Can you manually turn the pto hookup on the back of the tractor?

[Indian Territory]

The bigger my implements get, the harder it becomes to line up the splines on the pto shaft at hookup. I've taken to setting my tiller up on blocks so that I can turn the tines with my foot and gradually rotate the pto shaft for alignment. I was unaware that you could simply turn the splines on the back of the tractor with a big wrench. This ad shows a tool for doing just that. Is there any risk of driveline damage if I force my tractor's back pto splines to rotate against their will? They are definitely NOT freewheeling.

 

[usmron]

If i can't rotate the tiller or clipper to line it up, I turn off the tractor and the spline on the tractor will turn freely to line up with the shaft on implement that you are trying to line up.

 

[Indian Territory]

If i can't rotate the tiller or clipper to line it up, I turn off the tractor and the spline on the tractor will turn freely to line up with the shaft on implement that you are trying to line up.

Does this work on all tractors? Have I missed it all these decades‽

 

[9973720wb19]

Despite having a button on the rear fender to turn the PTO, it never works out right so on my JD, if you turn off the engine, you can turn the PTO by hand - this is how I do all my hookups now.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Not all tractors are created equal. With some the there is a PTO brake that works only when the engine is running. On some it's spring applied and only releases when the PTO is engaged with the engine running. Some have no brake at all. There is no standard that applies to all tractors.

 

[oldballs]

IIRC, The three Kubotas that I owned/own.....(BX & Bs HST) The splines can turn by hand at the tractor PTO . And maybe the shifter has to be in neutral as well???

Cheers,
Mike

 

[dodge man]

I can turn mine by hand. I’m not sure if I have to select the mid pto so the rear is in kind of a neutral or if I just have to shut off the tractor.

 

[Indian Territory]

I can turn mine by hand. I’m not sure if I have to select the mid pto so the rear is in kind of a neutral or if I just have to shut off the tractor.

When I had my smaller tractor, I could turn my rear pto if I had the mid pto selected. But my current tractor has no mid pto.

I wish they came with a dedicated neutral. We can already change gears to economy pto. Why not also add the option to shift to neutral? My arthritis would gladly pay a pretty steep premium for such a luxury.

 

[old and tired]

Standard L, HST tractor's PTO are free to move... not sure about manuals.

 

[Jstpssng]

I do that all of the time... Including 3 hours ago when hooking up the mower. I also keep both parts lubed with 00 grease so that it goes together better. My tractor won't start with the PTO engaged and while I do leave the engine running while hooking up the 3pth, I shut it off before hooking up the PTO.
Call me paranoid if you want... You'd probably be right.

 

[jyoutz]

If i can't rotate the tiller or clipper to line it up, I turn off the tractor and the spline on the tractor will turn freely to line up with the shaft on implement that you are trying to line up.

I wouldn’t think about attaching a pto driveshaft when the tractor is running.

 

[MAGA Patriot]

On my LS MT573 the PTO shifter on the left hand side has the option to change from 540rpm, 1,000rpm or neutral. When I place it in neutral, the shaft will spin freely.

Just a thought since you have a New Holland 75

 

[grsthegreat]

just add a simple overrunning clutch. easy to turn by hand, plus helps protest tractor when turning pto off.

 

[oosik]

With my tractor off - PTO stub will easily turn by hand.

CORRECTION - I just went out and checked the PTO stub on my M6040. It WILL NOT turn by hand.

 

[grsthegreat]

With my tractor off - PTO stub will easily turn by hand.

mine wont....strange.

 

[DK35vince]

mine wont....strange.

Mine won't either.
I added an overrun clutch a couple decades ago to solve that issue.

 

[Racer4]

On my GC2410, the PTO can be rotated, but the engagement lever has to be in the off position, not the rearmost lock position. Or the lever for the 540/1000 is in neutral. Either way it will spin.

 

[ning]

My PTO lever needs to be in neutral, then it turns freely by hand.

 

[Hay Dude]

Whats really cool about AGCO tractor pto stubs is the ends are sort of chamfered or angled, so the implement shaft usually just slides right on.

 

[Sportsman762]

The ability to turn the pto by hand depends on the tractor.
Tractors with live PTO's and Transmission PTO's you can turn by hand when they are disengaged but not when they are engaged. The exception is transmission PTO's with an integral overrunning clutch you can turn one way but the not the other with the PTO engaged.
Most Independent PTO's you can turn the PTO with the engine off regardless if the PTO is engaged or not.

Tractors with a PTO brake such as the Powerstar 75 you cannot turn by hand, nor with the tool. Most of the folks here have compacts and pto brakes are rare on them so the majority of the responses reflect that.

I was unaware that you could simply turn the splines on the back of the tractor with a big wrench. This ad shows a tool for doing just that.

You could put a 60" pipe wrench on the pto shaft and if the pto brake is adjusted right even jumping on it will not make it turn.

I forgot to note that the Bondioli Pavesi SFT series PTO drive line allow a few degrees of slop to allow alignment. They are common on large balers and other equipment were the implement shaft cannot be rotated.