450B pinion shaft

[np205]

Decided to replace long needed steering clutches/brakes on both sides

Everything on left side was frozen or rusted.
Had to massage the little pins, cotter keys and other small parts to get them out.

Took a lot of time so as not to damage anything.

Got down to removing pinion shaft.
Took out pinion set screw as described in JD service manual.

Bumped it a few times with slide hammer. By the way, thread in pinion is 7/16"- 14.

Pinion shaft came out with no problem so far and then would not budge.

Exploded view in service manual does not show a snap ring on end of this shaft.

Didn't force, but a few last bumps with slide hammer will not move it the last part of the way out.

I can push it back in and it wiggles free.
Just won't come all the way out.


Here is a picture of where it stopped moving.

Scroll to bottom of page for photo of pinion shaft.
http://www.pigwerks.net/project4.htm

Anybody had this problem?

[jtrichard]

push everything back in and squirt some WD40 or equivalent in the set screw hole and work it back and forth a few times it should come out then..... ( did you read crawler123s post on rebuilding the clutches?)

[np205]

Had already lubed up splines before starting.

Bashed on it again with slide hammer today for about 15 minutes.
Pinion splines freely wiggle back and forth, up and down a little in clutch basket.

Can slide pinion shaft back and forth by hand in clutch basket.
Gets so far out and stops hard against something.

The manual shows no snap ring on pinion shaft, but this feels just like a piece that is captured by a shoulder bolt or snap ring.
Maybe its rusted bad right at back of splines.

When smacking slide hammer weight, it hurts even with a heavy glove on because pinion shaft stops so hard against something.

Will get 10 lb weight tomorrow for slide hammer.
Mine is 2lb. which should be more than sufficient.

Eventually, something will break or come loose.

[jtrichard]

Did you take the set screw all the way out?

[np205]

Set screw/locknut were removed and splines were soaked with PB Blaster before before starting.

Clutch basket is suspended by lift with no pressure so pinion shaft is free to float.

The pinion shaft splines (male) move freely by hand in and out of the clutch basket splines (female) until the shaft is extracted to a certain point. It stops dead and very hard at that point.

There is a radial groove in the pinion shaft for the set screw.

Can see the radial groove moving freely back and forth away from and toward clutch basket when moving pinion shaft by hand.

Either the end of shaft has been hammered by another component or it has a serious buildup of rust and corrosion.

Will see what the 10 lb slide hammer weight does.

[np205]

Used an old bush hog blade carrier for weight on a home made slide hammer.

About 15 lbs and 26" in diameter.

Two whacks and pinion shaft came out.
Classic case of using a bigger hammer...