Driveshaft won't attach ?

[AlanB]

With it out, can you look in the hole, you should see the little ball bearing in there. While you pull the collar back, have someone else touch the ball with a screwdriver it should then be loose.

If it is not (and I bet that is your problem) then start looking for why it is jammed.

Sometimes, just forcing that end up on the tractor without it being in the other half of the shaft, gives you enough added leverage to pop the ball loose and get it moving. After you get it loose, keep it well lubed with whatever weasel pee is your favorite to make it slide on and off easily in the future.

Good luck.

 

[ore540]

The drive will start on and push in allright to a point.......
When I try to push the drive shaft hard onto the PTO, it feels like hard metal is stopping the snap bar from reaching the indented groove.

I have something else for you to try. Yesterday, for the first time, my PTO shaft would not snap in. The grooves would line up and the shaft would start to slide in but it just would not go onto the tractor's drive far enough to click. Stopped hard just like you described.

Found out that the lower lip of the plastic guard tubing around the PTO shaft was catching on the tractor's sheet metal below the PTO drive. The tube's lower edge had gotten just a little frayed in use. Flexed the lower edge of the plastic guard over the sheet metal and it slid in as easily as always.

So much swearing and sweating. Such an easy fix.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm with alan.. IF you are actuating the collar int he manner that it is correct for that design ( push. pull, turn.. etc.. ) and the ball don't loosen.. then it may be stuck in place.. get a helper and a drift, hold the collar disengaged, and whackt he ball with a drift and small hammer.. then lube with thin penetrating oil.. like pb blaster.. etc.

soundguy

 

[G McCall]

I'm with alan.. IF you are actuating the collar int he manner that it is correct for that design ( push. pull, turn.. etc.. ) and the ball don't loosen.. then it may be stuck in place.. get a helper and a drift, hold the collar disengaged, and whackt he ball with a drift and small hammer.. then lube with thin penetrating oil.. like pb blaster.. etc.

soundguy

Soundguy,

With the driveshaft laying on a work bench, we tried to make the 3 ball bearing looking mechinisms to move. They balls never moved the best we could see and we twisted and pulled the collar thing at the same time.

I will try to keep all informed as to what the tractor dealer found was the fix when I take the drive shaft to him, which may be this weekend.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'm sort of a walking/talking add for Bush Hog mowers. I own a mowing business where we now use their products exclusively. Those pto connectors can be a nuisance at times. If you have the same kind as I have, the collar you pull back on to release is silver. (mill finish cast aluminum??) It can get a little bit of dirt/grease/chaff in under that collar (trapped by the black collar that over-laps the release mechanism) that won't allow it to retract far enough to release. On more than one occasion, I've called 'em names I wouldn't repeat in front of my mother. I keep a spray can of BRAKE CLEANER handy to flush them out occasionally, followed by lubing them with either tri-flow, or motorcycle o-ring type chain lube. (The cycle lube stays on the job longer) I've found that a little dab of grease on the pto stub every now and then will find it's way into the inner workings of that release mechanism also.

You can almost rely on the fact these things will be a little balky every spring after sitting for the winter.

 

[DanO]

Same thing happen to me.
Bought a brand new yes Brand New Bush Hog finish mower RDTH72
Got it home Friday, Sat went to hook it up and the 3 ball bearing on the drive shaft are frozen solid with rust, worked to free them for a couple of hours. No fun with my new toy Sat.
Monday went to the dealer.
First two we looked at on new equipment - same thing frozen with rust.
I blamed them for not checking out thier equipment before delivery.
They blamed bush hog, new equipment just in for spring sale.
I will be writing a letter to Bush Hog.
Good Luck
The Dealer will give you one that works

Mowed for 3 hours monday, I love my mower now, but the first impression is a lasting one

 

[G McCall]

Just for the record, this drive shaft has never been on our tractor since we purchased the cutter new several weeks ago.

 

[G McCall]

Same thing happen to me.
Bought a brand new yes Brand New Bush Hog finish mower RDTH72
Got it home Friday, Sat went to hook it up and the 3 ball bearing on the drive shaft are frozen solid with rust, worked to free them for a couple of hours. No fun with my new toy Sat.
Monday went to the dealer.
First two we looked at on new equipment - same thing frozen with rust.
I blamed them for not checking out thier equipment before delivery.
They blamed bush hog, new equipment just in for spring sale.
I will be writing a letter to Bush Hog.
Good Luck
The Dealer will give you one that works

Mowed for 3 hours monday, I love my mower now, but the first impression is a lasting one

Sounds like I have the same problem.
The rust may be on this one as well, but it looks new and clean from the outside. If I had known to beat on the think using rust penetrater, I might have. Of course we should not have to do that on a brand new unit.

 

[G McCall]

Success at last !
I took my drive shaft to the local dealer and he showed me the correct way to install the drive shaft onto a PTO........and l as I suspected, I was trying to install the drive shaft wrong.

The correct way to install my type of driveshaft is to begin sliding the drive shaft onto the PTO shaft, wrap your fingers over the very end of the shaft and pull back (towards the cutter). The end if the drive shaft will move which will allow the ball bearings to move into the PTO shaft grove. Continue pushing the shaft until it "clicks/locks" in place. Instructions say to pull back on the shaft to make sure it is locked and will not come out.

Anyway, another explanation is
I now slide the drive shaft over the PTO shaft until it stops, pull back on the (tractor) end of the shaft to activate the ball bearings enough to get the drive shaft to move forward again, then let go of the end of the shaft and continue pushing the drive shaft forward until you here or feel the ball bearings click and lock into place. Your done and ready to mow.

(Cutter worked very well, if anyone was interested in cutters )

For the record, my new Bush Hog Post Hole digger has the same drive shaft application of install. I'm not worried.