Safety chains on PTO shaft shields?

[Noland]

I see that most, if not all, new equipment comes with chains to attach to the implement and the PTO shield to keep it from turning. Now I agree completely thet the shaft shield is a great idea, but are those chains really necessary?
It seems to me that they will make the shield wear out sooner from the friction of the shaft rubbing against the stationary shield.
Is this just something to keep the lawyers happy or should I make sure to always use a chain?

 

[chim]

Don't sweat the wear. I have a mower with several hundred hours on it, and the shaft hasn't worn through the cover. It is safer too have the chains on so the cover doesn't spin. There's no guarantee the cover will do its job if it spins with the shaft. It could be stuck on the shaft and you wouldn't know it till it grabbed you and started flapping you around like a broken window shade. Ouch.....................chim

 

[KiotiJohn]

I've seen people not use them with no apparent problems. It's just a guess on my part, but I don't think they have to be used. The sheild is supposed to be able to turn on the shaft and if you get something caught in it, it wouldn't wind your arm up in it because the sheild would stop and the shaft would continue to turn. I think some people just don't like that sheild turning for what ever reason. John

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There's no guarantee the cover will do its job if it spins with the shaft. It could be stuck on the shaft and you wouldn't know it till it grabbed you and started flapping you around like a broken window shade. )</font>
Of course, you're right, there's no guarantee, but the first thing I do after hooking up is to make sure the sheild is turning on the shaft even though I DO use the chains. If one checks everytime he/she hooks up, it should do it's job as there isn't much that could make it hang up. John

 

[beenthere]

I let the PTO safety shaft cover spin (no chains) and then I know its engaged and running (also can hear it, but visual is just one more input). As far as the rotary cutter goes, no one is walking around it when it is running anyway, so cannot get into the PTO to get wrapped up.
But, I will see the PTO turning when it is engaged. Maybe I'm just wierd. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

Noland, I had a finish mower that had the chains on both ends of the safety shield, and I used them. I had a tiller than had a chain on one end and I used it until it tore out of the plastic, so I let the safety shield turn. And I had a brush hog that came with no chains and no really convenient place to attach any. So I let that one turn, too, and every time I hooked it up, I turned the shield by hand to make sure it wasn't stuck anywhere.

So, I guess you could say I don't know what's the best thing to do. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[JerryG]

The wear will be very slow, if you give the plastic zerks a couple of squirts when you grease the mower.

 

[Soundguy]

I use the chains.. and I grease the fittings on the shield every time I use the tractor.

I'm sure it is wearing a bit.. but as others have said.... I've got a few seasons of hard cutting on my 5' mower.. and the shield looks as thick at the union around the yoke as it did when new..

Soundguy

 

[rw2]

If there is a problem with the shield such that it is rendered incapable of freeing itself from the pto shaft (e.g. excessive dirt or other obstruction) and you are running without chains you will not know that your safety device has been rendered impotent. If you have the chains on and the shield is stuck then it will rip the chains off and you will know you have a problem before it is your shirt doing the testing.

 

[Henro]

I think you hit the nail on the head rw2.

That IS the bottom line...