usually a bearing burning up/seizing means internal lack of lubrication or case/race being damaged during installation...
Did you grease the replacement brgs by packing before assy or using grease gun before cutting grass (if zerks were there)?
no "framming" of brg during assembly?

(sorry - gotta ask) :)

The very first bearing I replaced, I did not pressure pack the bearing. Thats the reason I went ahead an tried replacing it a second time, and greased the bearings. I also sanded the inside of the housing with very fine sand paper to assure there weren't any burs the second time around.

I was thinking that the housing might be damaged, and it still may be, but the last time I replaced everything but the housing and housing and all on the other side. The side that still had the old housing was the one to seize again, but the brand new one felt very hot as well.

few more questions - when you replaced brgs, were they OEM parts or aftermarket generic?
when you had the quills assembled before installing back in deck, did the quill shaft turn freely/easily by hand? and was there any rumbling noise when the shaft(s) were being turned by hand?

Yea, I believe the brgs were aftermarket replacements. I got them from a local mower shop and they weren't in a Husky labeled box.

And yes they turned fine. The only thing I can think of that I hadn't mentioned was that I did have an issue with the blade bolt trying to back out after they were installed and blades engaged.

Now I'm wondering if there were shims/spacers that may have been burnt/disintegrated when that first bearing seized?

double post

This post was edited by pdlnole on Wed, Apr 24, 13 at 11:51

do you have (or have access to) a parts list with diagrams for that tractor/mower? If so, those pixs should answer just what goes into one of their quill assemblies (ie., shims, spacer, etc.)..
and - if those aftermarket brgs had a slightly thicker body, might cause an interference and subsequent heat meltdown (just speculating..)

After repeated premature failings of pacific rim bearings I limit my purchases to Timken, FAG, and SK bearings made in the US, GB, or Germany and have never had to replace one.

It sounds to me that the small spacer under the pulley may have been omitted. ??