Mule 3000 - how to remove belt pulley from crankshaft?

Removing the front converter pulley requires a special tool. Its a threaded rod about 8 inches long that pops the pulley loose. I've never tried to remove one without it.
Also, if you're going to remove the transmission (gear box) you're going to split the rear axles. Make sure they are indexed (put marks on the inner and outer halves) so you can line them up properly when you put them back together.

Splitting the axles: the gear box is connected to the wheels through two drive shafts (in the car world they're called half shafts). On each side they are mated through splined shafts under a pleated rubber boot. Peel back one edge of the rubber boot and you should be able to see where the axles separate. In order to remove the gear box you've got to separate the wheel half of the shaft from the gear box half of the shaft. But I'm sure you know this: what I meant to say was before you split the half shafts mark them so the universal joints are lined up on each side.

Ah, the special tool: It's a rod about 8 to 10 inches long with a threaded portion about a third of the way down from a 19mm head. The internal portion of the pulley is threaded to mate to this rod. As you screw the rod into the mated portion (I'm getting hot here) it puts pressure on the crankshaft and forces the pulley off the shaft. Whew, that was good for me, was it good for you?

I don't separate the springs from the didion tube (the big axle carrier thingy). I drop the whole thing at the point where the springs attach to the frame. The two nuts on each side at the spring shackles and the single large bolt on each side at the front of the spring. Also the small (10 mm) bolt that holds the brake line to the spring on the right side. And of course the shock absorbers.

I had to replace the right outer axle half on a new 3000 yesterday. I tried for the first time to hang the didion tube from the frame with a couple of straps so that it kind of floated as I pushed it to the side to separate the axle half. It worked pretty well. I replaced the axle in just over an hour. Plus by using those straps that have the ratchet mechanism, I could raise and lower the didion tube to position the shock absorbers when I put them back on.