[AJD] LA axles

[Howard Weeks]

A subject that I am very interested in!

Have been slowly restoring a 430 JD tricycle for some time now.
Recently, I got around to going after the seals and bearings in the rear
final drives.  Pulled one off, pulled the outer quill off along with the
inner bolt and big washer.  Expected the bull gear to come off with
a little help with a puller.  I have a rather large bar puller that would
not
move the bull gear.  I had attached it to the bull gear through the holes
provided.  Big puzzle about what to do at that point.  Took it to a fairly
large
local machine shop about three weeks ago to have them remove it. They
were confident that they could easily remove it.  As late as yesterday,
they still didn't have it off.  They are being a little tentative with it
because
they do not want to break or crack the housing.  At this point, I am not
sure that I am not going to get it back with the bull gear still on the
axle.

Don't see any good way to back up the bull gear so that it can be put on
press.

Talked to Melanie Sharp and she advised me to put big disposable bolt
in threads at inner end of axle and very carefully hit it a few times with a
big "hammer".
But one does not want to miss the bolt and hit the casting or it will be
busted.
The machine shop is supposed to try that - don't yet know if it worked or
not.

If I have to try it again, I am thinking about setting the final drive up on
some saw horses
so the inner end of the axle is pointing straight up,  mounting about 6' or
so of
3" PVC pipe on end over the inner end of the axle ( to use as hammer guide)
and dropping another old axle
down that pipe onto the disposable bolt. Maybe 15 - 20 inches of the old
axle.
Could put an eyebolt in the end of the old axle, attach a rope and pulley,
and use
like a pile driver.  I will either seperate them or bust something I guess.
I thought
about dropping the whole (hammer) axle down a 10 pipe but afraid that it
might go all
the way through if the bull gear does separate.

Anyone else had this problem?  What was your solution?  I thought about
using
torch to heat the bull gear hub but somewhat afraid that I might crack it
from the
uneven heat.

Any help or ideas will be appreciated!

Howard


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Boehm" <rustyacres at yahoo.com>
To: "Antique John Deere mailing list"
<antique-johndeere at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 11:43 PM
Subject: Re: [AJD] LA axles


> The rear axles should come out quite easily. The axle
> cover on the inner side of the final drive housing
> should be removed and there is a bolt on the inside
> end of the axle that must also be removed. Next, if
> you also remove the bolts on the outer quill for the
> axle, everything should be able to be pulled right
> apart. I've never had to beat one apart ( after 53 L
> series tractors parted).
>
> John Boehm
> Woodland, CA
> Visit my web site at http://vintagetractors.com
>
>
>
> --- TSmith1499 at aol.com wrote:
>
> > Okay this is my first total tear down and I am
> > having a hard time getting