Replacing Spindle Bearings on Kubota RCK60P (400Z)

[rick sheltra]

My ZT 421 Mower Deck needs new bearings. As i Look up the prices Im in shock how much one bearing cost if I buy Kubota genuine part. They want 18$ each. The way I read it if you were to replace all the bearings you would need 2 for each spindle If I buy Genuine parts and replace all at once it is over 100 dollars!, There are many for sale ebay and amazon for 30$ for 6. Has anyone used any of these OEM parts? Should I only buy the genuine Kubota parts?
Any advice will be most appreciated. Thank you

 

[mikester]

First world problems.

Bearings tend to last longer if you grease them regularly as per the manual and you don’t abuse your equipment hitting rocks, roots, downed branches and clumps of dirt.

In the alternative go buy some sheep - expect to pay $200-600 per head. Self fertilizing lawn mowers. Cheaper than spending $30K on a new commercial mower.

 

[Workerbee]

I wouldnt buy the $5 bearings, but I wouldnt buy the ones from the dealer either. Get a number off the old ones and buy some SKF, Timken or Nachi from a reputable source.

 

[armylifer]

I have used this company before. If you have a part number they can quote a replacement bearing for you.

Bearings - McGuire

mcguirebearing.com

 

[Bee-Positive]

First - you've got a $7-$10K mower.
Second - I'm assuming it's a Z421KWT with a RCK60-400Z 60" deck.
Last - you're complaining about spending 1% of the mower value on maintenance.

You didn't say how many hours you have on the mower. Go with what ever your budget will allow but be aware you may or may not get the same amount of hours out of the less expensive parts.

 

[Old Machinist]

I've been buying PGN bearings in 10 packs for several years now. Since 2021 I have had zero failures of those I have used. Some I popped the seals out of and repacked with Valvoline wheel bearing grease but some I installed right out of the pack. Looking back at my purchase history I have used them in 6 different mowers and a couple different axle bearings. The largest, most expensive ones were 6306 size at just under $30 for 10 of them. Most were under $20 for a 10 pack.

So far so good. I don't usually grease double sealed bearings after I replace them for fear it will push the seals out.

One of my mowers came from the factory with the inner seals removed and greasable spindles. At least one of those had the outer seal pushed out from using the spindle grease fitting which allowed dirt to inter.

 

[SDT]

My ZT 421 Mower Deck needs new bearings. As i Look up the prices Im in shock how much one bearing cost if I buy Kubota genuine part. They want 18$ each. The way I read it if you were to replace all the bearings you would need 2 for each spindle If I buy Genuine parts and replace all at once it is over 100 dollars!, There are many for sale ebay and amazon for 30$ for 6. Has anyone used any of these OEM parts? Should I only buy the genuine Kubota parts?
Any advice will be most appreciated. Thank you

I have had bad luck with cheap Chinese internet bearings, even those with name brand packaging.

As previously advised, I would take the number from the bearings and buy replacements from Bearings Inc., etc.

 

[rick sheltra]

First - you've got a $7-$10K mower.
Second - I'm assuming it's a Z421KWT with a RCK60-400Z 60" deck.
Last - you're complaining about spending 1% of the mower value on maintenance.

You didn't say how many hours you have on the mower. Go with what ever your budget will allow but be aware you may or may not get the same amount of hours out of the less expensive parts.

First - you've got a $7-$10K mower. It cost $8000. I bought the lowest price kubota I could afford. I am on SS and struggling to keep all equipment running. At 77 YO i still have to work each day delivering so I can afford the items i need for maintenance
Second - I'm assuming it's a Z421KWT with a RCK60-400Z 60" deck. Yes the title of the thread has that exact mower deck number on it
Last - you're complaining about spending 1% of the mower value on maintenance.
I don't know why you think I am complaining..I just wanted some opinions on the cheaper bearings. Apparently, I have annoyed you somehow MY BAD! I'll just figure it out

Oh and when I bought the mower from the local dealer the hour meter has never worked they refused to replace it. The seat switch has been bad since day one and when I asked for repair on it there was a shop charge. I have a B7000 with front end loader from the 70's that runs no matter what. which is one reason I stuck with KUBOTA.... This mower is great,,,,,, just trying to save some money

I replaced the bearings in one of the spindles two years ago. guess what??? the original bearing I removed was made in CHINA (on a Japanese tractor). The ones i replaced them with were italy but i can no longer find them for sale.



I have used this forum for many years, Vic was the one answering a lot of posts with questions. Not being a mechanic he sure did help me. I will not forget the many times he helped me source parts.

Didn't mean to be complaining. Just trying to make informed decisions.

 

[Donystoy]

Be thankful that you can replace the bearing's. On my Ariens zero turn the spindle assembly's had sealed bearings that were not replaceable without destroying the spindle. New spindles are $300 each. They are now serviceable and greaseable after two days of work.

 

[Joisey]

$5 bearings are cheaper for the same reason why oats are cheaper once they have been eaten by a horse.

 

[TheOldHokie]

My ZT 421 Mower Deck needs new bearings. As i Look up the prices Im in shock how much one bearing cost if I buy Kubota genuine part. They want 18$ each. The way I read it if you were to replace all the bearings you would need 2 for each spindle If I buy Genuine parts and replace all at once it is over 100 dollars!, There are many for sale ebay and amazon for 30$ for 6. Has anyone used any of these OEM parts? Should I only buy the genuine Kubota parts?
Any advice will be most appreciated. Thank you

The picture on Messicks website shows a PEER 6205RS TFP bearing. For all the naysayers the bearig is clearly marked China.

According to the PEER website the TFP series has a (proprietary?) two piece steel and rubber seal specifically designed for mower deck applications. Their claim is superior sealing and protection against flying debris

I would have no concerns using a standard 2RS bearing for 1/3 the cost.

YMMV.

Dan

 

[Joisey]

The picture on Messicks website shows a PEER 6205RS TFP bearing. For all the naysayers the bearig is clearly marked China.

According to the PEER website the TFP series has a (proprietary?) two piece steel and rubber seal specifically designed for mower deck applications. Their claim is superior sealing and protection against flying debris

I would have no concerns using a standard 2RS bearing for 1/3 the cost.

YMMV.

Dan

View attachment 176195

I agree with you 100%, in theory. The bearing made in China, England, Italy, anywhere in the word are supposed to meet the design specs of the number engraved or stamped on the side of the bearing. But that leaves two questions. How close to design spec are the bearings, and how long will they perform?

China CAN turn out excellent products, but as far as bearings and my own personal experience, they churn out crap.

I've worked in a machine shop since I was a kid, as a second job my whole life, and now I have had a shop of my own for the past 27 or 28 years.

I've built a lot of machinery in my lifetime and repaired a lot of machinery. In something like a right angle gear box, when a bearing fails, not only does the bearing have to be replaced, there is a set of bevel gears or hypoid gears that go south, either from the faulty bearing allowing the shaft to move, or the bearing shedding balls or rollers, depending on the bearing. By the time you replace the bearings and the gear set, for hundreds of dollars, it is cheaper to replace the whole unit.

I prefer to use Timken bearings, personal preference Nachi and NSK are also good. Long lasting and they rarely fail unless it is a case of overload or lack of lubrication.

A second failure point in bearings is the amount and type of lube used in it. Fill a bearing with too much lube and it will overheat, causing early failure. Too little or the wrong lube will cause the same problem.

When you can remove a bearing assembly and replace it in a half hour with the only cost being your time and the cost of parts the cost of a bearing is a lot less important than when the failure of a bearing may cost you weeks downtime and hundreds of dollars in repair parts.

The 6205RS part number tells you the bearing has a rubber seal covered by a steel shield. Not one thing is proprietary at all. All manufacturers make them.

 

[Old Machinist]

A.I. results for Where are Timken Nachi and NSK bearings made:


Timken, Nachi, and NSK bearings are manufactured globally, with production facilities located in the USA, Japan, China, Europe, and India, depending on the specific product line and market.

• Timken: Primarily manufactures wheel bearings in the USA (e.g., Randleman, NC), but also operates plants in Mexico, India, and China; some industrial or older stock may be sourced from other global locations.
• Nachi: A major Japanese manufacturer with significant production in Japan, though like other global brands, it also operates factories in other regions to serve international markets.
• NSK: Established in Japan in 1916, NSK maintains extensive production in Japan (59 locations) and operates 64 production sites across 13 countries, including the USA, Germany, China, India, and Brazil.

While these brands maintain strict quality control regardless of origin, specific bearings may bear "Made in China" or "Made in Japan" stamps, with Japanese-made units often cited by enthusiasts for superior precision in automotive applications.

Where a bearing is made tends to be a crap shoot. You hope the quality control spans the globe but who's to know.

I queried PGN about their origin and recieved no reply. The boxes and bearings are not labeled for origin. A.I. reports they are made in China. When I first started using them they claimed to be Canadian but now their main distribution is in Miami and they claim to be a USA company. Like I stated above, the fit and perfomance has been acceptable for my needs so far.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I agree with you 100%, in theory. The bearing made in China, England, Italy, anywhere in the word are supposed to meet the design specs of the number engraved or stamped on the side of the bearing. But that leaves two questions. How close to design spec are the bearings, and how long will they perform?

China CAN turn out excellent products, but as far as bearings and my own personal experience, they churn out crap.

I've worked in a machine shop since I was a kid, as a second job my whole life, and now I have had a shop of my own for the past 27 or 28 years.

I've built a lot of machinery in my lifetime and repaired a lot of machinery. In something like a right angle gear box, when a bearing fails, not only does the bearing have to be replaced, there is a set of bevel gears or hypoid gears that go south, either from the faulty bearing allowing the shaft to move, or the bearing shedding balls or rollers, depending on the bearing. By the time you replace the bearings and the gear set, for hundreds of dollars, it is cheaper to replace the whole unit.

I prefer to use Timken bearings, personal preference Nachi and NSK are also good. Long lasting and they rarely fail unless it is a case of overload or lack of lubrication.

A second failure point in bearings is the amount and type of lube used in it. Fill a bearing with too much lube and it will overheat, causing early failure. Too little or the wrong lube will cause the same problem.

When you can remove a bearing assembly and replace it in a half hour with the only cost being your time and the cost of parts the cost of a bearing is a lot less important than when the failure of a bearing may cost you weeks downtime and hundreds of dollars in repair parts.

The 6205RS part number tells you the bearing has a rubber seal covered by a steel shield. Not one thing is proprietary at all. All manufacturers make them.

Thats a lot of FUD in one post.

Quality deep groove radial ball bearings are readily available from many different sources and you will be hard pressed to support any claim one is superior to the other.

Kubota mower decks hsve used grade C3 6205 bearings of various types for decades.

The ones on my G2160 and G2460b lawn tractors are open bearings fully exposed to all the dirt and debris. They require regular greasing to keep them filled and cleaned out. With about 1500 hours on each deck they have been trouble free.

The ones on the OPs commercial mower are sealed for life bearings and require no greasing. The two piece seals are NONSTANDARD and as near as I can tell are a poprietary PEER design. His failed at about 3000 hours and we know absolutely nothing about why.

https://peerbearing.com/wp-content/uploads/0901d19680a8f57d-Bearing-solutions-for-lawn-and-garden-applications_tcm_12-556250.pdf

I imagine the TFP seals are marginally superior but I serioudly doubt its critical compared to a standard 2RS seal and would sleep like a baby using 6205 2RS bearings from ANY reputable OEM and regardless of country of origin.

Dan

 

[rick sheltra]

I wouldnt buy the $5 bearings, but I wouldnt buy the ones from the dealer either. Get a number off the old ones and buy some SKF, Timken or Nachi from a reputable source.

Thanks for those manufacturers names ... I will find them I was wanting to replace them all at once but i think i am gonna hold off and just replace the broken one. The original bearings that disintegrated (on The Kubota tractor made in Japan) were chinese. Thanks again

 

[Joisey]

Thats a lot of FUD in one post.

Quality deep groove radial ball bearings are readily available from many different sources and you will be hard pressed to support any claim one is superior to the other.

Kubota mower decks hsve used grade C3 6205 bearings of various types for decades.

The ones on my G2160 and G2460b lawn tractors are open bearings fully exposed to all the dirt and debris. They require regular greasing to keep them filled and cleaned out. With about 1500 hours on each deck they have been trouble free.

The ones on the OPs commercial mower are sealed for life bearings and require no greasing. The two piece seals are NONSTANDARD and as near as I can tell are a poprietary PEER design. His failed at about 3000 hours and we know absolutely nothing about why.

https://peerbearing.com/wp-content/uploads/0901d19680a8f57d-Bearing-solutions-for-lawn-and-garden-applications_tcm_12-556250.pdf

I imagine the TFP seals are marginally superior but I serioudly doubt its critical compared to a standard 2RS seal and would sleep like a baby using 6205 2RS bearings from ANY reputable OEM and regardless of country of origin.

Dan

No matter who the manufacturer, I trust no bearing made in China.

 

[rick sheltra]

Be thankful that you can replace the bearing's. On my Ariens zero turn the spindle assembly's had sealed bearings that were not replaceable without destroying the spindle. New spindles are $300 each. They are now serviceable and greaseable after two days of work.

I just took off the one with bad bearings and it did damage to everything else so looks like i need to replace pulley as well. So I have found an OEM replacement from 8TEN for 108$ however its very tempting to just replace all 3 for 250! When i had mowers made by MTD MURRAY or any of those brands that use MTD parts (nearly all of them) at least you could grease the mandrels (spindles) There was a grease fitting on each one. On this mower deck I didn't see any way so I assume they are permanently greased hell i dont know im no mechanic which is pretty obvious. anyway I sure wish i could afford the genuine kubota part, They want 7$ just for the locking washer for the blade I guess you get what you pay for If I can get a few more years on it, that will work. Don't know if i can mow when im 80 in a few years.. take care, thanks for input