Domush
Platinum Member
I am having some what I call extra noise from my final drive so if you end tearing yours down I will be watching how it all goes parts wise etc.
Car doc, I wouldn't worry about tearing into your final drive assembly. So far working on this tractor has been no more difficult than working on a typical lawn mower, just heavier. Yanmar really did their homework in making this thing easy to work on.
In a quick summary, this is how you remove the rear axles to access the final drive:
- Jack up the rear end using the the draw bar brackets as a lift point. This will cause the tractor to become tipsy.. don't worry.
- Remove the rear tire (this will shift the weight onto the opposing side, stabilizing the jack point)
- Remove the 7-8 bolts of the rear axle housing (whichever side you are removing)
- Place two of the long bolts you just removed into the holes which have rubber plugs in them (one top, one bottom)
- Screw the bolts in. This will help separate the axle housing, which is **** near crazy glued into place.
- Before you completely slide off the axle housing, place a winch or similar lift above the housing, as it weighs a lot (more than you can manage, I assure you)
- Strap one strap near the base of the housing (you will see divots where the strap should go) and another smaller strap holding the outside of the axle level with the inside housing.
- Slide off the housing and pivot in place in order to gain access to the final drive assembly. No need to lower onto the ground, as it should pivot in place quite easily.
That's it. Not very tough once you get things in place. The service manual recommends removing the brake, but I don't see why it is needed, as it didn't seem to hold anything together.
There may be a hydraulic thing or two in the way of removing the housing, which means it will also need removal. Mine has the PTO lift lever assembly blocking the path, which was easily removed via 3 bolts and a hydraulic intake line removal.
Good luck!