Clearing a fire break and picked up some old fencing wire which is caught around left hand final drive output shaft. Small piece still caught between final drive housing and output shaft and seal is now leaking. I have looked at service manual which gives details of procedure for removal of output shaft and seal however it appears to be based on doing the work with the final drive assembly off the machine. Is it possible to successfully remove the shaft with the final drive still on the machine and if so what problems am I likely to encounter? (i.e. supporting or re-positioning final drive gear.)
Welcome to HEF Logbridge! Yes that job is possible without the removal of the final drive assembly. You will need to split the track & get it off the sprocket / raise the rear of the machine & support it safely / remove the sprocket. Next drain the oil & remove the sump. Can't recall if the rear belly plate needs to come off. Remove the axle shaft end cap & a 2 piece snap ring between the bull gear & the inner bearing - it is a PITA to deal with - support the bull gear with a bottle jack. Remove the retainer plate bolts & note the shim qty. Give the axle a couple of solid hits on the outside flange & the inner bearing cone should drop off & allow the axle to be withdrawn. Sometimes the duo cone seal has shrink wrap around it - be sure to remove this before installation. A good bearing supplier should be able to supply you a new seal - at a fraction of genuine cost.