chains on the PTO shield - yes or no?

[Mosey]

I have 4 implements that had chains on the PTO shield, which I have removed the chains from on all of them (I did not remove the shields). My theory is that if I leave the chains on, it will wear them out, since there are no bearings, just the plastic rotating around the PTO shaft. By leaving the chains on, they don’t wear out and if I do come in contact, then they still allow the PTO shaft to rotate inside the shield and will protect me from the PTO shaft. How many people agree/disagree?

 

[rdln]

My only two pto shafts are Walschied (sp?) on Landprides, the shields have grease zerks molded into them so there is some lubrication.

My thought on your question is how would you know if after time the shield malfunctions and is stuck to the shaft?
Its seems like maybe if it is chained, a person might be more maintanance conscious.

 

[wichiwichi]

I took mine off also.What happened to the manufacturers using actual steel in the pto shaft covers. The plastic ones these days are pretty flimsy. And what is the deal with with all these extended shields. What a pain trying to get to the grease zerks.

 

[AndyR]

The shields are used to prevent tractor newbies from becoming lawn food. I have the german shields on my equipment and have had no problems whatsoever. I have yet to find a piece of equipment that I can't tell by sound when the PTO is engaged.

 

[Mosey]

Please note that I removed the chains only, I did not remove the shields. I edited my initial post to make this more clear. I agree that anyone with any sense at all should know enough to stay away from it when it's running, with or without shields. However, I do like the shields just in case someone somehow falls into the shaft by accident.

 

[DVerbarg]

If the chains are removed how would you know if the shield had frozen to the shaft? Just imagining that a shield might become rusted or dented thus not allowing it to freely rotate. This may not be immediately obvious until its too late.

Yes, the chains might make the shield wear a little faster but for most of us who are non-commercial the time to replacement would probably be years, if ever. Contrast this cost to the cost of limb or life. Seems that it might be cheap insurance to know the shield is working properly.

 

[SimS]

I agree with Steve. I would rather lube the shields periodically than wonder if they were all cruddy and stuck on the shaft. BTW do you know if you can just buy the shields? I often wondered that eventually the plastic will wear out and I would need a replacement. Finally, if you had a choice should the "male" or the "female" side of the PTO shaft be attached to the tractor?

Sim

 

[AndyR]

You can buy the shields at our local tractor supplier. Haven't checked but it would be real usefull if you could buy just the big end pieces - mine are shot on the bush hog.

Humm - you guys just created another project/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

 

[Inspector507]

The rotating shields could also get wrapped up with long grass, weeds, whatever. I perfer to keep them on and use them. I have to mow under a lot of low hanging fruit trees and just don't want it to try to wrap up an apple tree limb I guess. That's just my opinion anyway.

 

[Bird]

Danny, a long time ago, the chain on the shield on my tiller pulled out the plastic it was hooked to (don't know how I did that), but I just did what you're doing. And on the Howse rotary cutter, the shield didn't even come with chains or a place to attach any. From what I've seen, a lot of people are doing just what you're doing.