550 PTO clutch repair help

OH-Deere

New User
I am working or replacing the pro clutch discs and seals of a 550. I have split the tractor and remove all the pto parts down to the spider hub and dreaded spanner nut. This is where I am having my problem. How do I get the spanner nut off?

I have tried the following: beating the nut with a hammer and wedge; using a pipe wrench on a spanner wrench made out of 2" pipe with 4 tabs welded to the end; added a impact socket to the end of my spanner wrench to use a impact gun; and generally just heating, beating, cursing and repeating. All to no avail. Any other suggestions?

A couple of things I have noticed. To keep the hub from turning, I have been using a scratch awl to put in a hole on the outside of the hub. At least until I sheared off the awl will trying to turn the my spanner wrench with the pipe wrench. How should I keep the spider hub from turning while trying to remove the nut? Second I have been using a propane torch to heat the nut, so far it is not helping. I read where one guy used MAP gas. What are your feelings on using MAP gas? Finally, if I destroy the spanner nut, can I get a replacement?

Thanks
 
I think there is a lock tab at a location on the outside of the nut, did you remember to remove it? Perhaps someone else can chime in.
 
maybe this will help
a164752.jpg
 
I agree. On mine you can reach in from the bottom push in the spring loaded tab and turn that big nut pretty easily. Maybe by hand.
Josh
 
Should not be that hard to remove. Maybe when the nut was staked
it was overdone. See if you can see where it is staked and remove it
with a punch or chisel. Mine was nowhere nearly as difficult to
remove as you mention.
 

The nut I am talking about is shown on the left in the picture. It holds the large hub in the middle of the picture and is behind the clutch disc shown on the right.


mvphoto9836.jpg


I think the nut you are talking about is the adjustment nut which can also be seen on the right of the picture. I was able to get this one off with no problems.

The manual I have did not say anything about staking. How would I go about removing the stake?
 

The nut I am talking about is shown on the left in the picture. It holds the large hub in the middle of the picture and is behind the clutch disc shown on the right.


mvphoto9836.jpg


I think the nut you are talking about is the adjustment nut which can also be seen on the right of the picture. I was able to get this one off with no problems.

The manual I have did not say anything about staking. How would I go about removing the stake?
 
Staking that nut is done by taking a punch and driving a indention in the nut where it aligns over the grove on the shaft. this causes the nut to act as a lock nut. You can remove that indention with a chisel or some other sharp tool. Kent Gordon will have that nut. P.S. can't remember if that nut is a left hand thread or not.
 
I use a 1/8 drill bit & drill out the stakes---Be careful not to damage the counter shaft---HTH
Kent Gordon
Palestine, TX
 
Can you see where it was staked? It is staked at the factory and if
anyone else had it apart should have staked it. They just take a
punch and push the threads of the nut against the threads of the
shaft. If you can see it, that a long round punch and try to hit them
pack into place. If you can't punch them back, maybe a die grinder
but be careful to threads.
 

I finally managed to remove the spanner nut holding the spider hub. :D It turns out what I needed was more power. I borrowed a 3/4" impact gun from a mechanic and within about 3 hits it had the nut loose.

Thank to everyone that responded to help. :D
 

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