Repairs Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing

Ron_P

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Hi all,
Like the title says, I'm learning the hard way and hope I'm going about it the right way. I have a '93 720K, with a 52" front deck. Last weekend the front Pillowblock bearing went out. So yesterday I picked up a new one as well as 3 new blades. Replacing the bearing appeared to be a fairly easy task, WRONG :mad: It wasn't that hard getting the old one off, since it was completely trashed. Putting the new one on though, well yep. So far I've got to removing the belts off the Sheave. The rear Pillow block bearing seems to be ok.

So I'm thinking that to replace the front one I have to pull the entire shaft, correct? I'm a "shade-tree" mechanic at best. To pull the entire shaft, would I just need to remove the rear Pillow-block (2 bolts securing it) then drop the whole thing with the shaft still in the Sheave?

I purchased the mower used in '92, it had 758 hrs, well taken care of. I've only put on about 300 hrs. It's a workhorse. I did need to have the engine rebuilt about 5 yrs ago. While I was at the Grasshopper dealer I looked at a new 623T, it has the Power Fold deck. He also has a used one that is 2 yrs old with 80 hrs on it, looks brand new, and is asking about $2k less. My wife uses the mower more than I, since I'm gone M-F. We're both getting a little long in the tooth to be wrestling much more with the heavy deck on our 720K.
Not sure what the average price of a used 623T is, he's asking about $7800, does that seem in the ballpark? My 720K cost me $4,500, add in the cost of the rebuilt engine, and I've got about $5.5k wrapped up in, not counting replacing the tires with turf tires. So I'm thinking that's not too bad for using it for 14yrs.
MVC-002F.JPG
 

shiftsuper175607

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Hi all,
Like the title says, I'm learning the hard way and hope I'm going about it the right way. I have a '93 720K, with a 52" front deck. Last weekend the front Pillowblock bearing went out. So yesterday I picked up a new one as well as 3 new blades. Replacing the bearing appeared to be a fairly easy task, WRONG :mad: It wasn't that hard getting the old one off, since it was completely trashed. Putting the new one on though, well yep. So far I've got to removing the belts off the Sheave. The rear Pillow block bearing seems to be ok.

So I'm thinking that to replace the front one I have to pull the entire shaft, correct? I'm a "shade-tree" mechanic at best. To pull the entire shaft, would I just need to remove the rear Pillow-block (2 bolts securing it) then drop the whole thing with the shaft still in the Sheave?

I purchased the mower used in '92, it had 758 hrs, well taken care of. I've only put on about 300 hrs. It's a workhorse. I did need to have the engine rebuilt about 5 yrs ago. While I was at the Grasshopper dealer I looked at a new 623T, it has the Power Fold deck. He also has a used one that is 2 yrs old with 80 hrs on it, looks brand new, and is asking about $2k less. My wife uses the mower more than I, since I'm gone M-F. We're both getting a little long in the tooth to be wrestling much more with the heavy deck on our 720K.
Not sure what the average price of a used 623T is, he's asking about $7800, does that seem in the ballpark? My 720K cost me $4,500, add in the cost of the rebuilt engine, and I've got about $5.5k wrapped up in, not counting replacing the tires with turf tires. So I'm thinking that's not too bad for using it for 14yrs.

View attachment 29057


What does that "pillowblock" bearing do?
 

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BlazNT

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
It holds a spinning shaft. Normally a PTO shaft.
 

BlazNT

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Hi all,
Like the title says, I'm learning the hard way and hope I'm going about it the right way. I have a '93 720K, with a 52" front deck. Last weekend the front Pillowblock bearing went out. So yesterday I picked up a new one as well as 3 new blades. Replacing the bearing appeared to be a fairly easy task, WRONG :mad: It wasn't that hard getting the old one off, since it was completely trashed. Putting the new one on though, well yep. So far I've got to removing the belts off the Sheave. The rear Pillow block bearing seems to be ok.

So I'm thinking that to replace the front one I have to pull the entire shaft, correct? I'm a "shade-tree" mechanic at best. To pull the entire shaft, would I just need to remove the rear Pillow-block (2 bolts securing it) then drop the whole thing with the shaft still in the Sheave?

I purchased the mower used in '92, it had 758 hrs, well taken care of. I've only put on about 300 hrs. It's a workhorse. I did need to have the engine rebuilt about 5 yrs ago. While I was at the Grasshopper dealer I looked at a new 623T, it has the Power Fold deck. He also has a used one that is 2 yrs old with 80 hrs on it, looks brand new, and is asking about $2k less. My wife uses the mower more than I, since I'm gone M-F. We're both getting a little long in the tooth to be wrestling much more with the heavy deck on our 720K.
Not sure what the average price of a used 623T is, he's asking about $7800, does that seem in the ballpark? My 720K cost me $4,500, add in the cost of the rebuilt engine, and I've got about $5.5k wrapped up in, not counting replacing the tires with turf tires. So I'm thinking that's not too bad for using it for 14yrs.
View attachment 29057

Remove the deck PTO coupler the slide pillow-block on PTO shaft then attach with bolts.
720k_1993_pto_shaft_clutch.jpg
 

Ron_P

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Remove the deck PTO coupler the slide pillow-block on PTO shaft then attach with bolts.
View attachment 29064

That's what I thought, and in theory should work. It doesn't, because the 2 bolts that hold the Pillow Block up, and a bar is in the way. Believe me I've tried to just slide it on. The 2 bolts I don't want to force up, as there's no way to access them from above. I think the bar has something to do with the traction, also not easily removed from what I can see. Thank you for your help though, it is appreciated.

So I'm about to remove the rear Pillow block and hopefully the whole shaft with the sheave will drop down allowing me to install the front one. Then just re-assemble everything.
 

Ron_P

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
What does that "pillowblock" bearing do?

In addition to holding the PTO shaft, it causes one to loose hair, gain injury to fingers and hands, and a strong desire to see if the mower would look cool in a flame motive. :laughing::laughing:
 

Ron_P

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Won't be re-assembling it today, or tomorrow. When I dropped the shaft et-al; I discovered the rear Pillow Block bearing was bad, not gone, but going. So while I have it apart it's better to replace it now. Should have purchased 2. :mad:
 

Ron_P

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Finally got it back together and mowed with it today. Had to replace a grease fitting on the right-front wheel spindle(?). Since I've always been a shade-tree mechanic, I never owned a pneumatic wrench. Can't say that after today. Last weekend I started to replace the blades. Well when you're only home on weekends, live outside a very small rural town, things close early on Saturday, and not even open on Sunday. So anyway, couldn't get the bolts loose, even after soaking them with Blaster.

Today starting at 3am, again tried loosening the blade bolts. Finally at 9am when stores open, a local (well 20 miles away) hardware store had a pneumatic wrench. Should have owned one of these about 45 yrs ago. 2 minutes to swap blades.
 

BlazNT

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
Finally got it back together and mowed with it today. Had to replace a grease fitting on the right-front wheel spindle(?). Since I've always been a shade-tree mechanic, I never owned a pneumatic wrench. Can't say that after today. Last weekend I started to replace the blades. Well when you're only home on weekends, live outside a very small rural town, things close early on Saturday, and not even open on Sunday. So anyway, couldn't get the bolts loose, even after soaking them with Blaster.

Today starting at 3am, again tried loosening the blade bolts. Finally at 9am when stores open, a local (well 20 miles away) hardware store had a pneumatic wrench. Should have owned one of these about 45 yrs ago. 2 minutes to swap blades.

Just remember to never start a bolt with it always use hand.
 

BWH

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  • / Learning the Hard Way.. Replacing a Pillowblock Bearing
I agree that we should have owned a pneumatic wrench years ago, I bought a Dewalt 3/8" 18 volt impact wrench a few years ago mainly for taking off blades, life doesn't get much better!
 
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