TRACTOR SLUNG PTO SHAFT!!! - PICS.

[Tinhack]

The clutch I bought off the Interweb came with the clip and instructions on how to install it. It also mentions how to adjust the clutch for your tractor. If you didn't install the clutch, I'd be talking to the guy that did--He owes you some new parts. If you installed it, it's on you.

You got off cheap! You're lucky it didn't take out rear housing on your tractor too.

 

[TexasDigger]

...I suggest you check your driveshaft to see if yours has that circlip or if it is missing.

As bad as this is, it could have been much worse. A new PTO plus all the other parts is going to be pretty expensive compared to the cost of that circlip.
...
Anyway.....look at your gear box shaft and you should see a retaining clip installed like this one....View attachment 750028

I just picked up 3 of these from TSC (1 for the gear-box shaft, 1 for the clutch shaft + a spare!). I MIC'd my grooves and came up at 1.29" so figured a 1 1/4 C clip would do the trick. Still haven't re-engaged the PTO after unhooking the shaft but will tonight just to make sure I don't hear gears grinding or any broken teeth noise.. The engine sounded fine but who knows if any long-term damage until it reveals itself (cracked crankshaft, etc). It all stopped VERY abruptly once it wound itself up! What !$#@$$es me off is that these shafts never had clips, came with clips from dealer - no mention of clips anywhere that I had seen on any vids, etc - nada. Pretty important safety feature that I have to chalk off to literal ignorance since I just didn't know. If I had ever seen them even in a package with other PTO adapters, etc., would have had a reference to put them back on - didn't even think about it and even though it seems like common knowledge, if it wasn't there to begin with when I took something off/apart, I didn't know to look for it missing. On a good note, whatever it broke is all replaceable. Could have been a lot worse.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/hillman-1-1-4-in-external-retaining-ring-1045512

 

[Tinhack]

Don't use grade 2 with the clutch. They won't last. Adjust the clutch.

 

[TexasDigger]

Don't use grade 2 with the clutch. They won't last. Adjust the clutch.

Noted. Will save myself the headache on worrying about putting sheer bolt back in it later. When I picked up the 1 1/4 clips, I also picked up both a Grade 5 bolt and a REAL Grade 8 bolt + lock washers/nuts (the lock washers & nuts were Grade 2, but assumed as long as they hold the bolt in place, that's what matters.)

Definitely adjusting the clutch once it's all back together. Have to go buy a straight piece of strap iron from the steel yard tomorrow and also some slightly stronger chain than what was originally holding rear of the RC. Looked at the RC a bit closer & all of the 4 point and rear chain brackets took a pretty good beating but nothing that can't be fixed. It actually straightened out my top-link mount for me that was clamping on the top-link making it hard to connect/disconnect so I'll take that as a positive!

 

[TexasDigger]

The clutch I bought off the Interweb came with the clip and instructions on how to install it. It also mentions how to adjust the clutch for your tractor. If you didn't install the clutch, I'd be talking to the guy that did--He owes you some new parts. If you installed it, it's on you.

You got off cheap! You're lucky it didn't take out rear housing on your tractor too.

It's on me. Adjusted per instructions but never "slipped" it. Will back off on them until I see it spinning & then tighten back up. Definitely will look up more "how to" on the clutch adjustment but the measurement specs that came with mine for spring height are too tight - although when I re-engaged the PTO I was at full operating RPM but I think the clutch is designed to accommodate for that since it has auto on/off option on my PTO (can turn on/off as I raise/lower the 3pt - a feature that I have yet to use!)... Definitely on me though for both the clutch adjustment and also will also own the blame for lack of circlip. I've seen that groove there plenty of times but just never thought "what's that there for?" since I never removed a circlip from it..

 

[ptsg]

It's on me. Adjusted per instructions but never "slipped" it. Will back off on them until I see it spinning & then tighten back up. Definitely will look up more "how to" on the clutch adjustment but the measurement specs that came with mine for spring height are too tight - although when I re-engaged the PTO I was at full operating RPM but I think the clutch is designed to accommodate for that since it has auto on/off option on my PTO (can turn on/off as I raise/lower the 3pt - a feature that I have yet to use!)... Definitely on me though for both the clutch adjustment and also will also own the blame for lack of circlip. I've seen that groove there plenty of times but just never thought "what's that there for?" since I never removed a circlip from it..

I wouldn't use that feature with a high inertia PTO implement such like a brush mower, flail mower, etc. The reason is that there is a spring actuated brake on the PTO once it's Off. So trying to constantly stop all that rotating mass on brush mower spinning at high RPMs is just unnecessary wear and tear not only on the brakes but also on the clutch discs when engaging again.

For low inertia implements like a rototiller, sure. It works great and I use that Auto feature all the time on my tractor.

This is just my opinion/theory by the way.

 

[mikester]

The gear box shaft on the OP's cutter has a groove for a circlip that is supposed to keep the PTO on the gear box even if the drive pin is sheared. That little circlip is pretty important to keep things like this from happening. I suggest you check your driveshaft to see if yours has that circlip or if it is missing.

As bad as this is, it could have been much worse. A new PTO plus all the other parts is going to be pretty expensive compared to the cost of that circlip.

The gear box shaft is smooth and uses a pin or bolt that is supposed to be the sacrificial part if the cutter hits something that is too much for the cutter. If they used a splined shaft, it would transfer the shock load to the tractor PTO and would be more expensive than replacing a simple shear pin or bolt.

Anyway.....look at your gear box shaft and you should see a retaining clip installed like this one. View attachment 750028

Unfortunately I have a splined shaft on both ends...

 

[5030]

I wouldn't use that feature with a high inertia PTO implement such like a brush mower, flail mower, etc. The reason is that there is a spring actuated brake on the PTO once it's Off. So trying to constantly stop all that rotating mass on brush mower spinning at high RPMs is just unnecessary wear and tear not only on the brakes but also on the clutch discs when engaging again.

Why I run a ratcheting over running coupler on my output stub so as to minimize the inertia rotation from the implement, in my case either mu bat wing mower or mu flat shredder. Both of them also have slip clutches and shear bolts (grade 2). Both are Land Pride units. When an inertia implement spins a disengaged pto, it eats up the pto internal brake. Most pto's aren't designed to provide excessive inertia braking. Once the internal brake is shot, the stub will rotate continuously from parasitic drive of the pto clutch.

 

[TexasDigger]

I wouldn't use that feature with a high inertia PTO implement such like a brush mower, flail mower, etc. The reason is that there is a spring actuated brake on the PTO once it's Off. So trying to constantly stop all that rotating mass on brush mower spinning at high RPMs is just unnecessary wear and tear not only on the brakes but also on the clutch discs when engaging again.

For low inertia implements like a rototiller, sure. It works great and I use that Auto feature all the time on my tractor.

This is just my opinion/theory by the way.

Tiller would be the only thing I could think the auto on/off feature would ever make sense for. Your comment on the extra wear on PTO brake reminds me that I need to also get an over-run clutch. That wouldn't have helped in this circumstance but would save excess wear on the backlash from rotating mass when turning off the PTO. Pretty sure that little 6ft RC on my tractor isn't as bad but will be upgrading to a larger RC in near future (I traded up for bigger tractor last year but kept the old 6ft RC & BB).

Speaking of the PTO, I did fire the tractor up last night and spun the PTO to inspect. Didn't see or hear any damage and the shaft seems to be spinning straight & true so counting my blessings for nothing other than a drive-shaft, a couple of retainer clips, some strap iron & chain and a little field welding! All in all, I'm at about $250-$300 total damage for not having a $1.49 circlip so will consider that as lucky!

 

[ericm979]

How do you get to the circlip with the clutch in place? The shaft sticking out of the clutch would block access to the circlip.