Recently purchased a used 48" deck for my 2001 GT225. It is the older style 48" with metal pulley covers - I think it came off a 90's LX100 series tractor. Cleaned it up, greased the spindles and checked the spindles for excessive play. Everything seemed OK, so I installed it on the tractor to make a test run. Started off fine, deck sounded good, ran a few passes on the lawn and then I started to get a metallic whine/scraping. Immediately disengaged the PTO and back to the garage.

Didn't see anything so I pulled the deck out and found the issue - the top flange or sheave nut was loose on the center spindle. I checked and greased all of the sprindles before I ran it. The two outside spindles were completely tight, no side to side or up/down motion other than smooth rotation. Center one had a slight up and down movement, but I thought that was just some wear.

I am a newbie to these decks - how do I put that spindle back together? I see torque specs for the blade bolt of 50 lb-ft, but nothing for the flange or sheave nut. I assume I have to hold the spindle stationary to get the torque on the flange nut? Can I work against the blade bolt (just thinking does righty tighty, left loosy allow for that on two ends of the spindle?). Now I thinking the up and down play was a loose flange nut, but if there is play once I'm done, should I look at replacing anything? Looks the bearings and spindle can be replaced on this deck without replacing the entire sprindle assembly?

Also, now that everything loose and I also need to get the blades sharpened, do the blades on these 48" decks go on in any particular position to each other or can they go on essentially random in position? I don't see anything in the operator's manual on position.

Thanks for any help.