PTO shaft question

   / PTO shaft question #1  

lukinfucas

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
19
Location
Knoxville, TN
Tractor
MF GC2410
I just ordered pat's quick hitch system AFTER I cut the pto shaft for my new tiller. Am I screwed?
 
   / PTO shaft question #3  
If you don't have enough shaft overlap, just remove the Pat's when you use that implement.

Bruce
 
   / PTO shaft question #4  
Cheap fix is one of those pto shaft extenders to use a pto pump. Not elegant, but cheaper...
 
   / PTO shaft question
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks guys. I didn't even think about that when I installed tiller. May have to look for extender
 
   / PTO shaft question #7  
It sort of depends on how long the shaft is for the tiller. I lucked-out for my brush mower and my finish mower because they are fairly far back from the tractor and had lots of overlap for the outer and inner driveline shafts. Those shafts still have more than the required minimum (4") overlap (at the longest position). My pull type snow blower is closer to the tractor and had only 2" overlap with the Pat's hitch.

Two winters ago I did as bcp suggests and removed the Pat's hitch for the winter. But before this last winter I purchased a new driveshaft to avoid having to remove the Pats hitch. I considered an extender and it would have worked fine. But what concerns me is the short drive shaft results in fairly severe angles at the universal joints when the blower is in a raised position. The angle puts more stress on the tractor and blower shafts. Adding an extension makes it more severe since the universal joint is farther from the tractor bearing. If using an extension, perhaps it would be better to put it on the equipment end since that bearing would be easier to fix than the tractor PTO bearing.

I also considered ordering just a longer inner shaft for the PTO and trying to replace that. But the individual part was quite expensive (relative to a whole new driveline assembly) and I was not sure I could successfully change the component. I think you have to take the universal joint apart to get the driveline shaft off it. With my very limited mechanic skills I went for the new shaft.

If you have 8" of overlap in your existing driveline inner and outer shafts it should work OK, assuming 4" overlap is OK. Your implement may specify a larger minimum overlap. Pats hitch puts the implement 4" further back. You may also need a new top link. I have top links on all implements (instead of carrying just one on the tractor). I recall I had to buy longer ones for my two mowers and landscape rake.
 
   / PTO shaft question #8  
Dont screw around and cheap out with safety. A rotating shaft under power can do things you never thought possible when they fail.

Most of the time, you can just replace the telescoping portion, and reuse the current yokes. Study the position of the lower ujoint and how it will be effected with an extender before you buy one and use it.
 
 
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