Grease Zerks & front end upgrade

[SundaySailor]

Well,

After all that work, I found out my rims on my 1200 Cub cadet have been run with dried up grease in them for some time, and it helped wallow out the holes for the bearings. I've tried to shim them up, but the more I drive the tractor, the worse the wobble gets.

So, I managed to snag a newer set of rims and steering knuckles with the 1" spindles by pure chance.

I want to get grease zerks installed in the rims, but so far I'm having very little luck in finding a machine shop locally that can do this.

Do any of you have recommendations for a kit of some sort where I can drill and tap the holes myself, or am I going about this wrong? The kit will have to include the drill and tap as a clarification. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks folks!

[Bob McCarty]

I'm not very familiar with Cadets, but unless you need something special you should be able to get the zerks at a hardware, farm supply store, or auto supply. They will either be straight, angled or 90*. Your access to it with a grease gun will determine the best one to get. They come in several sizes, but with the zerk in hand, the store should be able to find you a drill and tap to match the threads.

Bob

[SundaySailor]

Thanks Bob, but here's the problem: It is a tight space in there trying to drill and tap.

It'll take something like a very short drill and tap, and possibly even a 90 degree drill head to get in there.

That's something I definitely do not have.

[Eugene]

Depends on which type of wheel bearings your Cadet has. Some bearings are sealed and the grease zerk won't help. But if you have the unsealed bearings, zerks will work.

No kit that I know of. I have installed zerks in a number of farm trailer hubs. All you need is a drill, correct size drill bit, correct size tap and zerk. All of which I have on hand. Pretty easy task.

The cheapest way to buy zerks is in an assortment kit/box. Not sure of the kit's current price. I have a kit that is perhaps 10 or 15 years old and paid perhaps $2- for it. Kit paid for itself many times over in fuel savings, not having to drive to town for a 50 cent item.

Edit: Place the zerk in the weld (closer to the front of the weld) where the tube meets side wall. Use a small drill bit to start the hole then go to the correct size bit. You are going to install the zerk at a 45 degree angle to the tube. Base of the zerk will fit flat against the weld. I'm probably not explaining the process very well.

[SundaySailor]

"Depends on which type of wheel bearings your Cadet has. Some bearings are sealed and the grease zerk won't help. But if you have the unsealed bearings, zerks will work."

These bearings are sealed on the outside but not on the inside. I can definitely see the seal on the outside and it's open on the inside.

Does that help?

[Rudi]

Rick:

I haven't worked on a Cub Cadet rim yet either but I did do my Craftsman. In the 1990 model years of the 12.5HP Deluxe 38" cut lawn tractors, the Canadian ones had zerks in them and the US ones didn't I ended up with a US one that I bought in Calais Me. After having to do the steering a couple times (learned the hard way how that works), replacing the plastic thrust bearings and a spindle - I realized that the zerks were not there. So I drilled and drove in new zerks. You can get the thread-in type or the drive-in type or better yet - both in a variety pack. I just bought another pack as I have gone through the first one (kinda small, this new one is bigger) and both types along with 90/45 degree zerks were included. I think I paid $5.99 -- on sale -- usually $9.99 for about 100 or so.

As Eugene said -- I drilled mine starting with a pilot hole then up to the correct size and drove in the zerk. Been easy steering since.. course it is missing an engine at the moment but that is being corrected

[Paul B]

It is not worth the trouble trying to drill the hole for the zerk. Even IH quit installing them. There are no grease seals and by the time you pump half a tube of grease in them to fill the hub enough to get grease to the bearings, you are probably going to be forcing the bearings out of the hub and grease all over the outside of the hub. If the bearing is not sealed on the inside, pull the wheel off every now and then an use you finger (or grease gun) thru the ID of the bearing to put grease on the inside or open side of the bearing. That will provide more than enough lubrication and help keep the excess grease off the outside of the hub (which will collect dirt/grass and shorten the life of the bearing).

[dhermesc]

I installed grease zerks on the wheels of my 109. I drilled the hole and drove the zerk in. After an hour of use the zerk fell out. The shape of the wheel makes getting a properly installed press in zerk nearly impossible. I spot welded the second zerk in place. Just a dab of bead will do you.

As Paul said it takes a lot of grease to fill the void - even on a 3/4" shaft - but grease is pretty cheap. I had painted and installed new tires and slime filled tubes so with any luck it will be a decade before the wheel has to come off for any service. Its a bit of overkill but I had the same issue with wallowed out wheels as the OP and I didn't want to deal with it again.

[SundaySailor]

Thanks for the advice guys. I called around yesterday trying to find a machine shop to install the zerks, and was passed from one place to another until I actually called a guy who collects Cub Cadets.

We had a very nice, long conversation about Cub Cadets and he advised me much the same as what's posted here. Just grease the stuffings out of the bearings and pull them back down every couple of years or so, clean them up, grease them again, and run the tractor.

He explained that with one side of the bearings being sealed, you just can't get the grease to enter properly. So, my next step is to clean the newer rims up, pack the bearings with grease, have the tire shop mount my tires on these good rims, install the 1" steering knuckles and deal with it from there.

Man, there's so much knowledge here. No wonder I keep on coming back.

Cheers guys!

[Jeff in Pa]

The smaller zerk fittings are 1/4-28 thread. That requires a #3 ( .2130 ) drill and a 1/4-28 NF tap.

( I realize you're not going to add them but just in case somebody is searching this thread at a later date )

Jeff

[BigBill]

I been having better luck with the flanged front wheel bearing sealed on both sides rather than the open on the inside and sealed on the outside IH bearings. I got them from http://www.gokartgalaxy.com but there out of stock.

[Rudi]

Hey Rick:

Guess I just learned the first lesson before I start on my 129

[Eugene]

I been having better luck with the flanged front wheel bearing sealed on both sides rather than the open on the inside and sealed on the outside IH bearings.

Same here. I get them from the auto parts store. But you have to asked for the better/best quality bearing. The cheaper ones don't hold up.

[SundaySailor]

Well, I decided after talking to several Cub Cadet "pros" to go without the grease zerks in the rims.

The bearings that came with the front end upgrade were in fine shape after a good cleaning up.

I had the tires and tubes moved from the 3/4" rims that were defective, and moved them to the newer 1" rims. All is well now.

During the dis-assembly of of the 3/4" rims - taking them off the tractor, I noticed the bearings which were brand new, just flopped around inside their holes in the rims. Not a good sign at all. Apparently the races if that's what you call them, were wore out from neglect. That will not happen anymore.

The Cub Cadet's front end is very tight now, and there is no wobble in the wheels nor the steering at all. Even with the JB Jr. mounted up front and all that extra weight, it steers very well.

This one's a keeper.