Parts Cleaning and Inspection

Important: Use the following appropriate safety equipment and procedures:
^ Wear safety glasses.
^ Wear safety shoes.
^ Wear solvent-proof gloves.
^ Keep the work area clean.
^ Keep the tools clean.
^ Clean the transaxle exterior before removing parts.
^ Do not use wipe cloths.
^ Do not use rags.
^ Do not use solvents on rubber seals.
^ Do not use solvents on plastic/PTFE thrust washers.
^ Use compressed air to blow out all passages.
^ Use fine wire to clean out small passages.
^ Handle the parts carefully to prevent damage.
^ Use transaxle fluid to lubricate all internal parts during the assembly procedures.
^ Always dip the threads of bolts, screws, or studs in transaxle fluid when installing into aluminum.
^ Always use a torque wrench for proper torque.
^ Use thread inserts to recondition damaged or stripped aluminum threads.
^ Replace all gaskets. Do not use gasket cement or sealers.
^ Replace all O-ring seals. Do not use gasket cement or sealers. Replace the plastic/PTFE seals only when necessary. Use the appropriate seal protector to install.
Replace the rubber seals only when necessary. Use the appropriate seal protector to install.
Inspect the manual linkage for the following conditions:
^ Inspect for wear at the pivoting points.
^ Inspect for bent links.
^ Inspect for broken links.
^ Inspect for bent rods.
^ Inspect for broken rods.
Inspect all the seals, the gaskets, the O-rings and the mating surfaces for the following conditions:
^ Inspect for nicks.
^ Inspect for cuts.
^ Inspect for damage.
Inspect the snap rings for the following conditions:
^ Inspect for expansion.
^ Inspect for compression.
^ Inspect for proper ring groove fit.
Inspect the bearings and the thrust surfaces for the following conditions:
^ Inspect for wear.
^ Inspect for scoring.
^ Inspect for pitting.