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qa deck question

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mconway

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
176
Location
Hilton, NY
displayname
mike conway
on my 109 i have a 42 inch deck that needs a new spindle cup. the picture shows i already cut a new keyway a few years ago and i got nowhere else to cut another one. i rebuilt the spindles on the 42 inch when i got it seven years ago. my question is.... i have three spindle assemblies from the 32 inch deck. i'm assuming that i can unbolt the ones on it and bolt the others on. however when i put one of them on, the tensioner pulley and the spindle pulley heights were offset by about three-eighths of an inch....i see on ccs that there are two deck belt tensioner springs.... could it be that easy?....not in my world but has anybody done this swap or am i in for a session of red neck engineering to get things lined up? thanks for lookin'....
 

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Well Mike - I see your message has gotten several views but no responses so it may be no one has done what you're attempting or maybe they don't understand what you're doing. I am going to try to help.

Your main question seems to be about the tensioner spring. My answer is "no" it's not as simple as changing to the other style tensioner spring. The spring style is determined based on the tensioner arm. I believe you saw these 2 tensioner springs on the CCS site:
1659296326244.png

1659296355005.png


Sorry for the different size images but that's the way they are shown.
The reason for the different springs is the 2 different tensioner arms which CCS shows as follows:

1659296471805.png

1659296503746.png


The top tensioner spring pic goes with the top tensioner arm pic. The bottom spring goes with the bottom arm.

I suppose your next question then becomes, can you just change the arm and spring and maybe get the correct alignment? I don't know if it would make any difference. I believe they both use the same mounting shoulder bolt and the alignment wouldn't be any different.

So, I don't know if that leaves you to going with red neck engineering or not. I don't know which way your alignment is off. If the tensioner pulley is "to low" on the deck I assume you already thought of just adding a washer where the shoulder bolt goes thru. If the tensioner pulley is "to high" then maybe you could consider adding a washer where the tensioner pulley mounts to the tensioner arm so it sits a little lower.

Will all this work in the end and last? That's a really big question. I never liked mixing and matching this stuff because of exactly what you are encountering. You might get it all fixed and then discover the belt covers don't fit correctly, or worse the deck doesn't cut and thro grass like it should.

I'm also wondering about you stating spindle assemblies from "32 inch" deck. That sounds like a Cadet deck (lawn tractor) or something and not the Cub Cadet (Garden tractor) deck. Maybe the 32" is a typo and you meant 38". In either case I'm wondering if you installed one of the 32" deck spindles on the 42" deck and checked the blade placement on the underneath side to see if it's at the same level as the original spindles. If the placement is different your deck may not operate well at all.

I hope this helps you out a little. Please let us know what you do to solve your problem.
 

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You can try to add or remove a washer from the bottom of the pulley or add a shim to the bolt
 
good mornin' harry.....my blunder, the 38....not 32 inch was original to the tractor....the parts diagram shows both spindle assemblies with no note on fitment so i'm thinkin' i'll try it....i did see both tensioner arms as well....have a good day....
 
good mornin' harry.....my blunder, the 38....not 32 inch was original to the tractor....the parts diagram shows both spindle assemblies with no note on fitment so i'm thinkin' i'll try it....i did see both tensioner arms as well....have a good day....
Ok Mike, I'd try it to but what are you doing about the alignment?
 
ok...probably a dumb question....actually i think not....as an engineer for 28 years i learned quickly that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.....anyway....i think i got the mower deck spindle conundrum figured out and will have pics but.....do the sealed spindles get the friction washers for the blade or is the blade just sandwiched between the two flat washers? it don't look like there's a surface for the friction washer to ride on but figured i'd ask.....thanx for lookin'.....have a great day cubbers.....
 
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