Dang mid PTO for MMM BX25d

[JWR]

I have the same issue with my BX2200. I finally found out if I jack up the rear and remove the left rear tire/wheel, I have a LOT more room to work. Overall, this is much faster than my hunt and guess method. With the wheel off, you can actually SEE what you are doing and have more room to work.

Ron

We have all had exasperation with connecting the mid-PTO to the mower deck. As with all of you I have had it go on the first try and 2 minutes or less total. Other times it took "forever" and at times seemed nearly impossible. Getting out a jack and removing a rear wheel is a little too extreme for me on this pesky issue. Obviously visibility and better access combine to be a huge help.

Since the OP says he has lubed the heck out of the splines and the female connector, the rest is just patience... start by wiping off that excess lubricant. THIS BELOW ASSUMES YOU DO THE WORK FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MACHINE.

-- FIRST do not attempt to hold the ring back against the spring loaded tension on the BB's until AFTER you have the female connector on the splines.
-- The thing is made such that the splines and connector have about 1/2" or so where they can freely mate BEFORE you need to retract the BB's using the spring loaded collar to let them slide together the rest of the way.
-- So rotate the mower shaft very slightly while trying to mate the connector with the splines. If done slowly you can feel very definitely when the splines and the mating occurs.
-- Once the mating has occurred, hold the drive shaft firmly toward the rear axle to avoid losing your spline contact ...with your left hand.
-- Then, while continuing to hold the shaft under some pressure toward the rear with your left hand, slide the collar toward the front of the tractor with your right hand, opening the BB guarded opening.
At this stage all you have to do is exert more force with your left hand than with your right hand -- really trying to force your hands together while the left one dominates.

This is the magic point of infuriating behavior: either the connection now slides together another inch or two, you hear a click and go clean your hands with a smile ... OR you wiggle, jiggle, push and groan and look around to see who is watching and hearing you cuss.

Once the female connector and the splines are engaged for a fraction of an inch the rest is all friction paced. If the connection slides easily with low friction, the whole thing is easy. It helps too to make sure the telescoping shaft slides easily in and out before you try to connect to the tractor.

Necessity is really the mother of a badly needed invention: somebody will eventually invent a gadget that does 2 things 1) Aligns the female connector with the splined PTO shaft and 2) applies leveraged force for the connection. Something like a set of pliers with peculiar adapter interfaces at the teeth end of the pliers, matched to the shaft and connector parts... will make somebody wealthy. This REALLY needs to be done for essentially all PTO splined shaft to drive shaft U-joint connectors. Large ones on almost all tractors and implements are foolishly awkward, stupid, often infuriating, and screaming for an inventor !!

 

[bcp]

At least the transverse push button latches don't have you pushing and pulling at the same time.

Bruce

 

[captronr]

JWR,

The few minutes it takes me to roll the floor jack under the drawbar, jack it up, and use an electric impact to zip the wheel off, saves me long periods contorted on my back, not being able to see what I'm doing.

Connect it easily,

Reverse the tire removal process.

Ron

 

[JWR]

At least the transverse push button latches don't have you pushing and pulling at the same time.

Bruce

What is a transverse pushbotton latch ? My deck driveshaft has nothing like that (nor do any of my larger tractors and implements.) Is it an alternative "BB retractor?"

 

[JWR]

JWR,

The few minutes it takes me to roll the floor jack under the drawbar, jack it up, and use an electric impact to zip the wheel off, saves me long periods contorted on my back, not being able to see what I'm doing.

Connect it easily,

Reverse the tire removal process.

Ron

I hear ya Captron -- it just seems like giving in to what ought to be easy without such extreme measures. I will say that many times I have spent a heck of a lot more time fooling with the connection than it would have taken me to use your method.

 

[bcp]

What is a transverse pushbotton latch ? My deck driveshaft has nothing like that (nor do any of my larger tractors and implements.) Is it an alternative "BB retractor?"

Bruce

 

[JWR]

View attachment 554094

Bruce

Oh heck yes ! Thanks Bruce. I remember them now. Some sort of elderly brain malfunction on my part... A few of my other U-joints do have that pushbutton rather than the collar. And I agree I like them better for connection because, as you say, you do not have to be pushing in the opposite direction of the force needed to unlock the U-joint.