Can't remove shear bolt yolk from mower input shaft

[brianb33]

The shear bolt broke on my rotary mower. I have replaced the bolt before and never had the problem I have now. The yolk will free spin around the mower shaft and slides up and down the shaft about 2/3 of the way before it stops. I can see what's left of the sheared-off bolt in the shaft and the ends are flush with the outside of the shaft. The yolk will slide forward enough to expose about half of the shear bolt but no more. I have beat on it with a small sledge hammer with no luck. I even chained the mower to a tree and tried to pull it off with a come-along attached to the tractor and only managed to break the come-along strap! Any idea what could possibly be blocking the yolk? The first picture shows the yolk all the way up against the gear box, the second picture shows how far the yolk will slide out before it stops. You can see part of the shear bolt in both views.

 

[whis]

you need to get shear bolt out then the yolk will come off. line hole in yolk up with shear bolt and knock it out

 

[brianb33]

Problem is the yolk will not slide out enough to line up the holes to allow me to knock it out. The second picture shows it as far out as it will go.

 

[DJ54]

It may help to clean the gunk out of those grooves, clean the shaft, and have a good look see. Enlarging the second picture, it appears the outside lip, of that front groove at the very top has been battered back a tad.

May need to take a flat file, and dress the end of the shaft, so as to let the yoke slip on forward.

 

[Winmac]

When the sear bolt failed it likely tore up the inside of the yoke, line up the bolt with its mating holes in the yoke and drive the remaining bits out, with a punch or old bolt. Yoke may still be stuck but you'll need to force it off a wedge between the gear box and yoke should do the trick