PTO shifter fork linkage

[tcbro]

The PTO hasn't worked since I bought this tractor. Now I want to add a snow blower and need the PTO. The PTO change lever (#40 in the picture) doesn't really engage the pin (#39) on the shifter fork(#30). From the looks of the diagram I would think that the pin/ball/spring (39/33/34) assembly would "plunge" up & down and would be held in the bottom cup of the lever (40) with the spring tension. My pin/ball/spring (39/33/34)assembly doesn't "plunge" and the lever (40) just touches it but won't engage.
Question #1, Is my assumption correct that the assembly "plunges" up & down? #2, Anybody ever tried to remove, replace, repair the entire fork assembly through the top of the tranny without tearing the whole thing apart? #3, shouldn't the ball be under the spring to engage the detents in the shaft (#35)? #4, What keeps the pin/ball/spring assembly from flying out of the fork? Is it inserted through the bottom of the fork?

Any help will be appreciated,
Tom

 

[tcbro]

Nobody?????

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm pretty sure the spring and ball are under the shaft to engage the shafts detents, and just the pin is on top, the pin does not move, if the pin does not engage the top fork then you either have a damaged fork (top or bottom) or damaged pin.

 

[tcbro]

I hadn't thought about the ball & spring being under the shaft. Looking at it that way it makes sense that the ball is on top of the spring. The change lever (40) just barely reaches the pin on the fork but the lever looks OK. Maybe the fork is not engaged with the gear and has rotated away from the lever. I guess a bit more reconnaissance is required.

Thanks for the new perspective.

Tom