logan97
Gold Member
The plastic cover around the PTO came with a chain. What exactly is it's function ? The plastic does spin when the PTO is engaged.
PTO ?
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whistlepig
Elite Member
The chain is supposed to keep the plastic cover from spinning. A spinning plastic cover on a PTO shaft is about the most dangerous thing there is on operating an implement on a tractor.
SARG
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I assume you're talking about the PTO drive shaft. The chain is usually provided to hold or hang the loose end from the equipment when it is not attached to the tractor. You would wrap or attach one end around where the top 3 point link hooks to the implement ( brush cutter etc) and the other around the end of the pto shaft to keep it up.
I have seen some youtube clips where the chains are hooked from the top link to the pto covers while the shaft is spinning on the tractor.
I have seen some youtube clips where the chains are hooked from the top link to the pto covers while the shaft is spinning on the tractor.
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Why is that?
SARG
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Check the end of this video. It shows the proper chain usage.
YouTube - How to Measure and Cut a Tractor PTO Shaft
YouTube - How to Measure and Cut a Tractor PTO Shaft
The answers are half right. The plastic tube is a safety shield with cups at both ends to protect you from coming into contact with the rotating steel shaft and the U-joints at both ends of the drive. The chain on the PTO drive end keeps the shield from spinning and the safety cup in place over the U-joint. If the driven end of the shaft were ever to be uncoupled from the PTO drive, the chain would keep that end of the shaft from swinging about wildly.
At the implement end of the shaft, the chain and the cup do the same, keep you from contacting the steel shaft and U-joint. If the shear bolt were to brake, the chain keeps that end from swing around wildly. Remember, we are talking about a shaft that spins at 540, 750 or 1,000 rpm. You do not want to get warped up in the works. :thumbsup:
SARG
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Your comment also appears half right. PTO shafts are designed such that when the shear bolt does "break" .... the union just spins with no chance of the shaft "flopping around".
No, with the shear bolt broken there is nothing to keep the U-joint from spinning and working itself off the implement drive shaft. Maybe it does not happen too often but you don't want to find out the hard way, or do you?
whistlepig
Elite Member
The plastic safety shield on the PTO should always be fixed and not spinning. This prevents loose clothing from getting caught on the PTO shaft and the operator being tangled up in the PTO shaft.
SARG
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No, with the shear bolt broken there is nothing to keep the U-joint from spinning and working itself off the implement drive shaft. Maybe it does not happen too often but you don't want to find out the hard way, or do you?
I suspect that's why there are "locks" on both ends of the shaft.