PTO Shields - clips?

[MNBobcat]

Hi All,

Sorry for the newbie question but I guess I have to learn somehow.

I just purchased my first PTO driven attachment yesterday. I need to grease the u-joints as the attachment (mower) has multiple PTO shafts. There are PTO shields in place that cover the U-joints. Each shield is bell shaped with 3 white plastic (clips?) that hold the bell shaped part of the shield to the tubular part of the shield.

Can someone tell me if these "clips" are meant to be releases so that the bell shaped end of the shield can be slid back to expose the u-joints? I didn't know if those "clips" were meant to release the bell or if they are permanent and messing with them would break the shield. If they are meant to be releases, what is the trick to operating them?

Thanks!

[Farmwithjunk]

I can't say 100% that EVERY pto shield is the same way, but 100% of all I've ever been around have a hole, or "port" in the plastic that properly aligned, will give you a shot at getting a grease gun on the zerk fitting in the u-joint. Some take a contortionist to get at....But it's probably there SOMEWHERE.

I've had more'n one pto shield to have "issues" with those plastic clips. Once they're used some, I've never been able to remove and re-install them with any degree of consistant performance. If at all possible, I'd leave 'em alone. YMMV.

[FrogLick]

Mine have "ports" to get to the zerks. If not then it would be easy enough to drill a 3/4 -1" hole through the plastic to get to them. The one time I removed one of those shroud bells it was a real pain to get it back on correctly.

[Happyman]

I used the opening in the shield to access the zerks on my PTO's....but that was such a hassle I now just remove the shaft from the spline, grease the yoke and reconnect. Quicker and easier to see the grease when it oozes out.