Anyone help with an old bush hog question?

Posted in Implement Alley, but haven't received a response. Hoping to get a better result here. Hoping someone might have a parts diagram they could share.

Restoring this old bush hog that has this gearbox on it. When I tore it apart I found a snap ring that had broke in two. It looks like whoever had been in it before me had used the snap ring as a spacer on the input shaft. When I pressed a new bearing on the shaft, there's a 3/32" gap between the bearing and the bottom of the snap ring groove.

My question is, should there be a spacer between the bearing and the groove, or should the spacer go between the gear and the bearing?
I've tried to find a parts diagram and had called Howse equipment three times with no success. Howse just puts me on hold until I give up. Mad

One picture shows the gap that will be there when it's assembled, and the other shows how the assembly actually goes together, with the bearing secured in the housing with a big snap ring, then the shaft goes through it and the smaller snap ring holds the gear/bearing/housing assembly together.
Any help deeply appreciated.
BillL

My answer is directed toward gear pattern accuracy. The bevel gear is pretty forgiving, but needs to have the teeth engaged for a small backlash in the area of
.006 to.008" of backlash. (a guess) the position of the bearing and shims between it and the gear are determining factors in this adjustment. That is the best I
have. Jim

Google "Howse Parts Diagram". If you know your model number they have their parts diagrams online. Don't know how many years they go back tho.

my guess is the bearing comes out toward the snap ring and shims between the gear and bearing to adjust the backlash

If it is a Bush Hog? you can go to their
website and download a parts diagram for
just about every model of machine they ever
built.
If it is a SOB (some other brand) it is not
a Bush Hog and you're on your own.

Why would you call Howse if its a bush hog??

First off this is a "Howse" brand rotary cutter. Not a "Bush Hog" brand rotary cutter.
You confuse people when you use others brand names as a generic name.

I am just guessing and may be wrong because you did not give us a model number.
So this is like trying to find parts and give advise on a "blue" car.
BUT...........

The bearing goes next to the snap ring. There is no reason to space <move in or out> the bearing.
So if the bearing goes where you have it pictured they would have just cut the grove over there.

I must be missing something because it looks like a bearing in the housing and then you put another bearing on the shaft.

I'm thinking the bearing gets pressed into the housing cover.
The shaft then gets pressed into the bearing and a snap ring goes on top to hold the shaft in.
Then the gear gets pressed on with another snap ring on the bottom.
This holds both the gear and bearing in place in relation to the housing cover.
The backlash is adjusted by adding more gaskets/spacers where the housing cover bolts to the housing.
At least that is how it works on the Howse gearbox in the picture below.
It may or may not be correct because this may or may not be your model.

OK, it is a rotary cutter. The only ID on the thing is "AGMO R45-312" cast into the gearbox housing. I read somewhere that Howse used these gearboxes. There are no other stampings, decals, or other markings anywhere on the deck. This thing is old, I inherited it along with the TO 20 and some other old, worn out implements from my late father in law.

The order of assembly is what john in la said, sorta. The bearing is pressed into the housing and held into the housing with a large snap ring on top of the bearing's outer race. Then a snap ring is installed on to the middle of the input shaft (Part E45 in John's drawing) the gear is slid on to the shaft (not pressed, it just slides on). The shaft/gear assembly is then pressed through the bearing and housing, and a snap ring is installed on the shaft to hold it all together (the other part E45).
The pictures showed a trial fitting of the assembly, not the way it's put together as a final assembly. When I took it apart, I found 1/2 of a snap ring laying in the housing with the other half stuck on the input shaft behind the front snap ring. It was apparently there to take up the space between the inner bearing race and the snap ring that holds the assembly together.
And that's why I have the questions that I have, should there be a spacer on the shaft between the bearing race and snap ring, or should the spacer go between the rear snap ring and the gear?
Looking at John's diagram, I believe part E44 is the spacer, now I just hope I can get someone at Howse to answer the phone so I can order it.
Thanks for the help, sorry for the long-winded post.
BillL

(quoted from post at 06:24:35 09/05/16) Why would you call Howse if its a bush hog??

Click to expand...

'Cause around here we call [u:163b536da3]all[/u:163b536da3] rotary cutters bush hogs. It's just a generic term. Sorry for the confusion.
BillL

Like I said before there is no reason to put a spacer on the shaft between the snap ring and bearing.
Just does not make sense. The world just cut the grove over a little. The only logical place to put the spacer is in-between the gear and bearing to take up space to separate the two parts.

I did not notice E-44 when I did the first post.
E-44 is a snap ring or what they are calling a retainer ring.
I would be willing to bet E-44 and E-45 are the same diameter for the shaft but have a different thickness.
E-45 are thick to hold up to use and E-44 is thinner because that much space is not needed.
Another possibility is E-45 fits on the shaft and E-44 fits in the housing.

So is there a grove in the shaft or housing where a snap ring would go between the two parts.
This would narrow down if it is a snap ring or just a spacer.

Either way you may be making this part.
When you do get in touch with Howse you may find that this box is so old they do not support it any longer as I can not find it in their parts listings.

And I will repeat.
The only logical place for a spacer is in-between the bearing and the gear.
If the spacer went on either end there would be no reason for it. Just move the snap ring grove.

You're right, E44 is the snap ring that holds the bearing in the housing. I painted it yellow in the picture. I guess I'll find some 3/32" material to make a spacer. There's no way that gear can float on the shaft that much without creating some kind of problem.
Thanks for the help!
BillL