# John Deere GX0422X Snowblower Bearing



## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

I have a JD GX0422X snowblower I bought second hand. The auger is seized. Since I can’t spin it by hand, I can’t determine what the issue is. I began disassembling it this weekend but the worm drive bearing is frozen to the shaft. The bearing is semi-recessed at the back of the housing so I can’t get a bearing puller on it. I tried pulling it out from the front with a scissor jack but stopped when I felt I was putting too much tension on it. Anyone encounter this before? Is there a trick to this? (Ignore the bolt on the shaft. I put it back so I wouldn’t lose it)


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## Toon (May 11, 2021)

If you have access to a welder place three short tacks of weld on the inside race of the bearing 120 degrees apart, making sure not to weld the inner race to the shaft. The bearing should come off easily after that.

















If you are afraid of welding the bearing to the shaft, weld a couple or three bolt heads to the outer race face and then use a steering wheel style puller on the bolts. This picture shows the bolt heads welded to the inner race face, but you get the idea.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Am I missing something here .... it appears to me that the entire auger assembly would slide out at this point.

That would give you plenty room to rectify the situation.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

The bearing is seized onto the worm drive shaft The bearing needs to be pulled off since the housing is between the bearing and the auger. The problem is I can't pull the bearing off the end of the shaft. You are correct though, if the bearing is off, the auger assembly pulls right off.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

Oneacer said:


> Am I missing something here .... it appears to me that the entire auger assembly would slide out at this point.
> 
> That would give you plenty room to rectify the situation.


The bearing is seized onto the worm drive shaft The bearing needs to be pulled off since the housing is between the bearing and the auger. The problem is I can't pull the bearing off the end of the shaft. You are correct though, if the bearing is off, the auger assembly pulls right off.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

Toon said:


> If you have access to a welder place three short tacks of weld on the inside race of the bearing 120 degrees apart, making sure not to weld the inner race to the shaft. The bearing should come off easily after that.
> View attachment 198571
> 
> 
> ...


Stupid question, What does the small tacks do for answer #1? Is it the equivalent of super-heating the bearing or do I also need to tack bolts for a puller?


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

At first glance, I thought the opening in the bucket allowed for the auger assembly to just pull through from front but realize now what you are referring to .... you are saying the bucket itself is the other half of the bearing retainer.

If it was mine, I would probably just cut off the bearing, as a new bearing is not much. It probably could use a new one anyways, and this way, once the assembly is out, you can do whatever auger work is needed, and give you the opportunity to clean up that impeller shaft, add a dab of never-seize, etc., prior to installing new bearing.

edit: you might be able to remove the auger shaft bolts and slide the auger assembly back, with the impeller up against the bucket, ... this may give you enough room to get the bearing puller fingers behind it?


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

When using the word worm, you confused me ... that is the impeller shaft ... all the worm gears are up in the auger gearbox.


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

I'm not a Deere expert, but I believe if you remove the 3 nuts for the bearing flange, and then the 3 bolts on each side of the housing, the whole assembly should come out as one piece. That should make the bearing accessible, (unless deere made the bearing hole smaller than the bearing itself.)


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, it appears that they used the bucket itself as the other half of the bearing retainer.


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> edit: you might be able to remove the auger shaft bolts and slide the auger assembly back, with the impeller up against the bucket, ... this may give you enough room to get the bearing puller fingers behind it?


This might be the answer. Good one. It may even pull the shaft out....


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## Toon (May 11, 2021)

Once you have both sides of the auger shaft loose and if you are able to slide the auger shaft to one side you might be able to get a bearing splitter in behind the bearing. 









Then use a steering wheel style puller to pull the bearing off of the shaft.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

Oneacer said:


> At first glance, I thought the opening in the bucket allowed for the auger assembly to just pull through from front but realize now what you are referring to .... you are saying the bucket itself is the other half of the bearing retainer.
> 
> If it was mine, I would probably just cut off the bearing, as a new bearing is not much. It probably could use a new one anyways, and this way, once the assembly is out, you can do whatever auger work is needed, and give you the opportunity to clean up that impeller shaft, add a dab of never-seize, etc., prior to installing new bearing.
> 
> edit: you might be able to remove the auger shaft bolts and slide the auger assembly back, with the impeller up against the bucket, ... this may give you enough room to get the bearing puller fingers behind it?





Oneacer said:


> At first glance, I thought the opening in the bucket allowed for the auger assembly to just pull through from front but realize now what you are referring to .... you are saying the bucket itself is the other half of the bearing retainer.
> 
> If it was mine, I would probably just cut off the bearing, as a new bearing is not much. It probably could use a new one anyways, and this way, once the assembly is out, you can do whatever auger work is needed, and give you the opportunity to clean up that impeller shaft, add a dab of never-seize, etc., prior to installing new bearing.
> 
> edit: you might be able to remove the auger shaft bolts and slide the auger assembly back, with the impeller up against the bucket, ... this may give you enough room to get the bearing puller fingers behind it?


I removed the auger shaft bolts and the auger wouldn't budge in or out. Cutting the bearing is the nuclear option since it is a $100 bearing, I don't know if that is why it is seized and it just feels like there is something else keeping the auger assembly attached. But it sounds as though that is really the only next logical step.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

Oneacer said:


> When using the word worm, you confused me ... that is the impeller shaft ... all the worm gears are up in the auger gearbox.


New to the snow blower market. I'll get the terminology down. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the response.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

No way would I spend 100.00 for a bearing.... all I would need is the specs and would get one much cheaper locally ... probably Grainger's.


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## Toon (May 11, 2021)

cjsadera said:


> Stupid question, What does the small tacks do for answer #1? Is it the equivalent of super-heating the bearing or do I also need to tack bolts for a puller?


The tacks heat up the inner race, allow it to expand, and break the bond to the shaft. You will have to replace the bearing after this procedure, but after the tacks have been applied the bearing usually comes off easily. The bolts are used if the tacks fail to achieve good results or if you have better access to the outer race face.


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

I assume pounding the shaft out is wrong.


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## EntropyKnower (Aug 27, 2021)

What is the part number of the bearing? And how is the bearing mounted to the shaft? Edit: I mean are you sure the bearing is seized to the shaft and not intentionally mounted to the shaft? The part number would answer that question.


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## cjsadera (5 mo ago)

Closing the loop on this thread in the event someone may have the same issue some day. Tony from Chicago is correct. There is no mechanical fastening between the shaft and the bearing. I got a 3/8 #24 bolt and bottomed it out on the shaft so I wouldn't damage the threads. Heated it up, sprayed it with PB Blaster and hit the bolt head with a hammer. Slipped out. Not sure what's keeping the bearing in place but it doesn't matter, that bearing is still good. Thanks for the help everyone.


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