Rotary Cutter Can't connect PTO to shredder

lmgtexas · May 21, 2016

I have a Howse 601S shredder. Doing my annual "start of mowing" maintenance. Taking the PTO drive off the shredder was difficult. Now, after all maintenance and lubrication I can't get it to slide back onto the drive of the shredder (where the sheer pin goes). What is the best way to get the PTO shaft back on the shredder? Both parts are well greased and "no go." Can I take a metal file to the PTO connection or is it better to try and file down the shredder connection?

geneP · May 21, 2016

It sounds like there is rust build-up between the gearbox stub and the female shaft connection. I think a file would work, lightly, or sandpaper. Then some sandpaper on the shaft female connection. It won't take much. You will know when you get to shiny metal, then lube and assemble.

lmgtexas · May 21, 2016

Great! Thanks - I hoped that would be what it would take - just wanted to be sure I wasn't screwing something up.

jeff9366 · May 21, 2016

Shredders generate a lot of sap and dust which ends up plating both the male and female PTO connections. Grease is not the right lube. It sometimes bubbles, preventing connection.

Use Blaster solvent liberally on both male and female connections after removing PTO, to soften and drip off sap and dust. Store wet with Blaster. Before next connection, lightly lube male and female connections with Eureka Fluid Film if you have it, if not, use WD40.

Make sure friction between the two plastic PTO housing parts "tromboning" are not part of the difficulty. Extend the shaft until there is no friction resistance extending it (6" to 8"), connect the PTO first, then back the tractor and connect the draw pins in succession.

PTO connections wear in after a few hours. Never easy to connect but definitely easier later than when new.

2458n · May 22, 2016

I like the gray anti-seize stuff. It does not help with sap, but it keeps the shaft easy to remove.

stuckmotor · May 22, 2016

If you've got another pto implement, try it on the tractor pto. If it goes on, the obstruction must be in the shreader end. I prefer not to remove metal from the pto end. It looks more expensive to replace should I remove too much.

FatTire · May 22, 2016

Like Jeff9366 said, I use Fluid-flim, except I use it before storage since the PTO shaft spends the winter in the snow, etc. Seems to work pretty well.

Gary Fowler · May 22, 2016

I cant see that it should not go back on if you just took it off, cleaned it up etc the tried to put it back on.

Unless you can visually see some dings in the splines, I wouldn't try to remove metal using anything more than sandpaper to clean the splines. A wire brush (manual or preferred with a grinder) will quickly clean the male spines from tractor and bush hog. A small hand wire brush is needed to get inside the female couplers. After cleaning, try to install the PTO shaft, if it goes in then remove it and apply a graphite lubricant to both joints and install the PTO shaft. When trying to attach to the tractor, make sure that the plastic guard is sliding freely. I had one on a Howse mower that I had to split the outer shell in order to slide it in and out. After splitting it full length on the outer piece it slide easily. It never bothered the integrity of the sleeve, it was still tight and remained that way for the 3 years I used it. Last time I was at sisters (she bought the tractor and bush hog) it was still working as it should.

I have never seen one that fits on the 6 point splines that only match up to a certain position and they are pretty easy to see where the match is. However if you are trying to put the two pieces of the shaft back together, that is a different story. My Howse bush hog PTO shaft when the two pieces were separated (accidently forgot to remove the shaft once when unhooking) would only fit back in one position. The male piece was kind of oval shaped but the oval had on one position that it would fit back into the female connection. I worked a while on it trying to put it back together before I found out that I had to rotate it 180 degrees to match. It all looked the same but it would not fit but one position.

lmgtexas · May 26, 2016

The problem is on the shredder end (the male end that goes into the PTO drive shaft). I used a small grinder attachment in my electric drill to smooth out the inside of the PTO drive end (the end through which the sheer bolt is inserted). That did the trick. Goes on smooth as silk now. Thanks to everyone for their input and assistance! Now, if it ever stops raining here in Central Texas, and the ground dries out, I can begin to cut some of this overgrown pasture!