After 20 winters  of processing bales,   my PTO  has gotten  quite loose this year. 

Those   CV shafts are  way too heavy in my opinion  for  older tractors with smaller bearings  that are forced to  carry it!! 
  Bust's my  behind just to  hook the dang thing up.. let alone  spin it  at 1000 rpm!!



anyhoo-,     sounds like  it comes out the rear:  take the  top link plate off to  pull the layshaft out,   and  the snap ring to pull the  carrier out of the  gear set.   
  is there  some way to 'pin' the 2  internal gears  in position  while the  shaft is  pulled out?   IIRC,   I remember someone saying there was a  hole to thread a long bolt through, that would  snug the gears against the  casting... essentially holding them in place;  this might have been only true on the 2xxx's  


It's not really the gears that have me concerned,  it's the  thrust washer  between them  falling down.  
This is my first time into this part of the tractor,   so  not really sure what's ahead of me.   Maybe there's  enough room to reach in through that top plate to hold stuff in position while reassembling?  
Any hints or tips would be appreciated.