I have a Toro recycler 20066 which had been running well for 2 seasons when suddenly the left rear wheel came loose; I diagnosed the problem to be a worn thread on the pivot assembly where the wheel's shoulder bolt is fastened. However, I am having a heck of a time trying to dismantle the pivot arm even after removing all the clips and thrust washers as shown in the exploded Toro parts diagram.

1. Do I need to remove the 2 bolts attaching the height of cut plate to the chassis first? Can I just remove the pivot arm only?

2. Is the pivot arm screwed on top of the bearing cover? Appreciate any help. I have a picture but cannot figure out how to post. Thanks