Next, clean up the end of the axle, and remove the large ring clip from the axle end.
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Pull the axle out. Mine was tight...just put the castle nut on the end and light upward taps with a rubber mallet and it came out.
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Take the axle housing off...five bolts, and it it is loose.
Mark the location of the two long bolts at the front of the transaxle...they need to go back in their correct locations.
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The rest of the transaxle case bolts are the same length, go ahead and take them out. To get the case to separate, use a rubber mallet on the bottom of the governor shaft. To get it to come up straight, I bolted a box end wrench into the opposite end of the case using an axle housing bolt in one of the holes, simply lift up on the wrench while tapping the case with the rubber mallet and it comes apart.
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Set the top half of the case aside.
Now you have the gears exposed. Be careful not to let any debris into the differential as you aren't pulling everything apart like the manual says, so you won't be able to clean stuff if anything gets in there.
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