Done Yardman 995 - 999 Front PTO jackshaft's bearings? Hints?

Yardman999

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  • / Done Yardman 995 - 999 Front PTO jackshaft's bearings? Hints?
They've given up the ghost, so to say. I have new ones on the shelf, but don't have the old front one nor the jackshaft out yet. This front PTO also powers the mower deck.

I do have the rear bearing off (via the driveshaft's quick-release spring-fitting and the rear bearing's four-9/16 in.-bolt steel mounting plate.

The front bearing is the problem -- the splined jackshaft won't push forward out through it. I do have the two little front-bearing-retaining 1/2 in. bolts removed on via the two holes in the front, ~8 in. pot-metal pulley. I also have the snap ring off the shaft's front splines, but the pulley doesn't want to easily pull off via a two-toed puller hooked into the pulley's holes (and the pulley looks non-robust with its hub weakly factory-attached to the web of the pulley).

Does the pulley have to come off (e.g., is there a bearing or shaft retainer behind it), or should it and the shaft pull out the front?

Other hints on getting the jackshaft out without damaging anything but the old front bearing?

FYI -- This 999 was made for MTD by Kwik-Way/KW Manufacturing in ~1995.
 

bertsmobile1

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  • / Done Yardman 995 - 999 Front PTO jackshaft's bearings? Hints?
If that has not been off for 20 years it will be rusted solid to the shaft.
Heat & rust remover will be your best friend.
I use an air hammer on the shaft as 20,000 little taps a minute tend to do less damage than 1 band with a big hammer.
OTOH as all you need to do for now is remove the front bearing heat the bearing red hot then apply some penetrating fluid with a brush or trigger pack, not a spray can as singed eyebrows are so 80's now days.
You may need to do this several times
You can drill the rivets out of the bearing cage then remove the balls & outer race
Once the shaft is out press the pulley off, clean the splines then apply some molly slip, never sieze or similar.
 

Yardman999

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  • / Done Yardman 995 - 999 Front PTO jackshaft's bearings? Hints?
Maybe part #95 comes out from/by/via ... ???

Thanks -- some, but not awful rusting. Fortunately I store all of my equipment inside, and try not to mow when the grass is wet. One of the four lowest bolts (for the steel-plate mounting brackets) did resist too much and snapped, so I have another minor project to drill it out from the weld-on nut (to the frame) and extract the bolt's remains. Then a trip to the hardware store to get stainless steel bolts and nuts because ...

I will be taking it apart again, in the future. Removing the part #95 this early morning did successfully make the jackshaft come out the front, with the pulley still installed. Inspecting the now-accessible front bearing shows that it is still serviceable -- it has a snap ring too but I suspect, as you described above, it will require much work to get that bearing and/or pulley off. So ... with the grass needing mowing desparately, its going back in, with a new rear bearing only. Hopefully the front bearing will last at least until the mowing-season is over, and the replacement can be a wintertime project. :ashamed:

Thanks!
 

Yardman999

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  • / Done Yardman 995 - 999 Front PTO jackshaft's bearings? Hints?
Went back together well, and mowed smoothly. :thumbsup: On to the next project (non-tractor).
 
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