A Comprehensive Guide to Rough Unit Maintenance

A major focus this winter has been the rough units; by removing each cutting deck, every moving part is inspected for "play" or internal looseness. Specifically, any up-and-down movement in the rollers and blades indicates blown bearings, which eventually leads to an uneven cut height and structural damage.

By identifying these issues now, our team is replacing small bearings and seals over the winter rather than facing the high costs of replacing entire main shafts, axles, or frames during the busy season. This proactive approach ensures a consistent quality of cut while protecting expensive equipment from preventable, long-term damage.

Each deck contains:

The main spindle hub in which the blade spins. The inner parts are removed, cleaned up, and reinstalled with two new bearings and two new seals. This is when we grind the blade for nice sharp cuts on our grass.

Two front donut rollers. These have one sealed bearing on either end and a bolt holding the roller in place.

The rear roller has a bearing and two seals on either end that get replaced. We had to rebuild 11 out of 13 of these rear rollers this winter.

The shoes holding each roller get cleaned up from all the rust they hold and, where needed, new protective guards get replaced.

The decks get power-washed, and we grind all the rust off. Some of these decks sit so low to the ground that it is almost impossible for our operators to wash 100% clean at the end of each day.

The bushings carrying the mowing deck are all homemade plastic bushings that wear out in one season.

This example is of one single cutting deck. We have 13 decks in total that we repeat this process for—and this is just to cut rough.

We have six tee/green mowers, three fairway units, a sprayer, and a bunker machine that take the same degree of attention. Not to mention all our utility vehicles, tractors, and implements.

The Effort: It takes time and effort… bashing bushings and bearings in and out is no easy task.

The Long-term Benefit: Maintaining these parts will result in quality cuts on our turf.

Sincerely,

Christine Kumagai

Golf Course Superintendent