How to remove wheel mounting flange? JD 68 RER

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jeffersonmueller

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Hey everyone! I've apparently got a key or more that has slipped on my old JD 68 RER. I'd like to get it back in action, but I don't know the proper way to remove the wheel mounting flange from the right rear wheel so that I can remove the chaincase cover entirely to work on the area. Do you know? Please help!

Thanks for your time!

JEff
 
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motoman

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reynoldston

reynoldston

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Model 68 John Deere, As I recall its just a key that drives the rear wheels, Can the wheels be rusted onto the axle? other then that they should just slide off. That model 68 is a old timer and its been some time since I have had the rear wheels off one. As I recall it seems like the differential has a hollow tube to one rear wheel and a solid axle to the other but as I said its been some time back. It has a chain drive that go's from the transmission to the rear axle inside a housing, and that chain can also give problems.
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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reynoldston said:
Model 68 John Deere, As I recall its just a key that drives the rear wheels, Can the wheels be rusted onto the axle? other then that they should just slide off. That model 68 is a old timer and its been some time since I have had the rear wheels off one. As I recall it seems like the differential has a hollow tube to one rear wheel and a solid axle to the other but as I said its been some time back. It has a chain drive that go's from the transmission to the rear axle inside a housing, and that chain can also give problems.
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As I was looking at the parts picture its coming back to me. The wheels bolt to a flange. I was right about the hollow tube to the one wheel with the solid rod that drives it. So to remove that wheel flange its unfastens from the other side. I have had a few of them old 68's apart but the memory isn't that good anymore. As I recall it has a chain drive that has a spring loaded plastic chain tighter that wears out. Best of luck if you need any parts for this model 68 mower because they are getting hard to find.
 
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jeffersonmueller

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Sounds like you are thinking of the right mower. My plastic chain tighteners seem fine, all well with the chain drive. It was working fine one day and I stopped to do something, then hopped back on and it wouldn't move. Motor still runs, still drives the blade, but didn't go forward or reverse. I've pulled the right rear wheel and opened up the chain-case to inspect it, all looks well there. I can hand drive the rear axle by the flange (or other wheel) and Neutral always pulls the chain, and the other gears SOMETIMES lock up like they should but just as often slip. When it slips, I can hear a popping noise in the transmission box. I've not opened the transmission yet. I only occasionally get any time to look at it. Love the thing when its working, though!

photo.JPGimage.jpeg
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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The model 68 was a popular mower in its day around here. I still have a model 68 at my camp but it isn't ever used much anymore. They don't turn very sharp so if you have a lot of tight turns it just takes a little more work and also its getting hard to find parts for them anymore. One of the problems with them was that the engine is very enclosed and they did tend to over heat on a hot day. I see they opened them up a lot more on the newer models. They do a very find job of mowing.
 
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jeffersonmueller

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Well, I found the pin in the axle and separated the parts. Haven't figured out what's going wrong yet, though. It seems the gearbox and chain-drive sprocket are in fine shape, but something is apparently sloppy in the differential - or perhaps there's more to the axle system than I've found. I've only found 1 pin for separating the inner rod from the left wheel, but when attempting to put the right wheel back on I saw that the rod was moveable in the flange - protruding at on point. I've not yet figured out how to secure it to the wheel. Any insight? It appears there may be another pin - and its possible that this pin had slipped, and the axle was separating, causing the lack of drive. However, I've not found it yet. Its dark now.jd68axledifferential.gif
 
reynoldston

reynoldston

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I am going back a few years but as I recall John Deere made a design change in that axle. Maybe you could go to a John Deere dealer and they might have that information for you. I am going back like 30 years.
 
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jeffersonmueller

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I went out with a headlamp and found the end pin on the rod - turns out it was supposed to be a cotter key, but at some point had been either sheared off or replaced with a smaller pin. I hammered it out and will replace it today. I think the wheel was just slipping off slowly! I'll report back as soon as i can address it!
 
reynoldston

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John Deere model 68 rear engine mower. They made them from 1975 to 1983. They had two different mower decks two blade 34in or 30in single blade. I only ones I have ever come across had a 8 HP Briggs but I guess they also came with a Tecumseh. They did a good job of cutting grass but didn't turn very sharp. You are talking about a 40 year old mower so don't expect to find OEM parts for them anymore.
 
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