PTO Drive Outer Housing Spinning Question

[beenthere]

I just use that little cover chain to hook my shaft up to the top link connection when I disconnect from the pto. It keeps the shaft compressed and up off the ground while the implement is not hooked to the tractor. When I hook the shaft to the pto, I disconnect the shaft from the chain and leave the chain connected to the top of the hitch frame. The cover spins loosely on the shaft but doesn't have any knuckles or edges to catch on. The pto is always disengaged before I get my hands or clothes near the shaft anyways.

Well said, and that is what I use the chain for as well.

 

[williamemack]

Ditto the post above. There should never be any significant pull on the chain and a chain should be attached at BOTH ends of the PTO shaft. Be sure to lube the cover at both ends so it will spin easily.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I just use that little cover chain to hook my shaft up to the top link connection when I disconnect from the pto. It keeps the shaft compressed and up off the ground while the implement is not hooked to the tractor. When I hook the shaft to the pto, I disconnect the shaft from the chain and leave the chain connected to the top of the hitch frame. The cover spins loosely on the shaft but doesn't have any knuckles or edges to catch on. The pto is always disengaged before I get my hands or clothes near the shaft anyways.

Well said, and that is what I use the chain for as well.

Ditto the post above. There should never be any significant pull on the chain and a chain should be attached at BOTH ends of the PTO shaft. Be sure to lube the cover at both ends so it will spin easily.

Not sure I see a ditto connection. I did have a pto shaft shield with the chain connected at both ends. It seemed so handy to keep the telescoping shaft from separating ... the chain whipping around bugged me tho so I took it off. Use no lube. It collects dust and forms a nice abrasive slurry. Just leave it dry and let it spin with the shaft. The self lubing characteristic of the plastic will let it slip when needed.
larry

 

[rjkobbeman]

After reading all of this I still can't figure out if there are people who genuinely do not understand what the plastic outer tube and chains are for and how to hook them up...

The plastic outer tube is NOT suppose to spin with the shaft. Those litte cheapy chains that are connected to the plastic tube are suppose to be connected to something that does not move. Meaning, one chain on one end should connect to the implement and the other chain at the other end should connect to the tractor (I droop mine over the draw bar). The chains keep the plastic tube from spinning.

At least that is how mine works. It is fairly new, although I imagine it is a standard. I haven't been around tractors long enough to know when the pastic tubes became the norm and what the old shafts were like.

I know that greasing the plastic tube where it spins on the shaft is suppose to be lubed just like the rest of the implement for regular maintenance. I can't remember if mine have zerks or if I just have to push some grease on it by hand. My u-joints have zerks of course.

 

[SPYDERLK]

After reading all of this I still can't figure out if there are people who genuinely do not understand what the plastic outer tube and chains are for and how to hook them up...

[The plastic outer tube is NOT suppose to spin with the shaft.]At least that is how mine works. It is fairly new, although I imagine it is a standard. I haven't been around tractors long enough to know when the pastic tubes became the norm and what the old shafts were like.

Who says? There are shafts on new equipment that dont have the chains or any provision for them. Continuous slippage wears them out and demands maintenance to make them last a while. If you let them spin they will continue to work maintenance free, slipping on demand, until the plastic falls apart with age.
larry

 

[Jaylegger]

Its no exaggeration to say no failures in 50yrs. I call that fairly long term. I dont know why that appears to be an exaggeration. The last implements Iv purchased have shaft covers without chains. Im hoping the system is showing a self correction.
larry

****, just when I thought I was out you suck me back in. I felt the exaggeration was not with your own experience but your willingness to paint the bearing failure rates of every shield with that very large and myopic brush. Regardless, I think we can both agree, chain on or not, more often than not a functioning as designed shield will prevent entanglements. Still though I can't understand why a reasonable person can't accept the reality that if the chain or plastic ear has broken without outside interference then that's likely an strong indication the bearings aren't working as designed. Instead of removing the chain wouldn't the wise thing to do be to check and repair what is causing the additional drag. As I mentioned earlier, which you didn't agree with, removing the chain is no different than after blowing fuses in your homes electrical fuse panel to remove them altogether and hard-wire the box. The fuse blowing is an indication of a potentially unsafe load on the system which for intents and purposes is no different than the chain breaking.