Mystery Part - Help!

[LaqueRatt]

Found this half ring thing lying on garage floor near where was working on the gear housing yesterday. Did it fall out??? Can't figure out where it goes. For '66 McCulloch 14.....maybe?

 

[brim_buster]

Its the retainer. You have 2 of them picture #2 is the other one in the middle

 

[LaqueRatt]

OK cool, I gotta go see if it will fit back in there. Sure glad I didn't lose it. It just sort of floats in there then and not attached in any way?

 

[brim_buster]

all the manual says is its a retainer

 

[LaqueRatt]

Thanks guys, I'm figuring it out. There is another one like it, but it's at the very top of the stack in pic #2 and hard to make out. The bottom seems identical except the retainer is missing. You can't really see it until you move some stuff around. I just don't get what holds it in place and also it sort of goes in at an angle. I'm quite sure I dislodged it by accident when I blew out the housing after a WD-40 douche to get rid of the sludgy stuff. Seems weird to me it's not really attached in any way. I guess the big gear in the tail section holds it in place, but I really don't see how.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Well crap. I now know where it goes, but don't know if can put it back without tearing into it. Guess I may be on my own here, but any ideas? It seems the two retainers each have two tabs that fit into a pair of flutes in the shaft. They are held in place by two washers that slide down over the pair. Can't seem to manipulate it all just right to have it slide together.

What all do I need to take apart to get the shaft to slide up or out?

Attaching a pic from the parts manual for reference. Retainers #31 need to fit nice and tight so that washers #32 and #33 can slide down and hold them in place. So tight, no room to work.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Finally got her back together, but I had to drop the gear box and shaft and get it on the bench. Man, this is one rough job getting those retainers back in where they belong.