Tiller King Kutter II tiller pto troubles

   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles #1  

prowley

Member
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
31
Location
Monroe, WA
Tractor
John Deere 3520 Cab
I just bought this tiller and I'm trying to set it up for my JD 3520. This is only the second implement I have bought that attaches to the pto, the other being a rotary mower. On the mower attaching pto involves pushing it on until the internal ball bearings lock into the indentations on the tractor pto shaft. This is usually a struggle but can be done. Now I'm trying to push on the pto for KK and it simply won't advance to the indentation position, and I can always pull it off. The connection point on the KK is a bit rusty so I tried adding grease but without any luck.

The manual also mentions to ensure it is "locked" by pulling on it, but when I look inside the kk connection it isn't designed like my mower, no ball bearings, and no discernable way for it to "lock". The mower assembly also has a grip which pulls back to release the bearings, and of course there is no such grip on the KK.

So, do I have all the bits here? What am I doing wrong?
 
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   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles #2  
I think the KK tiller generally comes with a push button type PTO shaft connector.
From what you wrote I'm guessing you are used to a sliding collar type.

Look for a spring loaded rod that is across the end of the coupler.
Hold the shaft up and look into the coupler as you press the rod in, just to see how it works.
You should be able to see the rod has a flat section that will clear the splines when the rod is pressed in.
The balls perform the same function in the sliding collar type, i.e. they get out of the way of the splines when you pull the collar back.

So, try it again with the rod pressed in, it should go on a lot farther, maybe an extra inch.
Release the rod and THEN try pulling on the shaft to check that it is locked.
To remove hold the rod in again and just pull the shaft back.
 
   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles #3  
I think the KK tiller generally comes with a push button type PTO shaft connector.
From what you wrote I'm guessing you are used to a sliding collar type.

Look for a spring loaded rod that is across the end of the coupler.
Hold the shaft up and look into the coupler as you press the rod in, just to see how it works.
You should be able to see the rod has a flat section that will clear the splines when the rod is pressed in.
The balls perform the same function in the sliding collar type, i.e. they get out of the way of the splines when you pull the collar back.

And my KK has a twist collar...........
 
   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles #4  
And my KK has a twist collar...........

OK, well mine is also a 6ft one, so maybe it just depends on the store ?
Point is there is more than one coupler type but they are compatible with the output shaft of the tractor.
 
   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thank you Reg, that is exactly what was going on here. I can't believe I hadn't tried to press on that, it just looked like a screw assembly to me. Now that I see how it works, I actually find it preferable to the mower since on that I have to pull back collar while pushing on the coupler, quite tricky.
 
   / King Kutter II tiller pto troubles #6  
Thank you Reg, that is exactly what was going on here. I can't believe I hadn't tried to press on that, it just looked like a screw assembly to me. Now that I see how it works, I actually find it preferable to the mower since on that I have to pull back collar while pushing on the coupler, quite tricky.

Y'Welcome.
Go play in the dirt before dark (-:
I think you're going to LIKE that tiller.
I replace my lift rods (side links) with chains when I till, it seems a bit gentler when I hit rocks for one side to kick up instead of the whole tiller.
It certainly reduces the effects I feel through the tractor seat.
 
 
 
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