Seriously? I didn't realize one had to already be an expert on all things mechanical before posting here. I have never had one of these engines out, knew absolutely nothing about HOW they come in or out prior to discussing all this recently, so...how about a 'fair crack of the whip'?
I am not trying to be an A'hole or even to deride you or your opinions.
This is an open public forum and everyone's opinions are welcomed.
I am sure CPURVIS fees duely complimented by your admiration of his feat.
And had you left it there there would have been no reason for any further comment.
however as you have done, many others come here looking for answers and they expect to see things that are correct.
Thus a statement that the engine can fall on the ground needs to be corrected.
If not for the benefit of you then for the benefit of others who will read this thread in the future.
Now in both this thread and the similar one you are running in the Cub Cadet sub section you claim to had this mower for 47 ears and you have done nearly all of the work on it .
Thus by now you should have noticed the engine sitting on the floor with the ends of the bolts poking up through the engine mounting plates.
When you first posted your post was taken as being genuine, as most are, however the longer it runs the more suspect it appears to become.
The 129's run a single cylinder horizontal crank engine that slides right off the mower floor the single drive shaft that goes back to the tranny sis clearly visible and you should have seen it because over the 47 years you have owned it you should have been greasing the universal joint or by now it will have packed it in.
\So you should be well aware that there is nothing connected to the engine but the drive shaft at the back , the PTO pulley at the front and the engine control wires.
I find it a touch too hard to believe that you are still running the original PTO belts.
Now we do get a few poor souls with nothing better to do with their time but come on here with pretend problems either because they are lonely or they get their jollies by trying to fool good natured people who try to help others.
The longer these two thread runs the more I feel you are the latter.
Thus my time of attempting to offer useful advice is over, however I will step in to correct things which are factually wrong because it is very important that specialty forums like this one spread correct information.