Hooking up PTO

[Wooddust]

I have a problem.

Wait, I'm Rodger and I have a problem.

Am I the only person who seems PTO Challenged? Good lord-a-mighty, it never ceases to amaze me how hard it is for me to slide the PTO shaft from darn near any PTO powered attachment onto the goldurn PTO.

There. If confession is good for the soul, Im on my way to a good day.

 

[johnrex62]

Hi Rodger! :welcome:


Ahem....you do remember to push the post on the PTO shaft right? :mur:

 

[k0ua]

Well it is hard for all of us, but the more you do it the easier it becomes.

Some tips, keep it greased well, it actually helps, if you pto cover hood moves up, push it up to give a little more clearance for your hand, you would be suprised how much that helps, and watch the angle of the pto collar and get it pretty straight before you push it on. turn it a little as you shove it on to get the splines lined up. I am sure you have done all of these things, But is seems to me if I do it a lot it is pretty easy, then when the season rolls around for the cutter the first few times are hard again, like I have forgotten how to do this, and by the end of the mowing season, I am putting it on and off without a thought.
good luck
James K0UA

 

[beenthere]

First, be sure both the female and male ends are clear of wooddust.
I keep both parts clean with only a light spray of silicone lub, but for me any grease makes it messy to handle and collects dust/dirt that cakes and gets sticky.

Either have the attachment raised so you can turn the PTO to align the lands(grooves or slots), or leave the PTO stub in neutral. Alignment is critical, so one or the other has to move.

Align the shaft to the grooves and straight away, and slide together for about a 1/2" before pressing the button/post in all the way to allow sliding further (until the post will release meaning it is locked on).

Hope this helps. But for me, I removed the tractor-side PTO shield altogether. I see no earthly reason for it, as the days are long gone when a full PTO cover shield was used with the advent of the slip plastic covers on the shaft and over the u-joints.

 

[TripleR]

Hi Roger!

I have problem too and based on previous posts on this subject shows we are not alone.

Do a search and you will see; good luck.

 

[Wooddust]

Probably not helping that I have sweat running into my eyes, glasses are almost worthless, Im just on that ragged edge of mad....then the bugger wont go on....

Probably the only one with such an issue.

 

[TripleR]

Probably not helping that I have sweat running into my eyes, glasses are almost worthless, Im just on that ragged edge of mad....then the bugger wont go on....

Probably the only one with such an issue.

I have told this story before, but will again.

I am kind of old and feeble, so after my wife and I wrestled around with a PTO one day for way too long, we called our big strong son to come and "slip it on".

He pushed, pulled, sweat and furrowed his brow as he doesn't curse and then stopped looked at it a minute, bent down and "click" it seated. No rhyme or reason, it just connected.

I sure wish there was an easier way, but in 50 years, I haven't found it.

 

[RPW]

As been posted clean and lightly greased. Also check for metal burrs that could hamper the coupler sliding on the shaft. I like the idea of silicon lube and will have to try it.

Good luck and by the way welcome.

 

[Wooddust]

I have told this story before, but will again.

I am kind of old and feeble, so after my wife and I wrestled around with a PTO one day for way too long, we called our big strong son to come and "slip it on".

He pushed, pulled, sweat and furrowed his brow as he doesn't curse and then stopped looked at it a minute, bent down and "click" it seated. No rhyme or reason, it just connected.

I sure wish there was an easier way, but in 50 years, I haven't found it.

I think its karma. Being a Swede, I can almost believe its trolls who are involved. Trolls contribute much to frustration in life.

I have walked away, cursing a blue streak, sat down, lit my pipe, had a drink then walk over get all strong and forceful, grab the coupler....and it slides on with no effort almost smashing my head into the back of the tractor.

Uff Da

 

[DiezNutz]

It's all about getting just the right angle of the dangle. :thumbsup:

 

[b2910]

I have a problem.

Wait, I'm Rodger and I have a problem.

Am I the only person who seems PTO Challenged? Good lord-a-mighty, it never ceases to amaze me how hard it is for me to slide the PTO shaft from darn near any PTO powered attachment onto the goldurn PTO.

There. If confession is good for the soul, Im on my way to a good day.

I have a question for the group, this is probably covered in another thread but seems valid here anyway. Do you connect the PTO shaft with the engine running, or maybe the bigger question is should you connect an implement with the tractor off? A lot of people here have there attachments stored in nice rooms on rolling dollies, etc. making attachment a lot easier than out in the grass, but my tractor has no hydraulic capability except to drop when it is turned off so that can be a problem. Going back to the PTO itself it seems a lot of the problem is that when it is not engaged the drive shaft is able to turn as easily as the shaft coupler and you can't get the splines to line up. I was thinking that if I engaged the PTO and then shut off the tractor after getting the 3pt connected I might be able to rotate the coupler without it turning the drive shaft but then I haven't really tried it. I am not familiar with the terms of the tractor but hopefully you can understand what I am saying.

I also think it would be nice if there was an auxillary electric hydraulic pump that would allow us to operate the hydraulics without having the tractor running. Don't know if that is possible or not, maybe a visit to the hydraulics section will help.

 

[rutwad]

Does the shaft slide easily in & out? When it doesn't, that usually presents the biggest problems, because even if it is lined up properly, getting it to slide on the shaft is difficult. My friend has a cutter and the PTO will almost make a preacher lay his Bible down. Found out the shafts were slightly bent. Replaced the shaft with a new, well-greased one and now it comes off so easy.

Good Luck!

 

[Wooddust]

I have a question for the group, this is probably covered in another thread but seems valid here anyway. Do you connect the PTO shaft with the engine running, or maybe the bigger question is should you connect an implement with the tractor off? A lot of people here have there attachments stored in nice rooms on rolling dollies, etc. making attachment a lot easier than out in the grass, but my tractor has no hydraulic capability except to drop when it is turned off so that can be a problem. Going back to the PTO itself it seems a lot of the problem is that when it is not engaged the drive shaft is able to turn as easily as the shaft coupler and you can't get the splines to line up. I was thinking that if I engaged the PTO and then shut off the tractor after getting the 3pt connected I might be able to rotate the coupler without it turning the drive shaft but then I haven't really tried it. I am not familiar with the terms of the tractor but hopefully you can understand what I am saying.

I also think it would be nice if there was an auxillary electric hydraulic pump that would allow us to operate the hydraulics without having the tractor running. Don't know if that is possible or not, maybe a visit to the hydraulics section will help.

NEVER with tractor running.

 

[shane]

I really wish I could offer some words of wisdom but I've just never had this problem.


(was that a bolt of lightening that just shot by my head?)


Clean and lubed goes a long way. Then it's just a simple matter of lining things up correctly and holding your mouth right. I usually eyeball the splines to see it the look like they are going to mate up to start with. If they don't like they are going to work, it usually only takes a tad of a turn to get them adjusted.

It's not a wise idea to have the tractor running while connecting the PTO.

 

[teg]

I'm one of the bad people... I removed the tractor-side PTO shield altogether, too. I do keep the shaft clean... and I keep half of the pto shaft inside (so it doesn't get stolen, dirty or rusty).

I did not trust my pto, so I hook it up with the engine off. I dug a ditch in my shed with a tiller on my tractor that had the pto in the off position... It doesn't take but a second to turn it off...

 

[k0ua]

Tell you what, if it really is a major vexation in life, and you have the money, there is always the John Deere Automatch. That solves both the 3pt hookup and the PTO problem in one fell swoop! Just think no more cuss words, no more skinned knuckles, no more grease on your hands, no more standing between the tractor and the implement. Green has got a lot of nice compatible implements, all it takes is money..

James K0UA

 

[b2910]

NEVER with tractor running.

So if I understand this correctly, you are running the tractor to hook up the 3PT but turn it off when you connect the PTO.

 

[wedge40]

Its a lucky person who doesn't have problem getting the PTO connected every now and then. When I use mine, I make sure the tractor PTO shaft is clean of dirt and full of grease and WD40, the same goes for the PTO drive shaft.

I don't put them together with the tractor running.
I try and make sure the implement shaft will turn freely before starting.

If all else fails I'll take a break.
If that fails I've been known to resort to dancing around with a dead chicken.

Wedge

 

[Mike Costello]

I think its karma. Being a Swede, I can almost believe its trolls who are involved. Trolls contribute much to frustration in life.

I have walked away, cursing a blue streak, sat down, lit my pipe, had a drink then walk over get all strong and forceful, grab the coupler....and it slides on with no effort almost smashing my head into the back of the tractor.

Uff Da

It ain't Trolls--It's all that Missouri humidity!

 

[johnk]

If its a brush hog or post hole digger or whatever I raise and lower the 3 point until the PTO drive shaft is almost level with both the tractor and implement and connect it from there... With tractor off of course...Seems to work better when there is less angle between the two.. Good luck. You'll get her done.