Clausing Colchester 17 Apron

Need some direction. I'm having problems with the forward/reverse knob on the apron. It's coming out of gear when engaged. After dropping the pan on the bottom of the apron and seeing the gear, it seems like the bushing and/or spacer are not there. The gear loosely moves all around the shaft. This shaft and gear are not easily accesible. They're way up inside the apron and there's a circlip capturing them. So, my question is..... Does anyone have any experience with this. How do I get that shaft out without removing or disassembling the apron. I have a PDF drawing but can't seem to attach it. Thanks

These manuals in PDF format may offer you some insights:

Clausing/Colchester 17:
...User manual: THIS
...Service manual: THAT

Thanks to others who shared them with me.

Thanks man. The service manual is a huge help. Still would be great to hear from someone who has removed one of these shafts. That circlip is not an easy one to get to and there's a spring and ball bearing housed in the back wall of the apron that seem next to impossible to reinstall without removing the apron. Thanks again

I recently finished rebuilding an apron for a Colchester 19. its about the same as a 17 just a bit bigger. The reverse gear and cross/ longitude feed gears most likely need new bronze bushings. If they are loose on the shafts, the bronze bushings in them are worn out . What else is going wrong in there that you are ignoring by trying to just replacing one snap ring?
The o-rings in the bores on the front of the apron should be replaced. The idler gear below the reversing gear also will have a bronze bushing it will be in the same condition as the others.
How are the bearings on the apron drive pinion? Is the spring that controls the half nut/ apron feed interlock still in place?
The apron is quite easy to remove on one of thse machines- 30 minutes to do it maybe. Aside from having to make or buy bushings snap rings and bearings, one of these aprons should be able to be gone through in less than 8 hours.
New parts from Clausing is the painfull part.
I just made new half nuts, rewelded and cut the apron pinion gear, replaced the pinion bearings and any o-rings and snap rings, brazed a new key into the apron drive sleeve gear. The old beast still looks dirty and worn out but it works well again.

I tried to down load the User manual listed above as THIS but it takes me to a down load page for a program. Is there any other way to download the file. I will be threading on one tomorrow for the first time and it would be great to see a diagram of the controls. thanks

I know this is an old thread but does any one have a PDF of that Clausing Colchester 17 manual. I am going to do some threading tomorrow for the first time and thought it would be nice to see a picture of the controls on the apron before I started. thanks
Mike B