Hot water trick made them worse. Not sure how/why as I always thought heat makes things expand. Before cap would almost fit now way too small. I had to put mower up for the night..about to take hammer to it :)

I wonder what freezing the caps would do?

picked up new hubs this am and new one fit perfectly if not a bit loose. Now trying right wheel. Got one bushing out myself, may need friend to get second one out.

Even thought this upgrade turned out to be harder than expected , I do think it will be worth it as I found groves on inner part of axle (what I think JD calls a spindle). Right side is still pefect. Before I removed the right wheel I compared the 2 and new left side has less play than right .

If you are on flat land this may or may not be worth it to you. But going up and down a steep hill I figured it was cheap insurance. Updgrade parts from greenpartstore and they have been helpful with advise as well.

Pics when/if ever finish :)

Well I broke a screwdriver getting second bearing out but it's now done and back together! Cleaning up now and have an appointment with friends but do have some pics I will post later tonight!

Here is a few pics.Because I ran into trouble I did not take as many as I should have. Ok here is pic 1 just getting started.

Ok you first pull off the cap. It comes off easy. If it's been on there awhile get new ones because they shrink and may be impossible to get back on. Several people told me to heat them up, which you would think would make them expand, only it made them shrink even smaller and were then unusable. So I ran down the the JD just in time before they closed and got new ones.

Next you take off the little clip shown in the pic. It is very easy..a screwdriver will pop it right off. Reinstall is just as easy- just use pliers on the non open end and it just pops right back on.

fletchb,

Do you know that there's a right way and a wrong way to install those E clips?

There is a tool for most of these kind of clips (ie for motorcycles) but these don't have the holes for them. Don't worry they come on and off pretty easy.

Next is the hard part, which unfortunately, do to the difficulty, I forgot to take any pictures. The instructions simply say" remove bushings" but they fail to mention how to exactly. You need a large screwdriver and some time. The left wheel I could never get them out, but a friend with a larger screw driver got them out by hammering on inside lip (I had tried this but no luck). He finally got both of them out. I had not yet removed the right wheel so he could not do that one. I did that one today and for some reason one side came out pretty easy but the other did not. I finally got it out, but not without breaking a tip of one the screw drivers I used. Put screwdriver on lip and hammer away...then go to the opposite side and hammer. Repeat and cross fingers.

Oh and to see why these tractors need bearings and should have come with them in the first place, look at the left axial (spindle in JD terms) in the photo- see the groves- this should never have happened. After reinstalling the left wheel I compared to the right stock wheel. Left was noticeably tighter and had less play.

Next clean the inside of the hub then insert the bearings. They will only install one way. You may need a cloth on top and lightly hammer them so they are flush with the surface of the hub.

On the LA150 there is an inside and outside washer. Don't forget those before you reinstall the wheel. Here is what new bearing looks like once installed in the hub

Now at this point you are almost done. Make sure inside washer is installed, put on wheel and then the outside washer. Install clip using plyers on the non open end of the clip . Other end of pliers goes on axle. It should pop back into place with no problems.
Now use your grease gun and apply grease till you see it start to come out on both sides of the wheel. Then install yellow caps and apply more grease till you see it start to come out of the caps. You are now done.

Hope this helps someone as the instructions are NOT very detailed.

No, you don't understand. I an not talking about how to remove and install the clip. There are special pliers for circlips but there is no special tool required for E clips.

What I am talking about is that there is a right and wrong direction which the E clip faces. Do you understand?

The next time you want to move bearings or bushings try a little heat from a propane torch.

This post was edited by justalurker on Sat, Apr 13, 13 at 23:49

No I do not understand. Take a look at my old ones. There is no difference between sides. Here is first pick..followed by the second one.

Here is the other side:

You can tell which side was facing out due wear of the paint but otherwise they are identical.

***"There is no difference between sides."***
Not true. There is a difference, but it is NOT a difference that matters IN SOME APPLICATIONS.
The difference is that on one face of the clip, the edges are smooth and rounded.
The opposite face edges are sharp and square cut.
The purpose of a rounded edge on one face is to provide a smooth, non gouging surface for the retained parts to rest/ride against as the hard material the clips are made from is quite capable of "cutting/shaving" soft metals.
The opposite face edges are left square to lessen the tendency for the clip to "cam out" of the holding groove of the pin or shaft (as the case may be).
The rounded edge is created during the "die cutting" or stamping of the E-clips from dimensional steel sheet using dies that impart the rounded edge as the clips are being cut.
Interestingly enough, the first photo above (post time stamped 9:47 CDT) shows the square cut face of the E-clip, and it had been installed facing the backing washer next to the wheel bushing............that orientation was a "technical error".
The second photo (time 9:50 CD) shows the rounded face of the clip had been installed facing away from the backing washer, and that too is a technical error.
Does it matter? Probably not much (except for a purist like me) in this application........obviously if it did there would already have been some consequences to deal with by now.
But when you know the "right and wrong" way to do things, best to always just do it right instead of trying to determine if it really matters in a specific case.
Oh, by the way.......there actually are special tools to push E-clips on and off, but their use has more to do with keeping the clip from flying off and getting lost than being a necessity for their removal/installation.

Mownie

both of those pics are from the stock one that came off the wheel, not the new one I replaced. So if it was backwards, it came that way from JD. But considering they didn't paint it right ether, that doesn't surprise me :)

Yes fletch, I understood that the clips as shown had been in their previous positions for some time.
I was just trying to elaborate in Mownie fashion on why there actually is a difference in the clip profile and how/why it MIGHT make a difference in SOME applications.
The exact same "technology" is also used in other types of retainer clips as well.
Smooth, rounded edge faces whatever is being "retained" by the respective clip.
Sharp, square cut edge faces away from whatever is being retained.
No matter if it is a snap ring, circlip, or an E-clip.
The term snap ring and circlip often get used incorrectly and in place of one another.
And that does not matter either so long as you have an example or know what you want if you don't.
Some folks may want to argue that circlips are a type of snap ring and that snap rings are a type of circlip.
Does not matter either.

OK, 52.......I mean 53.

Ok here is are 2 ? for you. See the groves in my axle. Do you think that is ok to go with it like that. I can replace it for less than $40 but don't want to if unnessary.

Also after restore, my JD sounds brand new EXCEPT when you first start up at ldile . Best me and a friend can tell, it is something inside the muffler. It goes away pretty quickly , but just wondering if this is a big deal or not?
Thanks, Fletch (yes the one's with the circles are the ones used on motorcycles..had that tool years ago as a kid.)

Those small grooves in the spindle are not serious enough to warrant replacement spindles. Those grooves were caused grit becoming imbedded into the bushings and acting like small "fly cutter" blades.
The grooves are too small to have weakened the spindle load bar enough to worry about.
The best policy on how to minimize that kind of wear/damage would be to pump in some grease PRIOR TO EACH USE of the tractor, and even that would not be an absolute guarantee against some grit getting into the works.
And I don't know anybody personally that does that.
But it has been said many times that grease is the cheapest thing you can put on a machine.
As to the "rattle noise" (my words, not yours).
If it is in fact coming from the muffler, there is not much you can do about it except to make sure it is not a loose external heat shield, if which you could possibly/maybe tighten any screws that hold it in place.
Another trick I have used in the past to mute loose heat shields where the screws were frozen or broken off is to fit 1 or 2 large automotive worm drive hose clamps around the entire muffler and heat shield to draw it down tight.
The hose clamps are stainless steel (except for the worm gear, which is usually just plain steel).
The hose clamps can be opened up by backing the worm gear completely off of the band and thereby permit the clamp to be put around the muffler assembly without taking the muffler off the tractor.
If the rattle is due to a section of the muffler internal baffling having come loose, probably nothing short of a new muffler will fix that.
Still, even if it was due to something loose inside the muffler, I might still be tempted to wrap a couple of those hose clamps around it to see if it would respond to a "good squeeze".

mownie,

The sharp edge of the E clip should face away from the application of the load or in this case towards the end of the axle.

I've seen front axle clips cam or walk right off the stub axle on LT/GT pushed hard in a corner so there is a difference in every application whether the person with the clip in their hand knows the difference or not.

Since some people come here to learn let's teach them the right way and they can decide for themselves what to ignore...

***"The sharp edge of the E clip should face away from the application of the load or in this case towards the end of the axle."***
I don't know what you are trying to correct here because that is exactly what I said, sir.
Insofar as someone deciding to ignore after being taught the right way, seems like Deere should have been able to apply the same philosophy, and if they did.............well I guess they thought it did not matter.
You do believe Deere gave it some thought, don't you?
:^)

I guess I took the long way to agree with you... Sir.

As far as did Deere know... In over 20 years as a pro and some with large manufacturers I've seen more clips installed wrong than I could believe. When I posed the question to QC techs they looked at me like I was crazy. I escalated the question to engineering and so did they. Their answer was there's no specification so there's no right way or wrong way.

When I contacted ASTM they were in the know and so was the SAE. They were both definitive on the right way and that there was a wrong way.

I was so confused... but all my clips were installed correctly especially the circlips in gearboxes.

Mownie,
Thanks for the axle advice- I will leave it alone. I will check the muffler things you mentioned but I think you are right as 2 friends both think it is inside the muffler- one tried to find it and was pretty sure it was inside. It only happens on startup , just annoying as I have restored this thing pretty good. Rebuilt deck is very quiet now. And I did a lot of cosmetic work myself.

? for hopefully years down the road. Some people say that my JD comes with a poor quality brand transmission. I have had zero problems as of yet, but thinking of the future.
For about $1500 you can get a kit with a better transmission that is supposed to be much more reliable. But I have also read for about $1500 you can get a used tractor that doesn't have this issue in the first place. Is this true and if the day ever comes, would you put in the better transmission or find one of these older but goodie JD's?

Thanks,Fletch

Just a follow up on my mower:

I have continued to do small improvements like painting the deck and more recently, adding more lighting for night mows. The existing lighting is working fine, but still needed a bit more.

My friend that has helped me with the mower was working on a another friend's boat and was installing some Led lighting and that gave me the idea. I added the optional front bumper and installed 2 leds. These fit recessed behind and inbetween the 2 bumpers so no worries if you hit something.

I am sure many will work but I saw these on the boat so I went the same : Optronics TLL52FBP. Each light has 3 led's inside and at 12v draw .64 amps so no worries about overloading electrical system. Lights are black so they already matched bumper. But I painted everything else flat black to match. By that I mean the bracket, SS hose clamps, nuts and bolts.

For the switch I wanted it to look factory and not homemade. I removed and disabled the reverse cut out switch. Looked up real manufacturer of that switch and got specs. Took specs and switch to RS and matched it up. They have a flat black rocker that matches perfectly both in appearance and size so it fits the existing hole perfectly. Already had trailer light wiring loom so it matches existing loom perfectly

If it gets really hot where you live and you do night mows, this will def help out.

Thanks for the update Fletch. Nice job! At the beginning post you definitely sounded like a newbee, but by your last post you "almost" sound like a knowledgeable mechanic after applying the advice of all these pros (Mownie, JL, tomplum, rcbe, bill_k, ewalk, and rusty). Well done! You must feel proud of your mower restore project on a budget, and ready for the next mechanical project! Very satisfying, aye?

Hey thanks!,

This board has been a great help- that is for sure! Couldn't have done it without you guys. I am still much a newb when it comes to the mechanical stuff, but I have a bit more experience with the electrical side. Here is a recent pic with the lights installed. The pic was taken during day so you can't see how bright they are but they do make a difference. Thanks again for all the help!

HI,
A fantastic replacement for the 1156 bulb is the halogen #796. It is the BA15s base and draws 35 watts vs. the 27 watts for the 1156. The 1156 has 30 candlepower while the 796 has 60 candlepower, 2 times the light for a mere 8 additional watts. I use them in all my tractors and depending on the reflector, it makes a fantastic upgrade.
You can find them at your local Napa store or online at
http://www.bulbtown.com/796_HALOGEN_MINIATURE_BULB_BA15S_BASE_p/796.htm

Kevin,
Kevins Small Engine service,
South Berwick ME. 03908

Here is a link that might be useful: 796 halogen miniature bulb replacment for 1156 bulb

I am confused about how it "draws" 35 watts.
I can see it drawing 2.91 amps, but the watts thing has me puzzled.

mownie - volts x amps = watts. Am I missing something here? wattage is a common descriptive in light bulbs... or was. and his link detail notes bulb rated at 12.8vdc, 35w....

rcbe, c'mon. Surely you did not miss my point?
***" draws 35 watts"***
It PRODUCES 35 watts output energy, DRAWING roughly 2.9 amps when used with a 12 volt power source.

The statement was similar to the one below (recently posted here).
***"It was the voltage regulator putting out too many ohms at the clutch."***

My point is : We members who have various amounts of professional experience in the field, try to convey accurate information to people who might happen across this forum.

I'm not ridiculing anyone for posting misinformation or off center remarks.
I just feel that it is not a good thing to perpetuate misconceptions or misinformation stated on a board that people refer to when wanting to learn something.
I hope to spur people to try and understand the (sometimes confusing and obscure) details of how all the technology and principles really work by noting errors, much like how a teacher would call out a student's mistake if a wrong answer was given aloud in the class room.
And to be sure, I too have been called out by other members of this forum for making inaccurate (read bonehead) statements.
I applaud those who keep me re-thinking my remarks and cause me to research a little deeper.
I encourage folks to debate topics where there seems to be a misunderstanding of the facts, terminology, or concepts pertaining to machines targeted by the forum.
I ignore spelling and typos as those don't really diminish content. Besides, with all the new texting language coming into widespread use.................how would you know it was spld wrng?

This post was edited by mownie on Sun, Jun 16, 13 at 11:33

Kevin,

Thanks for the info. With my LED's I am doing fine now. However I may still give them a try, nothing wrong with a little more light. Now what would be great is if they had super brite led's that fit in the 1156 base.

But regardless, I iive in the south and it is already very hot here so those knight mows sure makes things less miserable!

Well, Mownie... at the risk of freezing my radiator again I will agree to the usage of "produce" related to wattage, but balk at "draw" relative to amperage. To me "allow" might be more appropriate?. :)

But I do understand and applaud the thrust of your comments. Such will be a never-ending process, methinks.

It draws 2.91 amps (current) out of the 12 volt power source and produces 35 watts of energy in the process.
Or, it "pulls" 2.9 amps out the the power source, (the current is pushed along by the 12 volts potential of the battery/alternator).
Amp draw and current draw are essentially different words to describe the same thing.
The term "current draw" or "amp draw" are most commonly used in automotive venues when dealing with cranking motors (starters), especially if a defective condition exists which increases the amp draw of the starter.
But rest assured, if it is electrical, there is some amp draw factor in every closed circuit. And if that closed circuit consists of a short to ground, the draw can be enormous (depending on the size of conductors).

Hi again from the guy who bought the used LA150 around last Christmas.

Tractor has been great giving zero problems. Bumper and Extra lights I added big help during night mows.

I live on the Gulf Coast which means extra long season but by the end of this month / early Nov it should be over.

Most of the maintenance schedule says 50 hours for many items and I only put about 12 on it since Christmas, but I am suspecting I should do it anyway at end of season, like greasing the new spindles and wheel bearings.

What about air filters? Should I wait a bit longer on those or go ahead and replace? When my friend was dong the initial maintenance before i bought it, he was told to use a single weight (30 wt) because of the hot conditions down here. Should I stay with singe weight or go with something with some range like a synthetic?

Thanks and thanks again for all the help earlier this year.
Mower has already paid for its self and well worth the labor and $$ I have put in it.

Oh one more think . If I asked this before ..sorry, but friend original used marvel mystery oil and says good idea to use it from time to time. While it was in fuel engine smoked on start up but no longer does that.

Ok to use from time to time or waste of money?

Thanks,

I use Marvel Mystery Oil in my fuel, but only 1/2 ounce to the gallon of gas (1 ounce in my 2 gallon jug). I feel that the little bit of oil will offer some protection to the metal surfaces of the fuel system components. I also add Stabil to all my fuel for OPE.
As far as the MMO, I think you can probably get the same protection I believe to be getting by simply adding the same amount of synthetic 2 cycle fuel mix oil to the gas.
I also believe that the small amount of oil in the fuel helps to prevent the intake valves from "sticking" to the valve guides, which can be a problem when the engine started.
As far as the engine lube oil is concerned, you can use 10W30 or 30, so long as your engine does not tend to consume too much oil in hot weather.
As to dino vs. synthetic.....it is said the synthetic oils do a much better job of lubing and cooling the engine, especially in air cooled engines.
But unless you are doing some extremely hard work, I doubt you could justify synthetic just on that.........a good dino oil is satisfactory for most folks duties.
Air filter......change it as needed, or about every three years, whichever occurs first.
Always lube everything before you place it in storage.

Well I bought an extension for my grease gun, Could never get the middle spindle zerk to attache to the gun. Got the left handed side thought. But then I could not get it to come off and ended up pulling the zerk out of the spindle.

? Do they make longer/ more angled zerks that are easier to get to? If so who makes them? I am going to see if my friend will teach me how to lower the deck for easy maintenance and replace the other zerks while I am at it.

BTW this mower has been well worth the time and $$ I put into it. Save me loads of time and aggravation this summer..that's why I want to make sure it is well maintained.

Thanks...

I will guess that the zerk which pulled out is one of the "threadless" push in kind. These are quite useless (IMO) once they pull out.
Arrg! I typically replace these with threaded versions, but that requires enlarging the small hole to accept either a metric threaded zerk, or a 1/8" NPT threaded "American" zerk.
You can choose angled zerks in either the metric or NPT versions.
If you don't have the tap to retrofit either type of threaded zerk, you will have to buy one and the correct size drill bit......or farm the job out to a pro.

Pretty sure the removed zerk has a tread. Friend says this is pretty common problem as they are cheap. Any good sources for these things? Long angled preferred so I can get to it.

Lowes or JD company?

Thanks.
Fletch
.

Fletch: Since your in the greasing mode , use a Moly Grease it may be a little more expensive but has a much better life cycle and resistance to galling from thermal cycles and better water dispersant qualities.

Rcbe Black Ice did you say , Say it aint so Roflmbo !

You can source grease fittings from any well stocked auto parts house. If the one that popped out is threaded, take it with you and match the threads to a replacement fitting configured how you like.
The reason I brought up about the ultra cheepo "threadless" press in zerks is because they are actually in fairly wide spread use........and they ain't worth a spit. Even though they have "ribs" around the part that presses in, supposed to hold them in......I find that they pop out real easy, especially if you are putting a lot of pressure into them with the grease gun, or as you found out....the gun does not want to turn loose the zerk.

Don't know why I came out with a double post, so I erased the duplicate.

This post was edited by mownie on Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 0:16

UPDATE:

All fixed up. Here is what I did in case this helps someone else in the future. I bought 2 extensions for my grease gun as lowes. Sorry I threw away the bag, but just ask as they know where they are . In my store they are in the tool section. You will also need couplers for the extensions. My is called Watts LFA-706 1/8 in FIP (3mm). For the spindles themselves the zerk fitting is 1/4-28. Not sure if all spindles are the same size but they did have a fitting chart if you have your old zerk. The reason I was having issues is that the fittings that come with the extensions are rather cheap and one actually broke. I ended up using the one off my grease gun and had no more issues.So now it's fixed and all greased up. I am mowing one last time for winter (down in the south, we are going back and forth between hot and cold right now , but grass is not really growing). Mower has not been used in about a month and batt was low and almost didn't start so defiantly going on the tender tonight when all done. I was advised to wait till near spring to change oil filters/etc but think I will go ahead and buy them so I am ready. As you may remember, I got this mower from a friends Aunt last Dec. He changed the oil to 30w as that is what a dealer told him to use. But is that really the best? I normally used Rottella synthetic in my air cooled engines.

Well mower has paid for itself already since it made it one season without issues. When I was sick and had to have a lawn service, it cost me about the same as what I paid for the mower plus my fixes and add ons. So happy about that!

Thanks again for all the help!

Thanks for your follow up post Fletch , you must feel a lot of Pride within a Job Well Done , Good on You Bro !

Someone advised you to leave the old oil in and change it in the spring?
Not the best advice.
Better to change your oil as one of the things to do in prep for winter layover.
That way you have the nice, clean, new oil to coat all the surfaces and cling in place, without the acids and contaminants that form during normal operation.
Clean oil in the Fall, start and go in the Spring.

Thanks Ewalk. There are things I will still need help with but getting better. The 4 headlights was my creation and sure helps with night mows.

Mowie,

Ok I can do it now, but what about the oil recommention? 30WT conventional or Synthetic? I don't think Syn is magic but do think it helps air engines run a bit cooler.

I say 30 if you can find it in synthetic. 10W30 is OK unless your engine develops an appetite for it.
Some say to use an oil that is rated for diesel engine service in order to get the anti-wear additive package (including Zinc) that is no longer used in the formula for "on road gasoline fueled engines".
What you want to look for (if you go that route) is an API Classification of CJ. There may be some dashed suffix numeral too, such as CJ-4 or the like, but CJ will be the latest API Class for diesel engines. There are syn based oils for the diesel market just like for other fuels.
I believe the -4 in CJ-4 just means it is formulated for the latest diesel exhaust emission standards where ultra low sulphur fuel is used and where an exhaust particulate filter might also be present.
For use in OP air cooled applications the presence, or absence of any suffix numerals will not matter, either way.

Thanks Mowie,

I think that Rottella was made for Trucks. It was recommend by bike people as it did not have the energy saving stuff added that is supposed to be bad for bikes. You have to buy it in gallon jugs at truck stops or Walmart, but the difference is (or at least supposed to be) that you have to pay more for the mobile 1 equivalent. I don't know if about the CJ-4 rating, but I am off tomorrow (for BD!) so will go looking and see what I can find.

I may just keep mower in service as it is good for mulching leaves :)

Hey guys,

I ended up waiting to change the oil and picked up the filters yesterday. I am draining the oil now and just noticed lowes sold me a smaller filter than what is on there now. The box says it is for the 150 but it is noticeably smaller.

Anything to worry about?

thanks.

I think I figured out what was wrong. The old filter was an after market filter. Strange but it actually looks like a better filter than the JD.

Oil was changed right before I bought mower (DEC '12) and it looked really clean. Much cleaner than my Honda push mower typically looks...