Woods RM42 Spindle rebuild

[DJ05747]

Hey Guys,

New to the forum, new to tractors. Recently purchased a 1977 Kubota B7100D that came with a Woods RM42 that needs a bit of work. The shaft spins freely but wobbles all over the place. I'm assuming it needs new bearings and seals. I've pulled it off the mower but I can't figure out how to get the shaft out of the housing assembly. Does it need to be pressed out? Has anyone worked on one of these? Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[MOOTS]

Looking at it, I’d support #6 in your vise there and get after it with a hammer. #2 may be pressed on and need cut off, I’d do that as a last resort and make sure #2 is still available.

 

[jaxs]

I would remove that grease zerk and clean grease behind it to see if there's something locking #2 in place. It would seem logical to have a snap ring hold #2 but one isn't shown so look for other ways #2 is secured.

 

[DJ05747]

I would remove that grease zerk and clean grease behind it to see if there's something locking #2 in place. It would seem logical to have a snap ring hold #2 but one isn't shown so look for other ways #2 is secured.

Thanks for the help.

I hit with a hammer a few times and it doesn't seem to be moving at all.

I pulled out the grease zero and I can see #5. That seems to be fine. I can't see a snap ring or anything else holding #2 in place. The bottom half internals (#7, #5, #4) all seem to be missing. I'm hoping that it was pressed together and needs to be pressed apart. I'll have access to a press in a couple weeks. I was told by my local dealer that parts are available.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

looking at the diagram, I'd put housing in vise, have someone hold a flat bar across end of spindle, then whack the flat bar real good with a 2#-4# hammer, the spindle should come out the bottom.
I've done this 100s of times with riding mower spindle assemblies

 

[DJ05747]

looking at the diagram, I'd put housing in vise, have someone hold a flat bar across end of spindle, then whack the flat bar real good with a 2#-4# hammer, the spindle should come out the bottom.
I've done this 100s of times with riding mower spindle assemblies

OK so I'm new to the whole spindle thing, do you think a hammer is better than a press? To me, a press seems like the the least chance of me damaging something. But if I'm wrong then I'm happy to whack away.

 

[PaulL]

It's more a time thing. You can wait for the press, or you can do it now with a hammer. Either will probably work (and if one doesn't work, the other won't work either - so if it turns out there's something retaining it, then either the hammer or the press will break that thing).

You could arguably use a big clamp (or two clamps) instead of a press, if you have them. Same result, just doesn't require you to wait. Perhaps a flat bar across the shaft, then a clamp down to the housing on each side.

 

[rbargeron]

Online images show a few variants of the RM42 - a 42" cut single-spindle mower with swing-back blades, made for many years by Woods.

The drive pulley at the top of the shaft is held on by a keyed tapered collet, a great way to fasten to a shaft, guaranteeing a concentric and strong connection usually found on high-quality shaft drives. (part 69 in the figure)

The #2 sleeve in the op's spindle drawing just a spacer. No snap ring or welded-on collar is shown. With the collet (69) loosened, he shaft just slides down and out the bottom.

From the pto shaft there's a v-belt drive - cheaper than a gearbox- running on 4 pulleys - a setup like Corvairs used on the engine cooling fan - the belt has a couple twists but they hold up very well. May be "old school" but there are many of these machines still going 50 years later!

 

[jaxs]

looking at the diagram, I'd put housing in vise, have someone hold a flat bar across end of spindle, then whack the flat bar real good with a 2#-4# hammer, the spindle should come out the bottom.
I've done this 100s of times with riding mower spindle assemblies

It's more a time thing. You can wait for the press, or you can do it now with a hammer. Either will probably work (and if one doesn't work, the other won't work either - so if it turns out there's something retaining it, then either the hammer or the press will break that thing).

You could arguably use a big clamp (or two clamps) instead of a press, if you have them. Same result, just doesn't require you to wait. Perhaps a flat bar across the shaft, then a clamp down to the housing on each side.

I wouldn't outright call it bad advice if someone reccomeds a brand or shop I don't approve of but when advice is apt to cause really bad problems I have to step foward and call it like I see it,,,,,,,just wrong headed any way you slice it. NEVER beat on a press fit,you can distort something making it impossible to disassemble. Wait for the press. They say on that parts list that problems with disassembly are likely and total replacement of assembly is best. If and when you get it apart I suggest freezing #2 before pressing it in. It wouldn't surprise me to find out #2 was intentionally pressed hard enough to swell it after it was in place. It also wouldn't surprise me that housing cracks before #2 lets go so be prepared. It doesn't seem possible that a conventional press fit can be trusted for this application. That's why I suggested closer examination for a snap ring or something but that statement on parts breakdown makes me think engineers intentionally omitted it and devised a way to prevent repair and force customer to buy a complete assembly. That happens a lot with hydraulic cylinders but a few determined people manage to work around it. The more I think on it the more I lean toward cutting/grinding #2 out if you can access right machine tool. Even if you manage to replace bearings my pucker string would be mighty tight every time I used the mower for fear spindle might come apart. DO NOT hammer on it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

it'd help to clean the spindle....lotta grease makes it 'fuzzy'.
If #2 is still on, odds are it's 'collapsed' around the spindle and yes, cut it off, either cold chisel and hammer or a cutoff wheel, either way be sure housing is SECURE in a vise !
With #2 off, spindle should drop out unless top bearing is rusted in real good.
In 3 decades I've never damaged a spindle tapping it out, though I do use a brass bar between hammer and spindle 'face'. Always make sure hammer it's flat. I do this faster than cleaning off all the 'stuff' that 'magically' call the 20T press 'home'.
Agree it's a 'skills', but I've seen pros destroy stuff using a press.....

 

[TheOldHokie]

Hey Guys,

New to the forum, new to tractors. Recently purchased a 1977 Kubota B7100D that came with a Woods RM42 that needs a bit of work. The shaft spins freely but wobbles all over the place. I'm assuming it needs new bearings and seals. I've pulled it off the mower but I can't figure out how to get the shaft out of the housing assembly. Does it need to be pressed out? Has anyone worked on one of these? Any help would be most appreciated.



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I would go to Messicks and price a compklete new spindle assembly. You might be surprised. I know I was when I did that on an RD7200.

EDIT: Just did that and I was unpleasantly surprised so never mind.

Dan

 

[GreensvilleJay]

hmm..so , sometimes YOU win, most times I lose....

To the OP, can I assume you're going to rebuild ALL the spindles ???

 

[rbargeron]

Post #8 has now been edited to show more of the machine - with detail of how the drive pulley is fastened to the shaft using a collet (69). There re no snap rings - with the collet released, the shaft slides down and out of the bearing housing

 

[jaxs]

There's another tapered collet on the top drive shaft (with more bearings) - see post #8.

There's a bunch of parts in post #8 but i don't see anything different to breakdown op posted. How bout zooming in to show what you are talking about?

 

[DJ05747]

There's a bunch of parts in post #8 but i don't see anything different to breakdown op posted. How bout zooming in to show what you are talking about?

I'm going to wait for the press and see if it will come apart with that.

As for cutting off the spacer, I'm not sure how I would go about that. Don't think I'm up for that until it's a lost cause situation. And I'm assuming I would destroy it in the process and would be unpleasantly surprised with the purchase of a new assembly. Which it may come down to in the end.

The spindle that attaches to the pto shaft seems to be fine so I was going to leave that alone.

 

[jaxs]

I'm going to wait for the press and see if it will come apart with that.

As for cutting off the spacer, I'm not sure how I would go about that. Don't think I'm up for that until it's a lost cause situation. And I'm assuming I would destroy it in the process and would be unpleasantly surprised with the purchase of a new assembly. Which it may come down to in the end.

The spindle that attaches to the pto shaft seems to be fine so I was going to leave that alone.

I totally understand your apprehension, I'm not 100% sure it will come apart in a press before something breaks. Up to this point I don't think everyone agrees what/how the assembly is held together and/or where load is being carried. At first glance 2 bears against 3 and 3 against inner cone of 5 but how can that be with 4 where it is? I don't see another possibility but have trouble believing #2 pressed in could carry the load and shock of blades. If you are ordering parts as a rebuild pak that can be returned or can buy #2 by it self,having #2 in hand before pressing might give a better picture of what you are facing. For instance #2 might have a built in snap ring that once in place no way of releasing snap ring. I can see how that would be capable of carrying load. Little chance that arrangement could be pressed out without damaging it.
As for cutting #2 out as last resort,having new one in hand would be a huge help in how to go about it. If what is visible holds inner and outer part of #2 together using die grinder to split that would allow inner part to pry out then collapse outer part with a punch. Maybe ????????