gardner175
New member
I have a question about safety practices for connecting equipment to my tractor PTO drive. I have a 2014 Mahindra 4550 4WD. The PTO is mechanically activated. I need to depress the clutch, move the PTO lever to the on position (which some times requires a bit of effort and futzing), then let the clutch out to engage the PTO.
The tractor safety instructions state that the tractor must be turned off to safely connect implements to the PTO. My problem is that in my machine shed I can not park the tractor so I can close the door and also have enough room to move my brush hog or rototiller behind the tractor and connect them to the PTO. (I store the brush hog and rototiller on dollies so they can be moved in and out of storage easily to save space.) To mount and connect either implement I need to start the tractor (a diesel) move it forward about 6 feet so the FEL is outside the shed so I have room to mount the implements. This is the first diesel I've owned and a 都tart-short run to move 6 ft-trun off doesn't seem smart for the engine.
I am looking for some information from you experienced tractor owners/operators with mechanically operated PTOs.
Is it really a safety issue to connect the PTO while the tractor is running? Is any one aware of a mechanically activated PTO, like the one on my tractor, ever activating without the operator intentionally moving the activation lever?
I understand feasibility of an electronically activated control going rogue and starting without operator action. And while I don't want to take unnecessary chances or do something stupid, it does not seem feasible that my PTO can activate while the tractor is running without me, or someone in the drivers seat, depressing the clutch and engaging the activation lever. It seems the safety precautions may be a bit overblown just because they legally need to be. I also recognize I don't have a lot of tractor experience, and don't have anywhere to go for answers/advice on this question.
Any help, experiences, stories, or knowledge you could share will be greatly appreciated. I want to be safe and not be injured, or worse, from a bad decision on equipment operation.
The tractor safety instructions state that the tractor must be turned off to safely connect implements to the PTO. My problem is that in my machine shed I can not park the tractor so I can close the door and also have enough room to move my brush hog or rototiller behind the tractor and connect them to the PTO. (I store the brush hog and rototiller on dollies so they can be moved in and out of storage easily to save space.) To mount and connect either implement I need to start the tractor (a diesel) move it forward about 6 feet so the FEL is outside the shed so I have room to mount the implements. This is the first diesel I've owned and a 都tart-short run to move 6 ft-trun off doesn't seem smart for the engine.
I am looking for some information from you experienced tractor owners/operators with mechanically operated PTOs.
Is it really a safety issue to connect the PTO while the tractor is running? Is any one aware of a mechanically activated PTO, like the one on my tractor, ever activating without the operator intentionally moving the activation lever?
I understand feasibility of an electronically activated control going rogue and starting without operator action. And while I don't want to take unnecessary chances or do something stupid, it does not seem feasible that my PTO can activate while the tractor is running without me, or someone in the drivers seat, depressing the clutch and engaging the activation lever. It seems the safety precautions may be a bit overblown just because they legally need to be. I also recognize I don't have a lot of tractor experience, and don't have anywhere to go for answers/advice on this question.
Any help, experiences, stories, or knowledge you could share will be greatly appreciated. I want to be safe and not be injured, or worse, from a bad decision on equipment operation.