Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Ariens will tell you that customers didn't perform the maintenance on those bearings, making them a potential reliablity issue. Removing them apparently did not affect performance.

Are you sure that is a Nylon bearing or a nylon sleeve spacer?

Friiy

It is a Nylon Flanged Sleeve Bearing.  Trouts2 says that these wear out way too quickly.  

Yuck....  I wonder if you can put a peice of bronze bearing stock in when if fails.?

Friiy

Slinger, sorry if what I wrote express that.  Those bearings last but are a wear point I see all the time in older machines.  They do last and don't crapout quickly.   But roller bearings over nylon would be an advantage in a machine.  If you have a machine for a long time you'll probalby replace them once. 

Another point:  MTD uses nylong inserts on the rake ends (not talking about the support bearings), inserts on the ends of the rake.  Other manf's do not have them.  It could be to take up any chatter or slop between the rake and the axle.  It could be to get lift off the axle so it does not rust freeze to the axle.  They turn with the axle and rake unlike the support bearings which are fixed but do wear probalby from small vibrations.  I can't remember an MTD rake rust frozen to it's axle.  They don't have zerks but it may be due to the fit between the rake and the axle with using these bearings.

What is a 'rake'?

I think the easy answer is to just find a bronze flanged sleeve bearing and replace it.  There should be one available in the exact same size.  If I really wanted to I could probably find a Flange mount ball bearing block that fits the outside of the auger shaft.  I would have to drill new mounting holes in the side of the bucket for mounting, but that wouldn't be a big deal. 

These are fairly modestly priced machines. This is apparently not a performance issue; as a wear issue, does it justify the effort and expense?

I like bronze for peple that don't take care of things .... Bronze doesn't rust and tear up the shaft...   For myself,  I like good sealed or with a grease zerk..

friiy

The bronze bearings are a drop-in $5 part.  I'm not sure of the labor, but it  doesn't appear to be ridiculous.