720 JD gas question

[Tim SD]

I have a 720 gas and am working on it and do not have much experiance in this area please help if you dn the left side of the 720 where the hydrolic engage box is next to the govonor housing,there is what apears to be a soft plug and then below that is a round shaft about an inch in cir.It has a grove around the end.I have a slow leak around this shaft,it look's like somebody heated this area with a torch at one time.Does anyone know what exactly this shaft is for and is there a seal or O ring on the back side of it and if so is it hard to fix this leak?The shaft itself has a little movement to it back and forth.Any insight would be apprieciated.Thank you
Tim

 

[Mike M]

There is an o-ring that seals it. The heating may be ? from the gear getting hot on that shaft cause they don't lube very well. This really shows up if you run a hyd. motor with this setup.
After you pull the pump off there is a pin you pull out and that shaft comes right out. Make sure you don't drop the gear or thrust washers down in deeper. If you are having trouble with lack of lube and intend to use the tractor on heavy hyd. loads then you may want to tap into the oil pressure line running up to the gauge and drill and tap the gov. housing where the end of the shaft is and run oil pressure in to it.