Drive shaft cover spinning

[Red Branch]

Should the front axle drive shaft cover/shield aka the plastic tube covering the actual drive shaft spin with the shaft? I don’t remember it doing this before it got a a new one with a pretty white sticker that I can see spinning now. I think not because your PTO cover isn’t supposed to spin with implements but…tell what I don’t know. Thanks for the time

 

[Roadworthy]

I suspect it's much like the cover on a PTO shaft at the rear. They commonly come with a short chain at each end. The chain at one end is secured to the tractor and the other to the implement. The shaft can then spin inside the cover which is held stationary by the chains. Two chains are required because the cover is in two pieces.

 

[Jims1025R]

I just installed a brand new driveshaft on my modified snowblower. Chain from tractor end of driveshaft cover to chain connection on blower end of cover. Chain from blower end of cover to connection on the blower frame. Two benefits: You don't have to clip/unclip the tractor end when connecting/disconnecting the driveshaft from the tractor, and the chain between the two ends of the cover prevents the driveshaft coming apart if you were to extend it too far. I cut both chains to be just the right length. The chain between the two ends is just long enough to allow for full extension with highest 3 point lift. With [lower] running position, it allows the front half to wrap about a third the way around the driveshaft relative to the back half.

I tested it today, and works like a charm, raising and lowering while running worked fine. I expect if the interconnecting chain were loose so as to allow a full turn wrap around the driveshaft, that would not be so good...

 

[JWR]

Should the front axle drive shaft cover/shield aka the plastic tube covering the actual drive shaft spin with the shaft? I don’t remember it doing this before it got a a new one with a pretty white sticker that I can see spinning now. I think not because your PTO cover isn’t supposed to spin with implements but…tell what I don’t know. Thanks for the time

You ought to find a new or other used one at a dealer and crawl under and look closely at that shield. I'm pretty sure it is held in place by a rim or something, NOT a chain anything like the PTO shields. Shop manual might show it but far easier to just find a new one and crawl under and study it.

 

[Red Branch]

Should the front axle drive shaft cover/shield aka the plastic tube covering the actual drive shaft spin with the shaft? I don’t remember it doing this before it got a a new one with a pretty white sticker that I can see spinning now. I think not because your PTO cover isn’t supposed to spin with implements but…tell what I don’t know. Thanks for the time

Is it possible that the shield is too long and should have been cut to provide some give? I have tried to pull back at the joints to access grease fittings and have no ability to slide it despite loosening all the clamps.