This particular operation is often suggested to guys with certain clutch problems. Nobody said it was easy. In fact, the how-to says "This does take some time so be patient." Who designed the hand hole? Dooneese Maharelle? Every time I try to work through that hand hole, I start thinking that splitting the tractor isn't THAT difficult.
My go-around this week at this task had a couple bonus problems. There is a 1000 loader on the tractor so there is no way to see what is going on. It is all by touch. The other is that at least 2 of the 3 lock nuts had something applied to keep them in place. It may have been pipe dope. So if the nut was turned, the screw went with it. I finally completely unscrewed them to get the nuts free. Then the screws had to be put back in, not easy when you have to do it blind.
The next challenge is turning the screws to adjust them. I don't have much luck with a ratchet screwdriver. Mine is not the highest grade tool. Maybe the one in the how-to works a little better. Anyway, I finally decided I needed a different tool to turn the screw. After scrounging through my tool drawers, I finally decided to make one. (Maybe you can buy something like I made. If so, I don't have one.) I wanted something that will engage the screw's slot and also hold itself in place on the screw. The tool I made is the squarish thing in the middle of the picture. It was made from material that is about 3/64 thick (to fit the screw slots). The other dimensions are about 3/16 and a bit less than 3/8. The 3/8 dimension was ground down until it could be jammed into the business end of a 1/4 drive 6-point 5/16 socket. It ended up about 1/8 inch below the end of the socket. When put on a 1/4 inch ratchet handle, it mostly holds itself in place to turn the screw. The lock nuts had to be completely removed to use the tool. But having to put them on blind is a pretty minor trade off.
Even with this tool, doing the adjustment still isn't easy. But at least it is possible.
My go-around this week at this task had a couple bonus problems. There is a 1000 loader on the tractor so there is no way to see what is going on. It is all by touch. The other is that at least 2 of the 3 lock nuts had something applied to keep them in place. It may have been pipe dope. So if the nut was turned, the screw went with it. I finally completely unscrewed them to get the nuts free. Then the screws had to be put back in, not easy when you have to do it blind.
The next challenge is turning the screws to adjust them. I don't have much luck with a ratchet screwdriver. Mine is not the highest grade tool. Maybe the one in the how-to works a little better. Anyway, I finally decided I needed a different tool to turn the screw. After scrounging through my tool drawers, I finally decided to make one. (Maybe you can buy something like I made. If so, I don't have one.) I wanted something that will engage the screw's slot and also hold itself in place on the screw. The tool I made is the squarish thing in the middle of the picture. It was made from material that is about 3/64 thick (to fit the screw slots). The other dimensions are about 3/16 and a bit less than 3/8. The 3/8 dimension was ground down until it could be jammed into the business end of a 1/4 drive 6-point 5/16 socket. It ended up about 1/8 inch below the end of the socket. When put on a 1/4 inch ratchet handle, it mostly holds itself in place to turn the screw. The lock nuts had to be completely removed to use the tool. But having to put them on blind is a pretty minor trade off.
Even with this tool, doing the adjustment still isn't easy. But at least it is possible.
