Split tractor

Hello Folks; I intend to split a "C" at the tranny and torque tube. This is a first for me and even though I have a nice repair manual I am not sure what happens with the clutch shaft. Will the shaft stay with the transmission when I separate the two halves? Thanks again to all for the advice and suggestions.

Yes, the pilot shaft will stay with the back half of the tractor.

BIG issue is adequate SAFE support so the tractor doesn't fall AND blocking at the front axle pivot so the engine etc. can't flop to the side.

Thanks Bob for that information and safety advice.

Yes it will slide out and stay with the back.
Before I got an engine hoist - I split a "B"
(same size)using an old screw type building jack and wooden blocks for the rear half for the front I used a set of baker staging with wheels on it = worked ok and was a safe way to do it.

Thank you Jim in MA. Sounds like a good way to do it.

Yes, it will. As Gene suggested last night, you'll have all the wiring, steering and other mechanical controls to undo. The clutch at the pedal linkage as I pointed out.

I don't know what you're working on that you need to split it where you are, and obviously have no idea what you have for workspace, but I'll offer one more suggestion in the interest of simplicity and safety, and not bustin' things up. That would be to have the two ends supported well, with one or both ends able to roll. When all the hindrances have been dealt with, roll one end or the other just enough to open that gap up to about eight inches. At that point, you can undo the four tapered bolts that connect the yokes on the shaft and the transmission and, as long as things are supported properly, they can be moved much more easily from there.

That'd be a a whole lot easier than trying to move them apart in a reasonably straight line for the three foor or more length of the torque tube just to draw the shaft out.

Definitely wedge the front axle as suggested. When I split the Loboy I did it twice. Once at the trans and once at the bell housing to replace the rear main seal. I've hit some good buys this year but one of the best was my engine hoist. In both cases I used the hoist to support the rear and move it away from the front. It takes more patience to rejoin a tractor than to split it and the hoist made it easier by allowing me to move it up and down.

Hey Dave H; Thanks for the information. I will be looking for a hoist.

Hello ScottyHOMEy; I am trying to get to the transmission oil seal where the tranny housing connects to the torque tube. I have an oil leak showing up at the hand hole for the clutch linkage. Thank you for the advice. Any other help is greatly appreciated.

Ayuh. In that case, it's a bit of a tossup as to where to split. As for the pics above -- the first is of the rear of my SuperC after a split behind the motor.

The second is of the front of the tranny on my BN. It was split into four sections at the time, so is not really relevant to what you're asking about, but is offered to show in open light what you are working on - the measurements are different, but I was replacing the same seal behind the yoke. I replaced the gasket under the cover over the end of the countershaft while I was at it.

For the job at hand, you'll definitely need to eventually split where you plan and, if you start there, I'd suggest that you get the long driveshaft off of that yoke as soon as possible just for ease and safety of movement in getting the two sections apart. It's a matter of two tapered bolts, one on each (shaft and tranny) end, two threaded fore, two aft.

With all the proper support (can't repeat that too much) you can take care of that seal.

Difficulty will be that, even with the minimum separation required to get wrenches in to get the connecting yoke apart, you will have extracted the driveshaft from the pilot bearing in the flywheel, and it can turn out to be next to impossible to get it lined back up in the process of remating the tranny case with the rear of the torque tube. That alignment/fit is much more readily done with a split at the front end of the torque tube.

I'll noodle on it some more, but at this point I'd suggest you think about laying out your job (including and especially the support works for the front end), to go ahead and split first behind the motor. Then remove the tank, steering and the clutch linkage from the pedal to be able to remove the torque tube to get at the front of the tranny.

Yes, a bit more effort on the front end, but a lot less exasperation in reassembly if you can put back the torque tube first, then line everything back up -- shaft into pilot bushing and splines through the clutch disc (which may take some up-and-down on the hoist and some side-to-side oomph, but with everything in line can be achieved easily with a last twist on the *engaged* PTO shaft).

In the end less time and aggravation.

Hello Scotty; Thank you for the information and the photos. The photos have just helped me greatly. Thank you!!!!

You're welcome.

Start a new thread as you go along and let us know how you're making out.

Good luck and happy wrenching!