mtd transaxle end play

[38racing]

I am putting my axle back together and I don't think I dropped any washers but maybe I did. I am wondering how much in/out play I should have on the axle. Seems to be a lot (yet to measure). On either side of the diff assembly there is a thick washer. On right side there is an additional thin washer. Issue I have is that on the ipl it shows a washer part 0445 on each side and the second right side list any of 4 washers .010,.020,.030 and .060. Problem is the .060 is the 0445 and I have one in a part bag and the washers on the transaxle are much thicker. I wonder if these 2 very thick (will measure) are not shown on ipl because they are part of the differential assembly. I have yet to measure the thinner washer on right side. I have 2 .060 and a .030 to work with. I cannot find anywhere what the end play should be though. Now as I write this I may actually be talking about the amount of side to side movement of the differential assembly itself. Going back out to check.

[38racing]

ok , looking at ipl these washers are between differential housing and the fixed axle bushing so they determine the differential side movement

[38racing]

So the large washer must be part of differential assembly as they are not really washers at 1/4" thick. So I had no .060 on left. On right I had .060 and a smaller one I measured at .013-.015. Since there are none listed at that thickness I guess it is a .020 worn down. If I put a .060 on left the differential won't fit in. So I replaced the .015 on the right with a .030.

[KE4AVB]

Which transaxle do you have? or at least what model mower are you working on?

You know I have a hard time seeing across the cable and phone lines.

[38racing]

Oops. My bad. It is a 1999 mtd single speed.

[KE4AVB]

Go to the downloads and download the MTD 700 series rider shop manual. In there you will find the single transaxle service info including the clearances.

For quick reference the side play is .010" - .080"

[38racing]

Go to the downloads and download the MTD 700 series rider shop manual. In there you will find the single transaxle service info including the clearances.

For quick reference the side play is .010" - .080"

will do although I thought I had searched it. Mine is a 600 series but they are similar.

[KE4AVB]

Yes they are basically the same tranny just different part versions. I use same service manual even for the Cub Cadets that I rebuild. The primary difference is the design of the drive shaft with its beveled gears and the forward/reverse clutch. Just remember those bronze bushing are keyed to the case and if in wrong will bind the shafts. Other than that I notice little difference between them; just use the parts from your versions IPL.

I think you will find that the 911-04091 driveshaft assembly will drop in without any problems and it solves most of the shifting and slippage problems.

[38racing]

Go to the downloads and download the MTD 700 series rider shop manual. In there you will find the single transaxle service info including the clearances.

For quick reference the side play is .010" - .080"

Turns out that I had looked at that manual but because unit is different I did not read down to those clearances. So I will push everything left and then push left axle back to right and measure how far right axle moves.
I did read the MTD note saying that there is no MTD part number for water and none is factory installed. I find it interesting that it calls for Durina grease still even though Shell no longer sells it. And the benelene is so pricey. I wish I had bought more Durina from the place that had it last year. Although I see part number does actually say benalene on lookup. And that 700 takes twice the amount as 600 unit.

[KE4AVB]

I did read the MTD note saying that there is no MTD part number for water and none is factory installed. I find it interesting that it calls for Durina grease still even though Shell no longer sells it. And the benelene is so pricey. I wish I had bought more Durina from the place that had it last year. Although I see part number does actually say benalene on lookup. And that 700 takes twice the amount as 600 unit.

I did read that too. I wonder if they were trying to be funny or there was actually techs asking the MTD part number for H2O.

As what manual calls for can change as sources change as you have already discover. Manuals don't get updated as well as they need to. Some things in them are even wrong at times because proof readers didn't do their job.

Here I have been using 00 Grease instead. I hadn't any complaints yet but I have only been using it for a few years now. At least any grease is better than no grease at all which is why I had to replace my right hand axle bushing on my personal mower. There was no grease at all on that side.

On those side clearances I would think would want to center it as close as you can but don't need to be perfect.