Hello from Wales

[JamesTE]

Hello All

I have owned my Cub Cadet 100 for about 50 years. When I bought the Cub, it had just been fitted with a new Kohler engine, model K181T. Since I have owned the Cub, it has been in everyday use on my 25 acre estate.

I rebuilt it entirely in 2008, stripping it down completely including engine and gearbox. All painted parts were blast cleaned and powder coated. The engine was rebuilt with oversize piston, new big end bearings, new valves and guides, new carb, etc. The gearbox needed no attention as every component was still in very serviceable condition. When reassembling the machine every nut and bolt was replaced with stainless.

I have recently stripped down the LH rear axle to replace a leaking seal. I have discovered that the inner sleeve of the needle roller bearing is very worn and this is probably why the seal is leaking. I would like to remove the sleeve and fit a new one if available, with a new needle roller bearing in the axle case. If I cannot get a new inner sleeve I would probably machine one from oilite bronze.

However to replace the sleeve the wheel plate has to come off the axle. I had assumed that if I machined away the weld on the outer face of the axle wheel plate that I could press out the axle from the plate. I have made an initial attempt at this but so far the axle will not come out. See photo of machined wheel plate.

Has anybody got any experience with what I am trying to do, or is this a dead end?

I have looked online for a replacement second hand axle (coarse splines), but nothing is available.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Best wished, James.