Cutting a PTO shaft

[bill177]

I have a GC2300 and a Massey Ferguson 4' tiller - has the clutch safety feature.

When I got it from the dealer it was all set up and ready to use. So I have been using it. The other day I needed to take it off - what a battle that was. The PRO shaft is too long.

That being fun, putting it back on the tractor was even more fun. First one arm, then the PTO, then the other arm, then the top link.

It is just barely short enough to allow it a little clearance when the tiller is all the way up.

My question: I know I have to cut the shaft down by equal amounts on each side. I easily got the PTO side off and is ready for the vice. How do I get the tiller side of the shaft off. The plastic cover hides everything.

I know this must be really basic dumb, but I am seeing no way to get that half of the shaft off the tiller. Of course I could cut it on the tiller, but I like to use a vice to hold things still.

 

[Glenn9643]

Bill,
Sounds as if it's still pretty new?
I think I would contact the dealer and talk with him about the problem, and maybe take it in and let them make the cuts.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Sorry you haven't gotten any help yet. You need to take off the plastic shield ... should be some nylon screws/camlocks to get it off the pto shaft. The clutch/pto shaft should be attached with a through-bolt or a clamp-bolt.

 

[Wayne165]

I would clamp a 2 x 4 to the bottom side of the shaft behind where I want to cut it. Then support the shaft so there is clearance below it . Put a piece of something below to protect paint from sparks & cut it with an angle gringer & a zipcut cutting wheel.Keep us posted so we know how you made out.Hope this helps.

 

[loulblades]

I took the shaft off, pulled it apart, put each piece in a vice and cut them with my sawzall. For the outer shaft, I cut both the plastic cover and shaft at the same time. Took ten minutes at most.

 

[weesa20]

I had to do the same thing with my First Choice tiller. I just used a 4 inch grinder to cut the tractor end by about 3-4 inches and held it up to the tiller end with shaft still attached and marked the corresponding length, then cut it with the grinder still on the tiller. Not a perfect cut but it works fine.

W

 

[bill177]

I solved the problem - bought a set of Pat's hitches. The PTO shaft is now just the right length. Not planned - just happened to work out that way.

 

[LoneCowboy]

We had the same issue with our tiller. What a PITA.
We cut the one side with our cut off wheel (best $200 spent ever) and then just supported teh other side with it still on the tiller.
we never took it off.
Made all the difference.