PTO shaft stuck/jammed on tractor

[bondo]

Yup, been there myself. Cut the PTO shaft to fit the BMC and worked just dandy. Then when the BMC was down for a while I hooked it up to the Oliver and when I would make a hard turn it was to short! Also just jammed the PTO from the haybine on the Oliver, had one of those darn push button and pull ring back release thing-of-a-ma-jig do-dads on it, which is no longer there, and it took me one **** of a time to get it off. It now has the quick release coupler on and so far works just fine. I will say I just didn't have the paitence to take it apart, used the torch and trusty hammer to remove mine

Oh, and another 3 pages easily!

Bondo©

 

[RoyJackson]

islandtractor, good to hear it was a relatively easy fix. i for one was not aware of the need to shorten pto shafts. thanks for educating me w/ your experience.

There should be a description on how to do it in your cutter manual.

 

[IslandTractor]

There should be a description on how to do it in your cutter manual.

Roy is right but I suspect that most folks don't do it. For example, I bought my Bush Hog with my original tractor purchase from the dealer. In fact the cutter was mounted on the tractor when I first saw it. I just assumed that whatever adjustments were needed had already been made. Turned out for me that for 99% of what I did the unmodified PTO shaft was OK but when I put the rear wheels in a depression/ditch while mowing I hit that 1% where it was too long.

It only took about 10 minutes to modify the PTO shaft. I did not even take the male shaft off the cutter, just used a sawzall to lop off 2 inches from that end and did the same for the female/tractor side and the shields in my shop. A little filing, cleaning and greasing later I reassembled it.

 

[texbaylea]

Roy is right but I suspect that most folks don't do it. For example, I bought my Bush Hog with my original tractor purchase from the dealer. In fact the cutter was mounted on the tractor when I first saw it. I just assumed that whatever adjustments were needed had already been made. Turned out for me that for 99% of what I did the unmodified PTO shaft was OK but when I put the rear wheels in a depression/ditch while mowing I hit that 1% where it was too long.

It only took about 10 minutes to modify the PTO shaft. I did not even take the male shaft off the cutter, just used a sawzall to lop off 2 inches from that end and did the same for the female/tractor side and the shields in my shop. A little filing, cleaning and greasing later I reassembled it.

I just purchased a Caroni TM1900BSC flail mower to use with my Kubota and remembering this thread I am putting a critical eye on the shaft. As delivered the shaft has about 4" free travel and I have been keeping an eye on it as I start using the mower. I have ordered a hydraulic side shift kit for the mower but it will probably be a month before I get that.

I have decided to hold off until I get the shift kit installed as it potentially could result in a too short shaft at maximum shift if I start cutting now.

I will post more about this but in another thread but I am glad that I read this thread.

Vernon

 

[Sandlot]

Whe I bought my Gearmore posthole digger, my dealer warned me that the supplied pto shaft maybe to long. Soooo, I installed the digger and pto shaft. I had marked the pto shaft at the shortest point. With the digger in the transport position, my mark was showing about 4 inches of extension. I then engaged the pto and lowered to dig, as the shaft went horizonal, My marks met, no more slack. The dealer was right, so I pulled the pto shaft off the digger and cut 1 1/2 inch off. This gives me plenty of room without bottoming out the pto.

 

[3RRL]

What a great thread and a happy ending at that. lol... I'll be the first to add to the next 3 pages...
BTW, Napa or Harbor Freight carries an assortment of both metric and SAE zerk fitting. You should now take the u-joints apart just to see what that's like.

 

[IslandTractor]

You should now take the u-joints apart just to see what that's like.

And you'll be right there to help me catch all the bits and put it back together???? If so then I'm game and will supply the beer. You bring the tweezers.

 

[Kendrick]

LOL yay for island... now I just got to pester my dealer to make sure I never have to wory about that... :/ i got lots of uneaven

 

[Bartcephus]

Well, I wished I'd read this thread and adjusted the PTO shaft length. I bought a used PHD/Auger. Just assumed that since it had been used that the shaft would be the right length for "any" tractor. I mean, CAT 1 is a standard is it not? Well, apparently the PTO shaft varies in relation to the side and top links in all three directions (dimentions) from make and model to make and model of tractor.

This last weekend, I attempted to pull the PHD coupler from the PTO shaft. I have ended up disassymbling the u-joint using a small gear puller that I had in my truck tool box. (This pushed through the end caps so I knew I ruined the cross. Of course the c-clips were rusted and one broke in place and I had to work the cross out through only one side. First I tried pry bars, but with the tight quarters, I couldn't get real room in there to work them. Then I tried hooking up my 9000 lbs. winch on my truck to pull on the PHD coupler but no luck. I've hammered, squirted WD-40, heated with a propane torch and even tried the small gear puller. Folks, this thing is on there. I'm going to get a bigger gear puller, some PB Rust Blaster and bringing my slide hammer when I go back out there. If that don't work.... I guess its gonna be a grinder with a cut-off wheel? Of course, I tried all this with the PTO shield in place, held up by a bungee cord. But it still got in the way. I'm gonna have to find some good anti seize greese or something for the future.

Any recomendations on anti-seize? I'll report what worked to get this thing off. Hopefully it will only cost a new coupler and not a Tractor repair bill when I get so frustrated to chain the remaining coupler to a tree and throw the tractor in Low range 1st gear and make a crawl for it, hoping not to find my PTO shaft pulled out of the back of my tractor. What a stinking pain that would be....

Regards

 

[Dead Horse]

I had the same problem, only the stuck end was on an implement.

I used a come-along to put pulling tension on the u coupler while tapping on the side of the darn thing with a ballpeen hammer. The constant pulling tension was what did the trick. I tried everything else mentioned, heat, tiger piss, beating on it, crow bar........... nothing worked.