PTO Shaft won't slide

[airbiscuit]

I belatedly picked up my flail mower. Last fall the seller put some grease on the PTO shaft and pushed the two halves together. So last week, I picked it up, and wanted to take the tractor half off so I wouldn't lose it in transport. We both pulled on it,and couldn't get it to budge. I hooked a strap on to the PTO and lifted the mower, but still no slide.

Any have any ideas on how I can free this up? I don't think it is rusted together, I think the grease is making a very tight seal.

 

[brown40]

Heat it up. Secure the gearbox end & implement, get a few wraps of rope and a hitch on the free end, then use a comealong and a truck hitch/fixed point. Watch the tension and pull direction.

 

[BufordBoone]

First thing I did was spray penetrating oil down into the connection. Next, I placed a scrap piece of wood against the yoke. Then, I applied light, repetitive taps of a hammer on the wood and got it moving and then off. Once apart I cleaned it, added grease and everything slid smoothly.

 

[airbiscuit]

I've thought of and will try both approaches. The problem is the plastic guard pretty much obscures everything.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I had one rust together. chained one end to a pine tree and pulled apart with tractor. I put a pretty good yank on it, the tree ended up dying from the stress, and it was about 30' high. Only takes a little rust spot.

 

[BigBoyToys]

Worse come to worse just cut the plastic cover and heat it. You can get a new cover for pretty cheap.
Just an example...Complete P14 Shield 3919 Cv Pto Shaft 9Cs459|Eurocardan

 

[brown40]

Wow--thats the most intact pto shaft I've seen for a while--no metal to be seen. Looks like you may actually be able to remove the plastic without damage. I'd dump a big pan of boiling water through it first if I wasn't keen on disassembly. I'm sure your grease hardened and pressure locked it together--soften it up and it should go. Had the same thing happen to an ancient sweeper I was lent--took an hour but has been fine since--it had no plastic remaining and rust in the mix...

 

[bspeedy]

Wow--thats the most intact pto shaft I've seen for a while--no metal to be seen. Looks like you may actually be able to remove the plastic without damage. I'd dump a big pan of boiling water through it first if I wasn't keen on disassembly. I'm sure your grease hardened and pressure locked it together--soften it up and it should go. Had the same thing happen to an ancient sweeper I was lent--took an hour but has been fine since--it had no plastic remaining and rust in the mix...

This is a great tip and one I will use when faced with the same problem. On equipment stored outside, I've found that taking one half of the PTO shaft indoors is the only solution that has worked so far. On one particularly stubborn shaft, I chained one end to a tree and one end to my truck - 8000 lbs of CC LWB powerstroke diesel 4wd. Couldn't separate the shaft. Had to do the heat-n-beat routine. Of course I had to destroy the plastic guard in the process.

 

[Catman8]

You did not mention if you can remove the PTO shaft from your flail mowers gear box, does that come off easy. The problem I have with my flail mower is the splines are permantly rusted to the gearbox, I've tried penatrating lube, heat, and even the vibration from running the flail for hours of operation will not release the two. Permantly rusted together, I would love to remove it but figure if I keep messing with it I will damage the oil seal or something worse. Oh, and by the way, what engineer designed the PTO release button to be round on the end and goes to the bone on your finger, they couldn't of made the push pin flat for comfort, the spring has so much tension I need to use a tool to push it. I have switched from grease on all my three point connection to dry lube in a spray can and love it, no more getting grease all over you when hooking things up. . You might have better luck if you remove the PTO shaft from your flail to work on it, like other have said, now you can connect one end to a solid object and use a pulling devise on the over end, always throw a blanket over the cable for safety and stay out of the bite.

 

[Garrett Wiggins]

This is a great tip and one I will use when faced with the same problem. On equipment stored outside, I've found that taking one half of the PTO shaft indoors is the only solution that has worked so far. On one particularly stubborn shaft, I chained one end to a tree and one end to my truck - 8000 lbs of CC LWB powerstroke diesel 4wd. Couldn't separate the shaft. Had to do the heat-n-beat routine. Of course I had to destroy the plastic guard in the process.

This!!