New 3240 owner with stuck transaxle issue

[ol'George]

A couple of scoop shovels under the wheels sliding down the ramp ?
Remove 1 rear wheel, allowing the remaining one to roll ( spider action) and the axle flange will slide down a plank on the removed wheel side.
just remember you have no brakes.

[Oak]

Greg, I'm not 100% sure because I haven't pulled one apart yet but looking at the parts breakdown it looks like if you remove the hub the left side cover should be able to be removed. I'm thinking that the pump shouldn't have to be removed. Please take some pictures for us. Good luck!

[t6430gr]

I do have the service manual for this, so I think I'm in good shape in that respect. I believe that if I remove the wheels, the wheel 4 pronged hubs on each side, then the left side of the case should come off. Once that comes off, I'll need to remove the diff lock arm. Last, I think the diff assembly with both axle shafts should come out. That seems pretty straight forward. I just wanted to know about the pump as it might be easier to remove it now on the mower before I start chasing this thing across my garage floor!

As for getting this off my trailer without crushing one of my feet, I think I'll use a piece of plywood clamped to the trailer ramp, and lift the mower rear with the saddle floor jack and begin backing it off slowly with a come along attached to the front. Don't worry, I'll remember to hook the trailer to my truck first! I figured once I get the rear tires on the garage floor, I can basically pull the trailer out from under it. If I had some of those dollies that would help!

As far as pictures go, I'll definitely take some to post.

I'm still going back and forth with the probe camera idea. It's $80 and I would really hate to take this whole thing apart in vain! I can almost hear the chanting though from the members.

"Take it apart! Take it apart! Take it apart!" like little inquisitive minions dying to peek inside somewhere they've never seen. To bold go where nobody else has.... kinda like tractor trekies!

[Sam Mac]

Looking at the manual I have my bet is one of the 9/16" bolts that hold the diff together backed out and it is catching on the inside.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

Looking at the manual I have my bet is one of the 9/16" bolts that hold the diff together backed out and it is catching on the inside.

Think we are all there with ya Sam, especially with that model's reputation of doing that.
Now on with with the show, the suspense is unbearable Ha,LOL!

[t6430gr]

Sam, I'm also betting you're correct.

I went by the local Chinese tool outlet to look at their camera scope. Once I seen the diameter of the camera and the inflexibility of the camera shaft, I determined that their model wouldn't really work for this particular job. Justification for a new toy was lost.

So, I went home, ate my supper, and only got to spend about 1 1/2 hrs to work on it. First order was to clear a space to move the trailer partially out of the garage. The wife took my son to 4H shooting sports to fling some lead and took the dang Cherokee. So after tearing apart the garage looking for my hitch ball for the Impala, I finally remembered that I had it tucked away in the trunk. Must be Alzheimer's.

Anyway, I was able to pull the tractor off the trailer using my floor jack and moving one wheel chock against the front tires, moving it about 8 inches at a time so I wouldn't lose control and smash my foot. It was slow, but successful.

I intend on doing this process with as little effort as possible. I've detached the linkage and two hydraulic lines going to the charge pump. The drive shaft going to the engine is also loosened. I noticed that there is almost no clearance between the shaft and the attachment point where the plastic fan is. That tells me that I need to leave all bolts loose holding the rear transaxle assembly until this shaft is tightened when I reassemble everything. Otherwise I might add stress to the front hydraulic pump bearings. I also marked the positions of the bolt washers on the four bolts holding the axle to the frame in order to maintain this orientation when I put this back on. I don't want to screw with the alignment.

That's about where I stopped last night. I was going to try to remove one of the hubs, but I need to buy a 1 5/6" socket. Biggest I have is a 1 1/4". Just another excuse to buy more tools!

I was reviewing the cast transmission service manual, and I'm thinking I might need to remove the hydraulic pump now. Looking at the pictures, It appears that the 54T bevel gear will need to be removed at the same time the diff assembly comes out. This is because of the engagement orientation of the 60T spur gear to the output shaft. I guess I'll see if I can wiggle it passed the output shaft. If not, then I will have to remove the hydraulic pump because of the input pinion which drives the 54T bevel gear. The service manual simply states to use a soft mallet to remove the input pinion and bearing. I have this sinking feeling that this may not just fall out either.

Also, I'm just trying to think ahead some, but any ideas as to what might be best to seal the two cast iron axle halves together? I have some cork material that I can cut a gasket from, but that might add too much clearance to the internal shaft thrust bearings and washer surfaces. Any suggestions here? The service manual mentions Loctite sealer is used at the factory. Considering that this mower is 14 years old, this product may not be available. Also considering the necessity for a sealant to cure, I may not be mowing this weekend anyway. I'm praying I can squeeze past the output shaft!


I sure wish that Cub Cadet had put some kind of removable plate on these things!

[ol'George]

I use Yamabond or Hondabond on any mating gear cases.
And have for about as many years as they have been importing them mo'skkles into this country.
For good machined surfaces, it works very well.
I don't like silly cone in this application, it dissolves too easily.
There are other crank case type adhesives that work just as well.
I'm sure Harley Polaris etc etc all have equivalent.
I have never had a leak using them.
easily available @ any shop/dealer.
Newer thinking has gone away from costly gaskets and is assembly line friendly.

[Thumper807]

@t6430gr:
Afraid I too have the same problem as yours.... only my loose bolt came out the bottom of the cast iron transmission via the hole that it created as it got caught up in the gears. I have, in vain, been looking for a used replacement transmission locally. Best I could do is brand new at $1400 and just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on my old 3240. Having decided that, my plan is to rip into the transmission, probably start this weekend. I have never done any transmission work but I am pretty handy. You mentioned you have the service manual for the transmission. Do you mind sharing where you got that, seems a bit handy for my future endeavors

Anyway keep us posted on your progress and I might highjack this thread along the way to seek advice as well (if that is ok).

Thanks.

[Oak]

Here is the link to the manual. Lots of good stuff here.
http://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Cub-...epair-Manuals/

Now you guys got me thinking I need to pull mine and check it......maybe I'll see how difficult it looks first. Lots o pictures please.

[t6430gr]

Thanks for posting the link Oak. This is the same site I got the cast iron trans service manual. I think it is pretty well done.

I was only able to work on it for a short time last night, which drives me nuts! I stopped after work and picked up a 1 5/16" socket so I could remove the axle nuts that hold the four lug hubs to the axle shafts. After the nut was removed from each side, I was surprised that I didn't need to fight with the hubs. They came off nicely! I did put these nuts back on in order to protect the threads while I wrestle this around on my cement floor. So by now I had the body of the tractor supported, and there was nothing left to do before dropping it from the frame. As I supported it with the jack and began slowly lowering it, it became hung up on something. It seems I overlooked the axle lock cable!

I raised it back up and got that removed, and down came the transaxle. After plugging the two charge pump holes with cotton balls, I used compressed air to blow off the dirt and debris around the case bolts and mating surfaces. Next, I removed all of the case bolts from the perimeter of the case. This is where an air ratchet paid off. So many bolts!

Next, I tried to begin splitting the two halves. I think ol`George will need more popcorn because this may take awhile. It seems that Cub Cadet designed the case in such a way that there are no protrusions from the perimeter of the case to pry on or tap with a flat steel tool. NADA! I tried whacking on it some with a rubber mallet. It won't budge! There is just simply too much surface area being held together with the sealant. That's where my evening ended. I was eager to at least get a peak inside last night, so I was very disappointed.

Now I'm devising a plan to get this apart. I'm thinking about fabricating something that will allow me to be fixed against the two axle shaft holes and push against the axle shaft itself. This will provide a push/pull scenario that I'm hoping will break the bond with the seal. That is some good stuff! I have a feeling that getting this apart will take a majority of my evening today which really bums me out. It tends to tick me off when I work on things like this when companies engineer something without the ability to easily service it. I'm betting that the guys servicing these units are/were great at cussing.

God forgive me for the language that bounces around my head when working on this kind of thing. I do believe that a son-of-a- might have fallen out of my mouth yesterday! I made sure to sweep it up with the oil dry and misc. dirt on the floor.

I'll be sure to post pics once the case is cracked open.