting in a field. I'd replaced the spindle assemblies on the Murray about 3-4 years ago - then had problems with the engine - so it became a field-ornament.

The new (never used) spindles on the old Murray bolt right up to my Snapper deck. Height of pulley is the same, Pulley diameter is the same, and blade distance from bottom of deck is the same. This makeshift setup will do the trick for a bit til my real parts show up. Only difference I can see - that I need to account for - is that the Murray blade is 20", and my Snapper is 21". They have different blade mount hole sizes - so I'll stick with the smaller Murray blades unless I can find a 21" version.