How can I separate these two parts?

[g8erh8er]

I need to take the housing off this shaft because the o-ring that keeps the shaft from leaking isn't doing its job.

Gasket maker appears to be firmly holding the housing to the transmission. I've tried some whacks with a rubber mallet with no success. Maybe try a dead blow to kind of shock the housing loose?

Trouble is, with the shaft and two upper studs, the housing is pretty well captured with limited degrees of movement so I'm not sure that additional hammer blows will do any good.

 

[dstig1]

You can try a flat screwdriver, pounding it into the joint to crack it loose but you do risk damaging the seal surface. The 2 methods for this are either a jack screw or pry points. A jack screw would be if they left a threaded hole in the cover and as you drove a screw into it, it would apply pressure to separate the parts. Pry points are just leaving a slight gap in a corner so you can get a screwdriver in without risk of damaging anything. Why manufacturers don't put in pry points on these things is beyond me as it is super easy and sooo helpful...but these aren't going to help you.

This will: Get another long screw the same thread as the 2 lower ones. Ideally it will be long enough that the top of the head sits right about where the hole in the shifter shaft is. Screw it in a ways. Put a long screwdriver in the hole in the shaft and also on top of that long screw head. Now you can lever the shaft up to pop the cover. BUT the shaft may not move depending on how it is mounted so this may not work. You will need to look into the details of that shaft to see if it is possible. The principle remains the same but you may need to find something else to pull up on if the shaft is not viable. And in that, it does not look promising.

Hope this helps
Dave

 

[quicksandfarmer]

There is a tool called an "oil pan separator" that is made for taking apart pieces like that. Should cost $10-$15. If the gasket sealant is stubborn you may need heat to soften it.

Unless your whole tractor was put together that way, the sealant says someone was there before you. That may be why it's leaking now.

 

[g8erh8er]

You can try a flat screwdriver, pounding it into the joint to crack it loose but you do risk damaging the seal surface. The 2 methods for this are either a jack screw or pry points. A jack screw would be if they left a threaded hole in the cover and as you drove a screw into it, it would apply pressure to separate the parts. Pry points are just leaving a slight gap in a corner so you can get a screwdriver in without risk of damaging anything. Why manufacturers don't put in pry points on these things is beyond me as it is super easy and sooo helpful...but these aren't going to help you.

This will: Get another long screw the same thread as the 2 lower ones. Ideally it will be long enough that the top of the head sits right about where the hole in the shifter shaft is. Screw it in a ways. Put a long screwdriver in the hole in the shaft and also on top of that long screw head. Now you can lever the shaft up to pop the cover. BUT the shaft may not move depending on how it is mounted so this may not work. You will need to look into the details of that shaft to see if it is possible. The principle remains the same but you may need to find something else to pull up on if the shaft is not viable. And in that, it does not look promising.

Hope this helps
Dave

Thx for ideas Dave. I hadn't thought about pulling on the shaft itself and the housing coming along for the ride. But, as you stated, that only works if the shaft is capable of sliding out. It's not clear in the parts diagram how exactly it interacts with the 4x4 actuator, so it may slide right out, or have to be turned a certain way to come out. I'm hesitant to torque on that shaft without knowing the interface.

I tried inserting a razor blade in between the two parts and there is zero gap between them, so any method I use to work on the mating envelope of the components is likely to damage the face of one or the other. It may come to that though.

 

[AWSubie]

I would make some aluminum or brass shims to slowly separate the housing. Similar to the screwdriver method but more refined.

 

[dstig1]

Oil pan separator. Huh. Never heard of it. Learn something new every day...

 

[Captain Dirty]

You could try to soften the gasket/gasket sealant chemically with acetone or similar. It is difficult to force a razor blade, but you could pound on a putty knife or even a standard knife with less chance of damaging the mating surfaces than using a screwdriver. As the surfaces have a gasket, they do not have to be perfect.

 

[Thomas]

Maybe 1" putty knife hit with hammer get as much as you can to start than follow by chimes or screw driver...go slow.

 

[mrmikey]

Think I'd try the putty knife with a bit of heat on the gasket surfaces.............Mike

 

[CoyPatton]

Think I'd try the putty knife with a bit of heat on the gasket surfaces.............Mike

Heat the blade of the putty knife as well as the housing.

 

[MossRoad]

Oil pan separator. Huh. Never heard of it. Learn something new every day...

Me neither. Had to look it up.

 

[jaydee325]

I would not try and pull the shaft out of the housing until I fully understood how the shaft attaches to the lever or eccentric inside. The shaft shown in the parts schematic appears to have a grove in the housing end which could have a snap ring securing it. Look at the schematic for the parts inside the housing to see what is shown there. A service manual is a must in this situation IMHO!

If you do get the housing off, how are you going to capture the spring and detent ball? Best case they could just fall out on the floor, worst case they could fly into the housing. Now you're going fishing in the gear case for loose parts!

To get the housing loose, I'd try a stiff putty knife as wide as will fit. I'd grind the putty knife to a sharp edge with a fairly long angle to improve your chance for penetration. If the parts are steel, there should be minimal if no damage. If either part is aluminum, be very carfull!

 

[WranglerX]

Think I would try a razor blade first, maybe sharpened putty knife if razor blade does not work, try to get it perfectly between to flange and base and try tapping it in with light hammer blows.....

When its loose and off, you might want to make slight bevel on outer side of flange, so if in future you have to go in again (hopefully not) there is a slight crevasse to help locate tool....

Dale

 

[g8erh8er]

Success. I went with a square razor blade and slowly tapped it into the bottom edge. After a few good taps, and one broken blade, it finally gave way. The shaft and housing come out as one piece, as shown in the pics below. Last pic shows the o-ring I'm replacing.

Thx for all the suggestions everyone!

 

[skipmarcy]

Looks exactly like the 4x4 shift fork on my Mahindra 4110 I've replaced a couple of times over the years. That's why you GENTLY shift in & out of 4wd and go between forward & reverse to shift it. The tip of that fork rests in a groove on a gear that slides on a splined shaft to engage/disengage 4wd - no synchronizers or anything.

 

[Zebrafive]

It looks like the parts drawing has the ball and spring in the wrong order. I had wondered how that would work.

 

[rScotty]

Once the gasket maker seals the surfaces you are stuck. That's as good a reason as I know not to assemble with gasket maker until it is partly cured. Also, if using gasket maker put it on one surface only, the other surface gets a light coating of grease. Don't assemble until the gasket maker has skinned over - usually a hour or so will do that.

As for getting it apart when someone has done it the wrong way, I have been a mechanic for 60years and still don't have that answer. The good news is that you are dealing with a steel casting instead of an aluminum cover... so you will probably eventually get it apart.

I have an old (from my dad) putty knife with a 3 1/2" long by 1" wide flexible blade that comes to a sharp edge. A favorite tool. Very high quality hardened steel - but flexible and not even as thick as a razor blade. With a rawhide mallet, I can usually find a way to drive that blade between two cases. Once that happens you know you've won. Yes, there is always some damage, but the next gasket will fix that.

When you replace the O ring, be aware that only a few metric sizes actually cross over to our inch system. Best to stick with OEM. And that way you don't have to worry about fluid compatabiilty either. When you assemble the O ring, use whatever lube that it will be sealing with against. O ring materials are special, and some are peculiarly sensitive to certain greases and lubes.
good luck, go slow, be a craftsman....
rScotty

 

[Tony H]

Can you double nut the other two studs to take them out? Then do some more tapping. Honestly, I had a similar issue. Like you I was in fear of using a screwdriver to hit between the surfaces. I surrendered, and brought it to a dealer to ask what they do. They took it in the back, put a chisel on and whacked it. It popped quickly and only made a mark at the very end... The new gasket had plenty of surface to cover.

 

[Xfaxman]

It is apart.

Read post #14.

 

[BillKrohmer]

I need to take the housing off this shaft because the o-ring that keeps the shaft from leaking isn't doing its job.

Gasket maker appears to be firmly holding the housing to the transmission. I've tried some whacks with a rubber mallet with no success. Maybe try a dead blow to kind of shock the housing loose?

Trouble is, with the shaft and two upper studs, the housing is pretty well captured with limited degrees of movement so I'm not sure that additional hammer blows will do any good.

View attachment 695090 View attachment 695091

What is this off of? And what is the part called? tia.