ok i am having a bit of trouble. i can't get the stupid little pin out of the shaft. is there a trick to this that i am missing? i don't want to hit it too hard and hurt the gear box.... please help!

 

Wedge a piece of wood between the shaft and the frame, then you can hit it as hard as you want. No tricks, but if it doesn't want to come out one way, rotate the steering wheel half a turn and try knocking the pin out the other side.

 

im pretty sure the pin only comes out from one end as it is tappered so maybe your hitting the bigger end trying to force it out of the smaller hole. Take a look and see if this is correct.
good luck

 

Yeppers, I just put mine on and I had to rotate to the other side to get it out.

 

The easy way i do it, is get a air-hammer on it, it will pop right out. It takes all the cuss words out of the Job.

 

didn't have time to update earlier. i got it out.... took a while to find the correct size "punch" that would not flare the end but give me enough whack at it. anyways, it's all swapped out and man, there is a heck of a difference. no more slop!

 

Glad you got it worked out.