Having a bit of trouble removing the primary shaft on my 500 !

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Having studied the manual I have put a spare 400 engine mounting shaft into the end of the primary gear shaft as its the same thread. I've fitted some washers & a big thick bracket so I can make in effect a sliding hammer arrangement to pull the main shaft & bearing out.

I have the bearing part way out but the starter gear is up against the casing so I do not want to use any more force at the risk of damaging the starter ring gear?

Is there an additional trick I need to employ to stop  the starter gear striking the casing?

[Nurse Julie]

Was there any rust at the other end of the shaft Ted?. If yes, you will have great difficulty getting the shaft through.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Was there any rust at the other end of the shaft Ted?. If yes, you will have great difficulty getting the shaft through.

No rust only really on the rear drive gear area.

With the aid of an old fashioned plumbers double ended tap holder (over 60 yrs old) I've managed to finally get the end bearing out - a tap with a very  long drift from the other side through the gap enabled me to tap the shaft that seemed stuck in the primary drive hub.
I was able to hold the starter gear away from the casing with the plumbers tool with one hand whillst using a sliding hammer type arrangement on the extractor bolt.
It has now let go and the casing have seperated easily without any added mallet work.


.60 yr old tool by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[Oddjob]

Best to use one of the footrest Ted, you just leave one on the bolt, fit the nut on the end and just slide the footrest back and too. Works a treat.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Best to use one of the footrest Ted, you just leave one on the bolt, fit the nut on the end and just slide the footrest back and too. Works a treat.

How does that stop the starter ring  being damaged when it is up against the casing?
Tbh I suspect the issue was the splines were stuck in the primary drive unit. The drift from the other end of the shaft seemed to be the clincher.

[Oddjob]

The hub remains stationary Ted, it’s the shaft that gets pulled out. Never damaged one yet just using a footrest as a slide hammer. Don’t forget you’re pulling the shaft out away from the starter gear so it’s the hub itself that will go up against the casing, I can usually pull them out by hand tbh.

The inside of an engine is usually so oily there is no rust unless water has got in with poor storage