Mower PTO shaft won't come off

[jimjumper]

I broke a couple u-joint bearings on my mower PTO shaft. Thought it would be more convenient to just replace the shaft but I cannot figure out how to remove the old shaft from the mower. I assumed that removing the shear bolt and the retaining ring would allow it to slide off but thats not the case. With a big pry bar I can move it backward and forward about 1/2" each direction but it won't slide off the mower transmission shaft. Am I missing something?

 

[jaxs]

With a big pry bar I can move it backward and forward about 1/2" each direction but it won't slide off the mower transmission shaft. Am I missing something?

Evidently you are missing something.
Will the pto shaft freely rotate on the gearbox shaft?
Did you remove the horseshoe clip from gearbox shaft that prevents pto shaft separating when a pin is sheared?
Disconnect tractor end of pto shaft then use shaft for a better handhold for pulling.

 

[pmsmechanic]

On my JD 506 mower you remove the grease zerk and fish out the ball bearings in the grove one by one with a magnet till you can remove the shaft. You might have a similar interesting arrangement.

 

[jimjumper]

Evidently you are missing something.
Will the pto shaft freely rotate on the gearbox shaft?
Did you remove the horseshoe clip from gearbox shaft that prevents pto shaft separating when a pin is sheared?
Disconnect tractor end of pto shaft then use shaft for a better handhold for pulling.

I removed what I believe to be the clip. It was a ring in a groove before the end of the mower shaft. The PTO shaft will turn on the transmission shaft but not freely. It takes a pry bar leverage to get it to turn. I've had it soaking in PB Blaster overnight but it seems to get right to the end of the shaft and then stop like there is a locking ring I'm missing?

 

[gstrom99]

Is the end of the shaft mushroomed out?

 

[jaxs]

I removed what I believe to be the clip. It was a ring in a groove before the end of the mower shaft. The PTO shaft will turn on the transmission shaft but not freely. It takes a pry bar leverage to get it to turn. I've had it soaking in PB Blaster overnight but it seems to get right to the end of the shaft and then stop like there is a locking ring I'm missing?

Go ahead and disconnect from tractor. With catastrophic failure of u-joint, the shaft may have bent causing it to no longer telescope in and out (collapse while pulling away from gearbox).

 

[jimjumper]

I've made progress! After soaking in PB Blaster I managed to move it down the shaft enough to see the edge of the mower shaft shear bolt hole. I then hammered a small pry bar with a pointed end into the hole and forced the PTO collar down the shaft about 1/2-3/4". I need to get it about 3/4" more for it to come off the shaft. Soaking it again tonight and I'll probably heat it up tomorrow to get it the rest of the way off. Should be interesting getting the new one on...

 

[Gregster613]

I don't know because I'm not there, but it sounds like it would have been easiest to just change the shear pin and keep on mowing!

 

[jimjumper]

If the shear pin was what broke I would have. U-joints at the tractor was what broke and bent too far to be replaceable.

 

[ruffdog]

Sometimes that connection point can get rusted up bad. Then, when the shear pin breaks, some galling can happen so it makes matters worse. This is why I use marine grease on that connection when the mower is new.