I350 Utility IPTO Disassembly Cleaning Questions

I've removed my 350 Utility's independent PTO brake bands to swap them for a better pair. I've followed the I&T manual through the process to the point that the creeper brake drum (360172R1) and both brake bands are removed. So far, so good.

Everything inside the housing is coated with about 1/64 inch of black tar-like stuff; I suppose maybe it's old lubricant mixed with brake band remains. It dissolves fairly easily with oven cleaner and lacquer thinner, but the problem is that the front brake drum (360169R11) is still installed and is smack-dab in the way; I'm having a hard time cleaning the inside of the PTO housing because I can't get my hands in there.

I'd like to remove the front drum to make it easier to clean the housing, and I'd also like to clean off the front of the drum. Unfortunately, right after describing the rear drum removal (with a puller), the I&T manual goes off on a tangent about pulling the entire PTO off the tractor for an overhaul. They never do mention whether the front drum is removable in the same manner as the rear drum.

So, at last, here are some questions:

1 - Can I remove the front drum by going at it gently with a puller, or will I break something because she's not designed that way? And if I do get the drum off, should I expect any trouble trying to get the sun and planetary gears to mesh during reassembly?

2 - If the front drum won't come off without disassembling the PTO, I don't think it's worth the trouble. In that case, should I use 10W detergent oil, change it frequently, and hope for the best -- or just ignore the whole thing and use straight 10W?

Any advice and comments are welcome. As always, thanks in advance.

Mark W. in MI

I use diesel all the time to clean housings out. Transmissions and front wheel steering sector and the like. I fill it up and run it around the back field for 20 minutes. Now I don't know what effect diesel would have on brake bands, so you may not want to try this, but it seems to work good.

Thanks for your reply to my PTO seal retainer question!

Devin

You're welcome, Devin, and thanks for your reply to my post.

By the way, the other night I did tap 7/16" X 14 threads in the bearing retainer holes. I used a Craftsman hand tap and just went at it carefully; didn't have to drill. It looks like it'll work great.

Mark W. in MI

Hello Mark, That sounds like a good idea to tap those holes and have something to pull on. I think I will drill and tap holes between those holes so there is sufficient surface behind to screw the bolts in to press it off "next time". I haven't gotten my seal retainer off yet. Are any grooves in the seal retainer and the case it bolts to? What I'm wondering is if the retainer will slide to the side if I hammer on it, or only rotate.

Thanks, Devin

Hi, Devin.

Both of my retainers (300U and 350U) are smooth on their mating surfaces. I haven't yet removed the old gaskets from the housings so I don't know about those surfaces, but I suppose it's irrelevant anyway as long as the retainer surface is smooth.

I just checked my 7/16-14 tap against the existing threaded (3/8, I believe) holes in the housing. It looks like the tap is big enough that it can't enter the 3/8 hole, so I would bet if you tapped one of the retainer holes with the 7/16 tap, the tap will loosen the retainer when it bottoms against the housing.

Mark W. in MI