When in dought if you can remove them, dissemble, clean and repack. This includes you wheels from the rims also Why wait till the fail or get stuck. I try to avoid direct spray contact when I pressure wash my equipment with the sentive areas. I usually use a rope or paper towel and swab the actual bearing split areas with WD40 to clean them and direct the nozzle from direct contact when it might blow water inside electrical or bearing surfaces. Another bad idea is to put the tractor awy wet. blow or towel it off to get most of the moisture off so it don't rust real bad.

Oil is not recommended because it remains wet and will cause the hinge to collect dirt in the moving pieces. Powdered graphite is the best lubricant but if you do not have graphite you can rub the pin with a bar of soap or paraffin wax.

Time certainly flies doesn't it? Why bother? Well what if someone finds the thread the same way I did, would not discussion be just as valid? Another tip is a drop of muriatic acid on the pin. It cleans out any lubricant and roughens up metal. Be totally aware: Muriatic acid and water make for powerful, caustic, and harmful vapors. That is why I suggest only a drop. Use only in a well ventilated area. Although it will burn your skin it is very effective. .

I have the same mower (great mower, btw). I get a film of dried grass built up in the nooks and crannies over time. Periodically I just tip it on the side and scrape the dried mat out, mostly by hand. I don't think it hurts anything to be there for a few mowings. You shouldn't be getting a lot unless maybe you are mowing wet grass. I think they recommend that you hose it down. In the fall when you are mulching your leaves, and maybe your neighbor's leaves into the lawn, you will find that the leaves act like sand or walnut blasting. The deck will look like new when you are done mulching leaves! This is one reason I wouldn't bother with any kind of coating. It's probably going to get scrubbed off by grass/leaves quickly anyway. Unless the grass mat interferes with airflow or something like that, which I don't think it does, then I don't think it is really a problem that needs solving, IMO.