Help with first time opening chain chase

[herndonp]

Just double checking. Did you remove the c clip that was inside the retainer?

 

[Beartrap]

Yes

 

[pedros83]

You figure being submerged in gear oil constantly all the parts would move freely. I just looked at mine and it fell off lol. Weird

 

[Beartrap]

I should be able to thread the bolt partially in and then use a gear puller off of the bolt head right?

 

[jimbur]

Thats what i would try,and keep tapping as you apply pressure...

 

[Beartrap]

So after working on this for a while with an impact gun and gear puller, this is as far as I have got:

It appears to have moved, but is still completely stuck.

Does anyone have an idea what's going on? Out of spec part hammered on during assembly?

Not sure what I should do. If I get this apart and can put a new track on, putting these parts back together seems like it would be difficult and would just be an issue in the future.

 

[Sevey]

You are right. Something is not right. The whole thing should just slide off. Is there any way you can connect a slide hammer, and coax it off gently.

I pulled the PTO shaft assembly off my engine this summer with one (clutch side bearing of the 1049). With heat, from a heat gun and slide hammer, it jarred it enough so it would slide off.

If there is any corrosion in there, it would hold on to it something fierce. How the part would corrode is beyond me though. Your case looks pretty clean.

MS

 

[MrChetStuart]

This is from memory, so don't take it as fact, but I'm 99% sure you're barking up the wrong tree (and maybe even damaging some things along the way here). That bolt is, essentially, an assembly aide more than anything else. It doesn't bear any load, and while you do need to remove it to get all that stuff off the end of the drive shaft, that's the extent of its purpose. Furthermore, it threads into the end of the drive shaft itself, so pulling/impacting on it isn't helping you in the least (it is probably stretching the bolt and/or wrecking the threads in the end of the driveshaft), so I'd say stop what you're doing with regard to the bolt.

All of those parts are ultimately held on by the retainer (part #20), which is held in place more by the chaincase cover itself once everything is reassembled, than by that bolt. Lots of guys run without that bolt even installed, because it tends to break or loosen up easily. I ran without it for several seasons, made no difference at all.

My question to you is this; is the retainer (part #20) loose, or is that still firmly stuck to the drive shaft? I'm betting that is stuck on there really good, and you just misunderstood how all of that assembles and are trying to work with the bolt rather than that retainer. If that retainer hasn't budged since you got the chaincase apart, that's what you need to work on. Maybe some excess thread locker got between the retainer and the driveshaft (there is a decent gap between the end of the shaft & the retainer, but you never know what oozed where). Even though you said you already tried it, I'd apply heat to the retainer & gently tap as straight outward as you can manage, of course with that bolt removed entirely. Sometimes it helps to heat it up and give it a couple of good straight on hits first as well (like you're trying to pound it ON to the shaft, nice and straight), whatever breaks that hold.

Once you have success in getting it disassembled, obviously clean contact surfaces of those parts that were uncooperative, grease where appropriate when you reassemble, and as I previously mentioned, I think you're going to find that you stretched that assembly bolt quite a bit already, so you'll likely want to replace that with a new one. Use red/permanent thread locker on that bolt, otherwise it will almost certainly back out on you over time. Then if you need to disassemble in the future, remember to heat that bolt up good to break the thread locker before you try to loosen that bolt.

 

[Beartrap]

This is from memory, so don't take it as fact, but I'm 99% sure you're barking up the wrong tree (and maybe even damaging some things along the way here)...

Thanks for the help, but the issue is the retainer. Not the bolt. The bolt is fine, still threads easily. Nothing I have tried has broken the retainer free. As you can see in my last pic, I've pulled it out a bit with my gear puller, but it still completely stuck.

Not sure what the issue is.

 

[Beartrap]

So I've heated the retainer as much I've dared and my gear puller has failed to move the retainer any more. Each time I torque it, it pops off before moving the retainer any further. I'm using a 4"puller. I don't think a larger one will work any better because there isn't much to grip. I also don't know how much more force I could put on that bolt...

Is my only option to cut the retainer off and replace my driveshaft?

 

[hibshman25]

Drive shaft is not hollow. You could get a piece of rod and insert it into the driveshaft so it bottoms on shaft and you are not pressing against the threads.

When you applied heat are you just using a small propane one? Crank that puller tight then put some serious heat to it.

 

[MrChetStuart]

Thanks for the help, but the issue is the retainer. Not the bolt. The bolt is fine, still threads easily. Nothing I have tried has broken the retainer free. As you can see in my last pic, I've pulled it out a bit with my gear puller, but it still completely stuck.

Not sure what the issue is.

Gotcha, I understand what you're talking about now - misinterpreted the impact gun & puller comments. If you achieved some movement on the retainer, maybe spray some penetrating oil on the newly exposed area and tap the retainer back on if it will move that way, then use the puller again. If you can get the penetrant worked in by doing that a few times, maybe that would do the trick.

While it wouldn't be fun, I think you could probably cut the retailer off with a Dremel using a mini cut-off blade and not damage the drive shaft. You could cut the retainer lengthwise until you're close to the drive shaft (and just cut it right through toward the outside end where there's no drive shaft to hit), then use something to force that open just a bit, would likely pull off then. I did something similar on my truck this summer, cutting into a seized part until it was thinned enough in that area that the last bit of metal gave out with some prying , then it pulled off just like it should have without any damage to the other piece - just have to take it easy and remove small amounts of material when you think you're getting close. I'd probably hang tight for now and keep that option as a last resort though.

Not sure what else to say, maybe someone else will have more helpful insights. Good luck

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

When you applied heat are you just using a small propane one? Crank that puller tight then put some serious heat to it.

X2.

 

[Beartrap]

Heat and puller got the retainer off! Looks like corrosion/rust between the two parts.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Dr. FeeLGooD]

Woohoo!!! Happy day!