Rotary Cutter No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog

   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog #1  

botemout

Bronze Member
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May 6, 2009
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51
Location
Upstate NY
Tractor
1957 Ford 860
No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attached to Bush Hog

Sorry if this is the most beginner of beginner questions but, as discussed in another thread I hooked up my new/used BH SQ720 rotary cutter to my Ford 860. When trying to engage the PTO for what would have been the first time nothing happened. I assume that on the Ford 860 the PTO lever is the small (about 4-5") vertical shifter below the seat on the left hand side of the tractor. When trying to engage it (it pulls back) I get a grinding sound like when you try to change gears on a car without the clutch in. So, I figure I'm doing something wrong and wanted to test it without the brush hog attached (is the brush hog blade seized up? - I heard it spin when I bought it). But I can't seem to get the PTO to slip off. There's a collar that you push forward which, I assume, would allow me to pull the shaft off but it doesn't give. I've even disconnected the 3 pts and tried, with someone pushing the the collar forward, to drive it off (I only inched forward 3 or 4 inching not wanting something pinch hands or cause damage).

Any ideas? I probably just need to pound on it with a rubber mallet or something but I thought I'd ask here first.

Thanks
 
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   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog
  • Thread Starter
#2  
An update: I was able to get the shaft off by using a crowbar (I didn't have to apply much pressure). However, I still can't engage the PTO. I have a theory now though. I think the clutch is misadjusted. I think this because, if I understand this "live" PTO correctly, I should be able to push the clutch halfway in and shift and then all the way in and have the PTO stop. With the PTO shaft removed I WAS NOT able stop the PTO from spinning. That probably accounts for why the PTO shifter can't be engaged with the PTO shaft attached.

Am I on the right track?

I'm going to look at the shop manual and see if I can figure out how to adjust the clutch (or not, if I'm wrong).
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog #3  
You push the clutch all the way down to engage the PTO lever. Then let up on cluutch pedal slowly until PTO starts turning. Then when you are actually using tractor for running PTO implements, clutch should only be pushed down far enough to stop transmission but not PTO. This is called a two stage clutch. If it is out of adjustment, this could be causing your trouble.
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog
  • Thread Starter
#4  
You push the clutch all the way down to engage the PTO lever. Then let up on cluutch pedal slowly until PTO starts turning. Then when you are actually using tractor for running PTO implements, clutch should only be pushed down far enough to stop transmission but not PTO. This is called a two stage clutch. If it is out of adjustment, this could be causing your trouble.
Heh, Tim D; thanks. It was the clutch. Where it attaches there's 2 holes. One is for transmission only use (this is the one it was on). The second allows the clutch to depress further and I can now stop the PTO. Good news! Now, if I could only figure out how to get the PTO shaft back on. It's really a bear to get on; I've managed it once so I know it'll go on, but haven't been able to again ...
 
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   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog #5  
Sometimes the pto output shaft will develop some rust on it from being exposed to the weather, or having a pto shaft attached to it for extended periods of time and moisture inside of it causes rust. If yours is rusty, it might be a good idea to sand it down with some scotchbrite, or a very fine grade sandpaper.

Also, have a look inside the female end of the pto shaft (to the implement) and see if it's rusty inside. If there is rust, you might try and see if you can get something inside and sand the splines on it as well.

Once you have checked all that, apply plenty of grease onto the pto output shaft on your tractor before reattaching the pto shaft. That should help make things go a little easier.

Good luck!
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog #6  
Changing the attachment point of the clutch can make bad things happen if not correctly adjusted. Check to be absolutely sure there is about 1/4" of "free play" in the clutch pedal before it encounters any significant resistance to downward pressure. Not having a small amount of free play WILL cause your transmission clutch to fail prematurely.
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Sometimes the pto output shaft will develop some rust on it from being exposed to the weather, or having a pto shaft attached to it for extended periods of time and moisture inside of it causes rust. If yours is rusty, it might be a good idea to sand it down with some scotchbrite, or a very fine grade sandpaper.

Also, have a look inside the female end of the pto shaft (to the implement) and see if it's rusty inside. If there is rust, you might try and see if you can get something inside and sand the splines on it as well.

Once you have checked all that, apply plenty of grease onto the pto output shaft on your tractor before reattaching the pto shaft. That should help make things go a little easier.
I was just outside trying to get it on again; I failed. It seems to me that the 3 metal ball bearings aren't recessing as deeply as they should when the collar is pushed in. I sprayed them out with WD40 to see if it might flush out anything that might have built up behind them. No effect. Tomorrow I'll try your solution and lightly sand the output shaft and female end with scotchbrite. I assume that the same grease that I have in my grease gun will suffice for applying to both ends? I know I could pry it in (after all that's how I got it off the last time) but I'd rather have a solution that would let me take it on/off by hand.
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Changing the attachment point of the clutch can make bad things happen if not correctly adjusted. Check to be absolutely sure there is about 1/4" of "free play" in the clutch pedal before it encounters any significant resistance to downward pressure. Not having a small amount of free play WILL cause your transmission clutch to fail prematurely.
I think there's about 3/4-1" now. Thanks for the heads up; I'll measure tomorrow.
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Well, I'll be damned if I can't get that telescoping PTO hooked to my output shaft. Though it seems to be in pretty good shape inside and not too rusty, I took some scotchbrite to it. Seems like it might be trying to shoot an elephant with an air rifle. When I try to put it in on it very firmly resists. What seems to make sense is that the metal ball bearings that are supposed to loosen up when the collar is pushed toward the tractor must have been damaged or have junk underneath them. Perhaps I can get the air compressor to blow them out?

Can the end of the PTO shaft be replaced? (Sounds dramatic but ...)
 
   / No power to PTO on Ford 860 and trick to removing PTO shaft attachefd to Bush Hog #10  
Collar on my PTO coupling has to be twisted (not pushed) to get on and off.
 
 
 
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