PTO shaft retainer?

[GlueGuy]

Excuse me if this sounds like a lame question, but this is my first tractor, and some things just don't seem to add up. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I figured out that the chains on the PTO shaft shield should be tied down at each end. Not clear "what" they are supposed to be tied to (the mower manual doesn't even mention them), but I presume that at the PTO end, something like the towbar would be appropriate, and at the mower end, anything close by?

Anyway, to make a long question short, what the heck keeps the PTO shaft attached? There doesn't seem to be a pin, or clip, or anything for that matter that would keep it from just slipping off!?! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Is it just that the lack of slack on the shaft shield chains keeps it from slipping off?

Curious minds, and logical thinking?

The GlueGuy

 

[RobS]

Ahh the mysteries of tractor owning /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

GlueGuy, I remember my frustration with the same question when I first went to remove my dealer installed rotary cutter. I had to pull out the manual to find out. I assume you're talking about the tractor end of the shaft, right? If you feel around the tractor side yoke on the u-joint, there should be a button. Push the button and slide the shaft rearward. It should come right off. When you get it off, you'll see a groove cut around the pto shaft on your tractor. The button on the yoke disengages a pin that fits in that groove. If you're like me, you'll smack yourself when you get it since it's so simple (unless it's stuck for some reason).

As for the shaft guard chains, mine just get wrapped/clipped to any nearby piece of metal on the cutter. They only need to keep the guard from spinning with the shaft. I use the tractor end chain to hold the PTO shaft up and out of harms way when my cutter is not on the tractor.

One of the more digitally oriented folks out there can probably provide some pictures of all this /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

One more thing, the first few times I took my cutter off, I'd pull the guard back to reach the lock pin. Then I'd have to struggle getting the guard back onto its little tabs (the flared part of the guard). I later realized I could reach the lock pin without pulling the guard back and that has saved much frustration /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

Thanks Rob! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

When the tractor came, the mower was attached. I didn't need it right away, so pulled it off and switched to the boxblade. To pull the shaft off the PTO, I just pulled, so it "seemed" like that's all there was to it. I never noticed any button or anything. So I guess the PTO shaft was just "sitting there", and the pin must not have been engaged.

There must be a lesson there about making sure the retaining pin is engaged /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif....

The GlueGuy

 

[Bird]

GlueGuy, you may have a different type of hookup on your PTO driveshaft than what Rob described. All my implements have the same thing Rob has; however, I have some neighbors with PTO driveshafts that don't have that pin you press to release it (you also have to press it to start it back on the PTO), but instead have a collar on the end of the driveshaft (black is the only color I've seen although there may be others). When you pull back on that collar it releases. In other words it works just like the collar to release the quick couplers for hydraulic lines, air hoses, etc.

Bird

 

[GlueGuy]

Thank you too Bird!

I will look over the PTO end of that drive shaft very carefully when I get home. It's a Woods model XT148 (48" rear mower). When I got it, there wasn't a manual with it. Called the dealer, and they sent a manual for a similar Gearmore model. I guess I never really paid attention to which one I got..../w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif...

So when I started looking at stuff in the manual, it looked "close", but not "right"... Sheesh. Took the manual out to the yard where the mower is parked, and it became VERY obvious that I had a case of cranial rectumitis..../w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif.

So I called the dealer (again), and asked for the correct manual. Perhaps the Woods manual has more detail than the Gearmore? One can only hope.

The GlueGuy

 

[JerryG]

GlueGuy,
There are several different attachment methods. In addition to the ones already mentioned, I have one that has a setscrew. And another one that is very heavy duty that is similar to Bird’s pull collar but you twist it instead of pulling.

 

[Joeinindy]

I went through the same head scratching the first time I put on my 6' cutter. Mine has the button that you push in to lock the splines together. Another thing I learned the hard way is to have the rpm's at idle before you engage the pto, first time I had the rpm's up a bit and broke the shear bolt. Like you I'm new to all this and am learning alot the hard way. If your owners manual is anything like mine it leaves alot out.

 

[GlueGuy]

Bird, Rob, Jerry, Joe, and any other lurkers.

I guess I'll have to file this one under "Duh", or "If", as in "Duh! If I had just looked!" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Mine is the spring-loaded ring type. Pull back on the ring, and it allows several little balls to retract from the groove. That's probably why I didn't notice it when I removed it the first time. Naturally, I grabbed the PTO shaft right by the ring, and pulled it back. It just slipped off. Likewise for installation, pull back a little, and it slips right on.

Next time, I think I will just LOOK at the darn thing. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

The GlueGuy