cut down pto shaft

[Bird]

The reciprocating saw would be my first choice. I have one now; just didn't have one when I had to cut that drive shaft. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I probably need to measure and cut some more. Which would be best - a reciprocating saw with metal blades, a cutting wheel in a 4" angle grinder, or a metal cutting blade in a skilsaw? )</font>

Hard to say. Though I have cut alot of metal with a sawsall with mental cutting blades.. kinda like a hacksaw on steroids.

I'd be leary of cutting the shaft with an angle grinder and abrasive blade... produces ALOT of heat. I have cut quite a few metal rods and pipes that will actually glow red on an extended cut.. I'd hate to think what that does to the metal temper of a pto shaft..

I did have the angle grinder and cut off blades.. but opted to err on the side of safety and just wear my arm out on the hacksaw. I then hit the end for a couple seconds with the grinder to take down a ridge or two.. then the rest with a flat file to debur.. etc.

I don't have enough pto or driveshaft cutting experience to say whether a angle grinder is 'safe' due to heat.. perhaps others will chime in.

On a second note.. the drive shaft assembly for this mower is a tad spendy.. so I was deffinately being cautious!

All in all it came out fine.. and I have a very strong right arm. ( even stronger than before! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

Soundguy

 

[Charolais]

Hooked the CCM 90" HD tiller up today for the first time. Had to take off 2" of the pto shaft. Pulled one end off and put it in the vice. Pulled the other end right across the lift arm and put a block of wood under it. Tied the shaft back with rope so it couldn't move. Got my old 7 1/2 inch grinder out and put a Norton 1/8" cutting disk on it. Took about 20 seconds for each end. I've used some thicker disks that would heat up the steel. The 1/8th in. cut pretty fast and it doesn't have as much time to heat up.

 

[Jagmandave]

Since you were cutting the ends off the respective shafts, I can't imagine the heat generated by a cutoff blade would affect anything, the real strength needed is where it attaches to the yokes, since the whole shaft is enclosed within the other half, spreading that part of the load down the whole thing......
I use the angle grinder with a cutoff blade to do a lot of cutting these days, but you have to watch where the kerf is going! I've burned thru the sleeves of a couple of shirts by accident, gotta watch your shoes too!

 

[Soundguy]

I hadn't cut a pto shaft down before, and was erring on the side of safety... glad to hear that if I do it again.. a cutoff wheel should be fine.. thanks

soundguy

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

Hard to say. Though I have cut alot of metal with a sawsall with mental cutting blades..

Soundguy )</font>

That 'splains it! I got a son-in-law that musta got too close to one of those MENTAL cutting blades /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Cactus]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> ( Were those shafts hard to cut??? ) </font> )</font>

An orbit grinder with the thin discs will cut right through a PTO shaft/pipe etc....

 

[Slamfire]

The shaft on my rotary cutter is just fine, until I tried to get the slip clutch installed, then it was way too long. The PTO has a four speed tranny, so I can just pop it into neutral if it starts pushin' the tractor, I'd like to shorten it just enough. I'm pretty much chicken to start with though. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Are you talking about an over running clutch or a slip lutch. The ORC is what keeps the mower from pushing you.. the slip clutch protects the driveline.

Actually cutting the driveline was no problem.. just alotta hacksaw blades! Just measure twice.. cut once! Take an equal amount off each side pluss the plastic shields.

Soundguy

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

Cheers guys, I just cut down my new PTO shaft on my new Bush Hog - I had confidence in what I was doing thanks to all of you!!

Keep posting!