Rear axel housing R/R help

[ctpres]

Need to R/R Kubota 3400 HST rear axel housing due to crack. Have all bolts out and liquid/rubber gasket is not coming loose. How do I break it loose? Been about two months getting up enough nerve to do this project and now can't even get it apart! Assuming I can disassemble & reassemble without more questions, what do I use for the new seal between axel housing and rear end?

 

[sandman2234]

I think I would make sure I had the shop manual for that tractor, or at least a parts breakdown!
Good luck,
David from jax

 

[ctpres]

Do have parts man. with picture. Looks doable after I pass this point.

 

[wushaw]

Get ya a hammer and a paint scraper and tap the scraper in between the housing halves to break the sealant all around the housing halves till it lets go.

You can use any automotive high temp silicone type liquid gasket, it ain't no different than a differential cover on a car/pu.

 

[BTDT]

One more thing, it may have some alignment pins holding it in place. On some machines (Leroi air compressor comes to mind), the pin came through to the outside of housing, and you could hammer it in to get part off. Then you would drive it back out so you would have something to line up pieces going back together. Kind of the same thing with heads going on a block. Like Wushaw suggests, just try to get something in between parts to get them seperated, then watch out, because it may crash to the floor.

 

[RickB]

Put a couple bolts back in loosely so the assembly doesn't get away from you. Hit the top (edge) of the axle flange with a large hammer striking it between two lug bolt holes. Driving a chisel or gasket scraper between the mating surfaces risks damaging the machined mating areas. The gasket eliminator is glueing the axle housing to the rear axle center section. That and a couple dowel pins are all you are fighting.

 

[skipmarcy]

I agree with the others, a thin wedge of some sort and hammer, and try not to gouge the mating surfaces too much. If you do, you can always smooth it back up with a file or emery paper. Spray choke cleaner will soften most silicones used for gaskets but it will also remove paint and melt some plastics. You might spray some choke spray in a small jar or such and use an acid brush to soak the seam, might soften the silicone some to allow easier disassembly. Upon reassembly, I would clean the mating surfaces with the same choke spray or brake cleaner spray before applying the new silicone.

 

[BTDT]

Put a couple bolts back in loosely

This brought back another possibility, on some machines, and for example flywheels, they would have a couple of threaded holes that when you removed the bolts, you would screw a couple of them back into the threaded holes and evenly tighten them up and they would push the part off.

 

[ctpres]

Thanks guys. Old cheap (thin) putty knife was still to thick. Ground tip thinner with slight sharp edge and viola two parts, not one. Ok one more question. Bering that seats axel shaft in rear end does not have any visable means of holding it on, aslo IPB dosn't show anything. Is it ok to use pully puller?

 

[BTDT]

I think this is what you need.

BEARING SEPARATOR PULLER & GEAR PULLER SET : JC Whitney: Auto Parts & Accessories