PTO shaft Shielding

   / PTO shaft Shielding #1  

Rowski

Veteran Member
Joined
May 18, 2000
Messages
1,481
Location
North Central Vermont, Jay Peak Area
Tractor
2004 New Holland TN70DA with 32LC loader, 2000 New Holland 2120 with Curtis cab, 7309 loader
Here's a stupid question.

Is the PTO shaft protective shielding supposed to rotate with the shaft or are the chains suppose to keep it from rotating with the shaft?

This is for my Valby chipper, not that it matters. The only info I find in the owners manual (and the warning stickers on the chipper) say the cover NEEDS to rotate freely. If the shaft "spins freely with the pto shaft" what is the function of the chains on the cover. Only thing I can figure is to keep the to shaft from comimg apart when unhooking one end of the shaft.

Thanks.

Derek
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   / PTO shaft Shielding #2  
Rowski,

The PTO Shaft Cover should NOT rotate with the shaft - typically the chains are clipped to some nearby point, and they keep the covers from rotating with the PTO shaft. The idea is to have the rotating shaft NOT be exposed - that's always an accident waiting to happen. Because the covers are held stationary by the chains, and the PTO shaft rotates inside the covers, the covers must always be able to freely rotate on the PTO shaft. There is usually a grease zerk for the cover bearing on each end of the PTO shaft, in addition to the zerks for the PTO Universal Joints.

BTW, the only stupid question is the one that makes you look like an idiot because you didn't ask it! It's ALL pretty simple once you understand it...

As I've said before:
"None of us individually is as smart as all of us are together..."
 
   / PTO shaft Shielding #3  
/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

first it wasn't posted, then it was posted, who KNOWS if this will get posted !!!

"Some days you get the Bear, some days the Bear gets you . . ." /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Caretaker
 
   / PTO shaft Shielding #4  
Rowski,

The PTO shaft cover should NOT rotate - the chains are typically clipped to some nearby point, and they keep the covers (guards) from rotating with the PTO shaft. The idea is to not have an exposed rotating shaft - always an accident waiting to happen.

Because the PTO shaft rotates inside the cover, the cover has to freely rotate - ergo the grease zerks for the cover bearings at each end of the the PTO shaft cover, in addition to the zerks for the PTO Universal Joints.

BTW - the only stupid question is the one that makes you look and feel like an idiot because you didn't ask it. Trust me - I speak from personal experience... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif
"None of us individually is as smart as all of us are together..."
 
   / PTO shaft Shielding #5  
Derek,

I chain the covers on both my tiller and rotary cutter so they don't spin with the shaft. The shielding is meant to prevent contact with moving parts. If the shield wasn't free of the spinning shaft the chains would wrap up right around the shaft. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

BTW Is all that snow finally gone? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

DFB

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   / PTO shaft Shielding
  • Thread Starter
#6  
DFB

Thats what I thought. That is the way it was. One of the plastic ears on the cover where the chain hooks onto got ripped off. The cover does rotate freely. I think, I know, what happened. I had to cross a shallow ditch with the chipper on. Because it has quite a long over hang. So I raised the chipper to full hieght. But when installing the pto shaft I hooked the chain to the correct length for the level not all the way up. As you know the shaft gets longer as the angle of the shaft increases. I have been using it the way it is. I know, a no, no. But it's just my father and I around the tractor with no loose clothing. Also the chipper feed is quite a ways away from the shaft. Does anybody know if you can repair these "eyes" that the chain got hooked to.

<font color=blue>BTW Is all that snow finally gone?</font color=blue>

We had the first Robin of the season yestersday! Just kidding. The snow left about a week to a week and a half behind normal. But the grass is growing right on time. The snow melt was just as gentle. We only had minor field flooding. In late April we were temps in the mid 80's. Most people in the area were pretty amazed, including my self, at the great spring we had!

Derek
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   / PTO shaft Shielding
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Caretaker

I'll have to check but I don't think there are any bearings for the cover. The cover is plastic. I will take the shaft apart and apply a lubricant so the plastic won't wear out.

Your right about the stupid question.

Thanks

Derek
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   / PTO shaft Shielding #8  
YW, Derek, and my apologies for the multiple posting. Apparently I was trying to operate this thing too early in the morning....

As for repairing the little "ears" on the PTO cover that the chain clips to, it's not easy. The problem is that the plastic is molded, and there isn't much of a place to apply an adhesive. A good epoxy would be strong enough, but unfortunately epoxy won't bond well with plastic - when the plastic flexes, the epoxy will pop right off. You might try getting a fiberglass repair kit, roughing the surface as much as you can, etc. If you still have the pieces, you might get them to bond together. Another notion is to drill a small hole, and use one of those chain connecting links (the kind that screw together) to connect to your safety chain and the cover. HTH...
 
   / PTO shaft Shielding #9  
I have a Valby with the type of PTO shield you describe. Actually, the PTO shaft is one of those generic things that companies outsource. My PTO shaft is made in Italy and is made by the same company that produced the one on my BushHog shredder. As others have stated, the plastic shield doesn't turn with the shaft and there is a zerk on each end to allow lubrication so that the PTO shaft will turn freely within the shield. I have found that if you simply clip the end of each chain to something relatively close, the plastic shield will rotate enough to wind up the chain around the shield and then you have enough slack to allow you to raise the chipper as high as you might want to. You have probably noticed that in order to release the plastic cup (funnel?) at each end of the plastic shield, you have to press in on three black tabs which hold the cup (funnel) at the end of the plastic tube over the knuckle. This is a pain! When one tab releases, another one re-engages and I only have two hands to press in on three tabs. Oh well, this is really only irritating because I lubricate the PTO shaft at the end of a work day and I'm hot and dirty and sweaty and thirsty and short of patience. However, I do wish they'd redesign this--like maybe have only two tabs 180 degrees from each other?
 
   / PTO shaft Shielding #10  
Here is a diagram from my CT catalog showing the parts breakdown on a typical pto driveline for anyone who's interested. (see attachment)

DFB

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