Mid-Mount Mower Separating the PTO at the tractor end after unhitching the belly mower.

[Robert J I]

Hi from the very down under,
I have removed my Shibaura belly mower form the tractor for the remainder of our winter. It came off easier than I expected except for the pto coupling at the engine pto end. I have had a bit of a go to remove but it won't come off freely. Has anyone had this problem or an easy way to get it off? Robert J I

 

[powerscol]

First off are you able to pull the collar back, or depress the pin? I had one stick a while back and I soaked the coupling with WD 40 and just worked it in and out with the collar depressed. They can be a bugger sometimes. especially the color type with the steel balls getting them to retract.

BTW Beautiful country - visited the island with the Boy Scouts back in 72

 

[Robert J I]

Thanks powerscol
Great reply and glad you have had an opportunity to visit us down under. I can pull the collar back and actually move the coupling out but the it feels as if it is being stopped before coming. I will lube it as directed.
The whole unit is only 900hrs old and I think mower has never been removed in this time. I am only doing so so I can use my rear mounted mower to clear up some of the kikuyu which grows too well on the Coromandel. The MMM will handle the short stuff but not the 50mm+ stuff

 

[motownbrowne]

I'm not sure if you can rig up a way to hold the collar back so that you can use both hands to pull the shaft, but that might help. My only other suggestion would be to keep sliding it back and forth (since you can move it a little borrow it stops) squirt some penetrating oil in there and just keep working it. Good luck!

 

[ch1ch2]

I had that same problem once or twice.
I pulled the mower off and separated the pto giving me more working room.
I sprayed lots of penetrant on the collar, mine has a twisting ring. The ring would turn but the locking balls did not move. I had to use a small pry bar to help it along.
I now keep it well lubed with Kroil oil.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

As others have said, the problem is the balls inside the shaft are not retracting when you pull back on the collar. I bought a used rear finish mower that had that problem. I used Fluid Film and it worked like a charm to free up those balls and get them to retract. Don't know if they sell Fluid Film down under, but get some if they do. It's great stuff.

It occurs to me that we've got a bunch of grown men talking about getting your balls to retract, and I'm the first one to crack a joke about it. :laughing:

 

[smstonypoint]

It occurs to me that we've got a bunch of grown men talking about getting your balls to retract, and I'm the first one to crack a joke about it. :laughing:

Ball retraction is not a joking matter.:thumbdown:

Steve

 

[dieselcrawler]

So far, everyone was keeping it clean and on topic... way to just ruin it Pappy. * grin *

Personally, I don't care for the 'collar' type pto shaft retainers, like the push pin style because you can hold the pin with your thumb and still grab/pull with both hands well. However, like the OP, the mower deck on our BX was quite stuck when we got it. Having a collar type retainer just makes it more difficult (I could have said 'harder'.... but then we'd have to bring up balls again) to disconnect... hold the collar with one hand while trying to use a pry bar with the other... fun


Lube...

Wiggle....

Lube...


Wiggle...


Yeah, the mower shaft...
What were you thinking I ment?

 

[Robert J I]

WD 40 was the winner! I soaked the pto coupling as advised to do for a few hours, held the collar in the open position with a small crowbar gave it a tweek and as usual it fell off. Thanks to powerscol,mowtown brown,ch1ch2 and poopdeck daddy(especially your humour). Robert J I

 

[powerscol]

I should have mentioned next time you have a stuck shaft or to clean this one up, soak it in a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. I prefer the synthetic ATF for some reason. Best home made product for attacking stuck stuff and rusty bolts/nuts. :thumbsup:

Its cheaper than WD 40 too, but that little red straw does wonders in tight places.