Dismantling The Rear Axle Unit - Masport ROTARY MOWER Servicing Manual

2. Remove the screw holding the clutch cable thumb-wheel block
at the top of the handle. This will allow the wire to go slack. The
'Z' bend at the top of the clutch cable can then be disconnected
from the SP bail.
3. Turn the mower completely upside down.
4. While it is possible to remove the axle assembly with the wheels
attached, it is usually easier to remove them for ease of access.
To remove the wheels, lever off the hub caps, remove the retaining
nuts and washers and withdraw the wheels. Remove the plastic
dust covers from behind the wheels, noting the positions and
numbers of spacing washers each side of the covers for correct
re-assembly. NOTE ALSO THAT THESE COVERS ARE NOT
IDENTICAL. The left hand cover has an extra hole for clearance
on the connecting rod fastener.
5. Remove the gearbox cover plate on the rear face of the mower
housing.
6. Remove the cotter pin or push-on clip that secures the
connecting rod to the side plate of the rear axle assembly and
disconnect the rod from the assembly. Alternatively, if there is
insufficient room between the body and the rear side plate to
withdraw the connecting rod, disconnect the rod at the front of
the mower instead. In this case, the rod can then remain attached
to the rear axle assembly when it is removed from the mower.
7. Examine the mower to determine whether the axle assembly is
held in place by saddle clamps (screws into the housing walls)
or flanged steel cups (screws through the housing walls). Tip:
Sometimes access to the screws can be improved by moving the
axle to a different cutting height.
SADDLE CLAMP TYPE
STEEL CUP TYPE
8. Remove the gearbox clamp screw and the two screws at each
side of the mower that hold the axle assembly to the mower. To
get easier access to the fixing screws adjacent to the gearbox,
remove the pinion and pawl on the left side of the mower, and
then move the circlip (the one which is against the right shaft
ball race) along the shaft toward the gearbox. This will allow the
gearbox to move a little to the right. Take care not to over-stretch
the circlip, and remember 'right' and 'left' refer to the mower
when it is the right way up, as seen by the operator standing at
the handle.
9. There should be enough movement now available to slip the 'V'
belt off the gearbox pulley.
10. The whole rear axle assembly can now be removed from the
housing. Tip: The height adjuster lever will thrust the assembly to
one side. Keep this in mind while withdrawing the assembly.
11. After moving the assembly a short distance, further movement
will be prevented by the clutch operating cable attached to the
gearbox. To disconnect the cable, pull the outer sleeve out of
its socket on the gearbox, lift the cable wire up through the slot,
swing the cable clear of the gearbox and unhook the cable spring
from the clutch operating lever on the gearbox.
12. The rear axle assembly can now be lifted clear.

DISMANTLING THE REAR AXLE UNIT

This is necessary only when replacing a gearbox, shaft bearings or
circlips on the gearbox output shaft, pivot bushes or flanged steel
cups (some models only).
1. If the wheels and dust covers have not been removed, remove
them now, noting the positions and numbers of spacing washers
for the dust covers to ensure correct re-assembly. Also remove
the circlip, washer and pinion from each end of the shaft.
Withdraw the two pawls, and extract the plastic pinion cap
directly behind each pinion using long-nosed pliers. When re-
assembling, note that this cap has a larger diameter shoulder on
one side than the other. The larger diameter shoulder fits against
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