It is a big job on that mower
You need to remove the sides & hood as a unit ( easy )
then the heat shield & muffler ( usually rusted in bolts )
After that really easy , pull the PTO off , carefully drill 3 small holes in the seal and screw in some self tappers about 1/4"
Use a claw hammer or wrecking bar to lever the seal out by the screws
Raising the front on ramps or jack stands will make the job a lot more comfortable
Only tricky bit is torquing the PTO bolt because you either will need a modified open ender to hold the centre to stop the engine rotating or a Stilsons ( or similar ) on the prop shaft under the mower
Do not try & hold it by the fan or fan housing as it will break.
Some mufflers have studs welded to them to mount the muffler & these will break
Others have bolts that screw into nuts welded to the muffler and these will break as well , just depends which muffler is fitted & I can not remember .
If you do not have welding gear then bend some flat bar to hold the muffler in place.
AFAIK they are NLA .
