SERVICING THE PTO DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY

NOTE - Remove mower deck from tractor. Refer to Mower Deck Removal From Tractor section.

Remove the PTO drive shaft half that connects to the tractor mid PTO shaft and set it aside.

Disconnect second half of PTO Drive Shaft from the Gear Box input shaft and set it aside.

NOTICE - Access to a bench vise will ease service work. Make sure jaws in vise are protected such that no “metal on Metal” contact is made between jaws and drive shaft components.

TO DISASSEMBLE UNIVERSAL JOINT

1. Remove all external and internal snap rings.

2. Position joint in loose vice, strike top arm of unsupported yoke to drive the top cup up. Repeat on opposite side.

3. Grip loosened cup in vise, strike yoke arm to drive yoke off cup. Repeat on opposite cup.

4. Support cross in loose vise and stike yoke arm. Repeat Step 3 to remove remaining two cups.

5. Disconnect the rear half of the driveline from the tractor PTO shaft, slide it out of the front half and lay it aside.

6. Remove the fastener through the driveline yoke, the snap ring from the gearbox shaft, and remove the front half of the driveline from the mower.

7. Clamp the front half yoke securely in a bench vise with jaws that are lined with wood boards, brass or copper faces, etc. Remove the external snap ring from inside the sliding safety collar. Slide the collar and spring off of the yoke. THE LOCK BALLS WILL FALL OUT! Use care so they are not lost.

8. Tear down the remaining driveline as necessary. Lay the U-joints aside and wash all other parts in clean solvent. Inspect and replace the U-joints or any other item that is badly worn or damaged.

To Reassemble Universal Joint

1. Smear grease into bearings and check for dirt.

NOTICE - Make sure all needle bearings are seated properly.

2. Insert cup and cross. Drive in with spacer.

3. Insert snap ring.

4. Insert second cup and hold cross into cup. Drive cup flush with arm.

5. Drive cup down with spacer and insert snap ring.

6. To loosen cross, stroke yoke arm and check cross for free rotation.

7. Position second yoke on cross. Repeat Steps 2 to 6.

8. Grease kit after assembly is complete.

Use care when installing the U-joint bearing cups so the needle bearings remain in place. It is advisable to smear a light coating of heavy grease into the cups to help retain the needle bearings. If the bearing cup, on either side of the cross, will not go in enough for the snap rings to be installed, it usually indicates one or more needles fell and are in the bottom of the cup restricting installation.

NOTICE: There is a blind spline between the driveline halves. Align the two pinched male splines on the mower half of the driveline with the open female spline on the tractor half when sliding the shafts together. The female open spline is exactly 180 degrees around the shaft from the grease fitting.

Use a SAE multipurpose lithium base grease and lubricate all three grease fittings on the driveline before reinstallation.

Assemble drive shaft to mower deck gear box using hardware removed in an earlier step.

NOTICE: Make sure the sliding safety collar is securely locked to the tractor PTO shaft before attempting to operate the mower deck.