Rock Shaft Removal Advice Please - 1650
 

The previous owner of my 1650 broke a connector on the left side of the rock shaft hook-up for the mower deck cradle where the hitch pin goes in. He welded a washer on there, making it impossible to remove the subframe. I ground it off and got a new piece, but I can't get that rock shaft out. I've removed the three coil pins and the outside the frame arm, but the two arms inside the frame are giving me a hard time - and I am knocking the crap out of them with a sledge hammer. I thought about cutting the shaft in half with the plasma cutter, but I don't see any replacements available anywhere. Any advice from someone who has removed one of these shafts?

They can be a pain.

My best advice is to first get the tractor situated where you can really get to and work on the parts in question.

The holes in the shaft and the holes in the lift arms get little burrs on them and the burrs prevent the arms from sliding on the shaft.

You could try heat, but I personally have never had luck doing that in this application.

Put a bolt through one of the holes in a lift arm so that the lift arm won't spin on the shaft and secure that arm so that it or the shaft won't turn, then work the other arm back and forth so that it WILL spin back and forth, while moving it back and forth push it toward the middle.

Once you get one of the arms freed up enough to slide off to the side of the hole in the shaft, use a file or grinder to knock the burr off of the shaft.

Then do the other arm the same way.

The entire job will take A LOT of hammering and turning, but that is the only way I have ever had success getting the shaft out.

Just a note:

sand the rock shaft,remove what paint is on there,it helps if it is nice and clean and shiny.

i used my map gas torch and plenty of pb blaster.like lew said clean as much paint and rust off as you can to make things a bit easier. i used a right angle air tool with 2 inch roloc discs to remove the paint and rust. im sure a wire brush in a drill would work also. patience is key here.....

Got any pics? I haven't removed to rockshaft on any Cubs, but have fought with round balers, combines, and silage choppers that had shafts the don't like to move. Keep trying with your torch. That should work , just takes time and patience. Good luck!

the rockshaft in this 149 was so bent I had to cut it in three pieces to get it out. it's just 1" round steel the hard part is drilling the holes in the right place.

Its off! Thanks for the advice!
 

I ended up sanding the whole shaft smooth and shiny, used a lot of PB Blaster, and really big hammer, along with a 6" grade 8 bolt to pound out the shaft. Now I just have to remove the one from my parts tractor to get the lifting piece I needed that started this process. Thanks for all your help!

Mike

rockshaft removal
 

Sorry for reopening this thread, but can anyone tell me how you got to the spirol pins to beat them out on the 1650?