Cub cadet zero turn hub removal

[heiner921]

Hopefully someone here can give me a a little insite on how to get this hub off so I can replace the axle seal.

I have a cubcadet z-force zero turn mower and need to remove the rear transaxle hub so I can replace the seal that is leaking. The transaxle is a hydro gear zt-2800. The hub is splines as well as a press fit to a tapered axle shaft. I tried using heat as well as a two jaw puller with no luck of removing the hub after many attempts and pulling from different areas until I pulled off the flanges and managed to break a flange with one of the wheel studs completely off. So now not only do I need to replace a wheel seal, I need to replace the hub.

Anyone have any tips to get this hub off?

 

[Jeeper]

Try a hub puller?

I have a zforce 44 so curious what happens here. Most things on those are serviceable but those hydro units are the exception.

 

[heiner921]

That's my next attempt. Hopefully I can find one at work. The specific one for this mower is $100 online. Pretty sure these are the original hubs and axle seals with 405 hours on it. The filters for each transaxle are rusty and probably never been changed. Ice only owned this for a year so doing all the servicing that it has been neglected of its life from previous owner

 

[heiner921]

Well 6 hours later I got one side off.

Since I had broken the one flange off I decided since it had to be replaced, I might as well try some tricks in my book to see what I could do to get it off. I did some quick looking online and found a picture of the actual puller and part number for it and at a price tag of $115, I was not about to buy it.

I put my fab skills to work to try to make my own puller based of the pic I found online.

Well, using my homemade puller I ended up breaking 2 more flanges off.

Well now, I thought I was really F@$&ED and wasn't sure what to do, then I remembered how I get stuck bearings off shafts by cutting a slice with a cutoff wheel in them and then using a chisel and a hammer to get the cut line to crack.

Walla! Worked like a champ and didnt wreck the shaft.

After a long stressful sunday, it's time for lots of cold beer.

 

[Jeeper]

Well 6 hours later I got one side off.

Since I had broken the one flange off I decided since it had to be replaced, I might as well try some tricks in my book to see what I could do to get it off. I did some quick looking online and found a picture of the actual puller and part number for it and at a price tag of $115, I was not about to buy it.

I put my fab skills to work to try to make my own puller based of the pic I found online.

Well, using my homemade puller I ended up breaking 2 more flanges off.

Well now, I thought I was really F@$&ED and wasn't sure what to do, then I remembered how I get stuck bearings off shafts by cutting a slice with a cutoff wheel in them and then using a chisel and a hammer to get the cut line to crack.

Walla! Worked like a champ and didnt wreck the shaft.

After a long stressful sunday, it's time for lots of cold beer.

Nice. Can you buy the new flanges for it?

 

[heiner921]

Yes. $50 was best deal I found

 

[bsaint]

If it was a bad flange I prob would've cut it off like a junk race.

Normally I'd use a split puller and a torch.

 

[Mbsk01]

On my zforce 50 I thought I had a wheel seal out. It turned out to be the filter for the hydrostat motor started leaking. I hope OP checked that first.

 

[heiner921]

Leak was definitely from the wheel seals on both sides. Had a nice drop from that area. Also after removing the wheels and giving an inspection, there were many cracks on the face of the seal and it was very brittle. However filters are being changed as well as they are still the originals I do believe. Reccomended to be changed at 300 hours and I'm over 400 currently. Also flushing the hydro oil best I can and adding with fresh new oil. 20w50 and about 7 qts and going through the purging procedure.

 

[rscottieb]

Where did you buy the replacement hub?

 

[heiner921]

Ebay. Ended up having to do both sides. So I had to buy two