5603 pto ?

[schiker]

So any resolution to your problem? Any trick other than beating it. Reving engine or anything helpful full neutral clutch in anything worked for you? It appears the PTO high gear EPTO has something to do with it doesn't it???

I bought a used JD 5603 with ~ 800hours. New to me the PTO engaged easily smoothly but the last several times its been difficult to engage the lever. Its like the lever is binding??? I pulled the plastic knob off the lever the other day trying to pull it :-(. Don't laught I haven't looked at it yet is there anywhere to lube it or tighten the lever? Its raining and lightening now so I thought I'd check internet first.

 

[cab72111]

Can anyone tell me any resolution they got to this. My 5603 is doing the exact thing. Extremely hard to engage and it is not in the lever. I can tap with a hammer too and it will go in.

 

[Nomoregreen]

This is a known problem with the 5603. There is a bolt/plug in the bottom of the bellhousing. If you remove this plug you are likely to have a couple of cups of water drain out. Remove the plug and leave it out. To fix the tight lever remove the cable from the lever going into the bottom of the bellhousing, put a pipe on it and work it back and forth until it gets looser. If it is too tight for that smash it with a hammer. If you can't get the lever to move at all, then the tractor has to be split. We have complained to our dealer about the tight PTO lever since it was new with no action from them, other than to loosen it up and tell me how to do it. Now with 135 hours on it, it has to be split. I found out about the plug on another forum but much too late.