Mid-Mount Mower Deere 455 54 deck replacement how to transfer drive shaft

[rzcjqw]

I purchased a HD-54-LAWN deck in good shape, but it did not include the drive shaft.

The "clamp | Yoke" M117584 on the drive shaft looks like a solid chunk of steel with a 1/8th split halfway through and a set screw to tighten it.

What I can not figure out is how you release it? Removing the set screw was no problem, but the steel on either side of that split is almost half an inch thick. Just twisting with a screw driver is not going to cut it.
Is there a special tool needed to open up that gap? Using a cold chisel and just banging on it seems a little rough since the old gear box still appears to work OK.

 

[BleedingOrange]

I would put a wide heavy flat screwdriver blade in the split, and grab the shaft of the screwdriver with vice grips if a round shaft, or adjustable wrench, if the screwdriver has a square shaft.
Don,t bang on the shaft with a hammer, as you may damage the gear box.

 

[mfreund]

Try to pry against the old gear box. It should not hurt if you do not get carried away. Then use a soft (aluminum or brass) punch and drive the yoke off the shaft.

 

[rzcjqw]

Thanks for you replies. First I tried twisting the screwdriver blade and that mangled one cheap screwdriver and did not seem to make much progress.
Then I used two screwdrivers, prying down with one and up with the other holding pressure for a few minutes then switching hands. I did this for about 20 minutes and the gap did open up just a little but the clamp/yoke did not budge. I sprayed the gap with WD40 and left it over night. The next day I started wiggling the yoke and it moved a little, prying against the gear box the yoke slid off rather easily.

Now I am not sure that gap really needed to open very much at all, may have been the WD40 not the prying that did the job.

 

[lamanated]

you dont take that side off to remove the deck its the other side with the quick disconnect..

 

[mfreund]

you dont take that side off to remove the deck its the other side with the quick disconnect..

He needs to take the drive shaft off one deck and on to another. Not to take the deck off the tractor.

 

[mfreund]

Thanks for you replies. First I tried twisting the screwdriver blade and that mangled one cheap screwdriver and did not seem to make much progress.
Then I used two screwdrivers, prying down with one and up with the other holding pressure for a few minutes then switching hands. I did this for about 20 minutes and the gap did open up just a little but the clamp/yoke did not budge. I sprayed the gap with WD40 and left it over night. The next day I started wiggling the yoke and it moved a little, prying against the gear box the yoke slid off rather easily.

Now I am not sure that gap really needed to open very much at all, may have been the WD40 not the prying that did the job.

I put never seize on the gear box shaft when I reassembled mine.