How dangerous is YOUR PTO?

[GreenYellow]

Let's have a show of hands who keeps a plastic sleeve around your PTO shaft at all times. The one on my shredder is toast and I have major heartburn with the $149 price tag TSC has on a new one. (it's just a plastic sleeve!)

I KNOW how dangerous a PTO shaft can be. I have heard/read of several terrible injuries/death from people getting tangled in an engaged shaft. No one debates that they are man killers.

I suspect at some point I'll get a new sleeve on it... For now I'm just using common sense and staying the heck away from it. I get the occasional vine or tall grass stem wrapped on it.

So tell me, do you keep yours in "proper" condition? Any first hand encounters?

 

[k0ua]

Mine is working fine. Like you said, stay the heck away from it. They can hurt you quick.

 

[Redneck in training]

My are pretty beat up. I still have the guard on them but let it rotate with shaft.

 

[looch]

Both u-joint covers on my finish mower's shaft were disconnected from the main tube. I wove them back together with some wire. I'm old enough to know that I can't foresee every scenario - one that scares me is tripping / falling into the works.

 

[bcp]

Some here (and parts) cheaper than $149.

PTO Shaft, PTO Parts, PTO Adapter, PTO Power Take Off | Agri Supply

Even whole shafts cheaper than $149.

PTO Shaft, PTO Parts, PTO Adapter, PTO Power Take Off | Agri Supply

Bruce

 

[Sysop]

It has only been in recent years they have started such things. None of the old iron had the safety shields. You shouldn't have anyone anywhere near a spinning PTO shaft, shields in place or not. Lots of dangerous stuff on machinery, there is never enough caution around such things. Maintain shields as best as possible, but when they fail it isn't the end of the world...

I think the $149 would have had to have been a full shaft...

 

[NC419N]

Just replaced the one on my finishing mower, Bush hog one is there but rotates with the shaft, generator's still good as is rototiller. In a "perfect world" they would all be in perfect working order but face it our machine's do tuff work in hard applications. I think they are safer with a sleeve on them, and most are but not chained and rotate with the shaft and that's better than nothing on them at all with the shaft exposed. Just my .02.

 

[kebo]

My are pretty beat up. I still have the guard on them but let it rotate with shaft.

Same here, just let them rotate with the PTO shaft on my BH and my RFM. The PTO shafts on the rototiller and PHD are in good shape so they works like they're supposed to. I just never get near them while they are turning, actually if I get off the tractor with the PTO engaged the tractor shuts off and I like it that way.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Every guy I've talked to that is missing his plastic cover somehow looses his lynch pins also and tears up his top link. Literally every single time!

Brett

 

[GreenYellow]

Some here (and parts) cheaper than $149.

PTO Shaft, PTO Parts, PTO Adapter, PTO Power Take Off | Agri Supply

Even whole shafts cheaper than $149.

PTO Shaft, PTO Parts, PTO Adapter, PTO Power Take Off | Agri Supply

Bruce

Thanks Bruce! I'll check them out a little closer.