Posthole Digger Fixed length PTO Shaft?

[Yakman1975]

I purchased a used 3-point posthole digger, and it appears to have a fixed length PTO shaft. It looks like most of the common posthole diggers out on the market, and according to the seller, his dad used it quite often.
Does anyone have any experience using a posthole digger with a fixed-length PTO? I'm trying to wrap my head around the geometry; although I haven't actually mounted it to my tractor yet.

 

[Farmer495]

I purchased a used 3-point posthole digger, and it appears to have a fixed length PTO shaft. It looks like most of the common posthole diggers out on the market, and according to the seller, his dad used it quite often.
Does anyone have any experience using a posthole digger with a fixed-length PTO? I'm trying to wrap my head around the geometry; although I haven't actually mounted it to my tractor yet.

I'll guess it's fully compressed and "stuck"

Fixed length would not even allow you to put it on the tractor successfully.

 

[workinonit]

Post a pic of this unicorn of which you speak. I can personally say that I haven't seen one in the 60 or so years I've been around tractors. That said, I want to see it.

 

[LouNY]

It is just stuck as mentioned, either rusted or old dried up grease has bound the sliding shafts together.

 

[Yakman1975]

I'll post a picture in the next day or so.

 

[ruffdog]

Neighbor was going to buy a finish mower with a "fixed length" pto shaft. It took them a few hours and some serious persuasion to un-stuck it too.

 

[varmint]

Stuck! No way any 3-point auger could function with a fixed length shaft! Soak it with penetrant, pull on it while you hit it with a hammer.

 

[Yakman1975]

Here's the photos of each end and the joint. The joint is crimped tight and will not come apart. Also interesting is the only identifying mark on the post hole digger is a number on the gearbox, 202298. It also has a 1-1/8" input shaft which seems to be non-standard. All of the round input shafts I've seen for sale are either 1-1/4 or 1-3/8 inch input. I think I'll need to talk to a PTO shaft company like Weasler to see what my options are. I'd rather not dump $300+ into a gearbox for this thing which puts me at the price of a new one, $350 for the post hole digger + $300+ for a gearbox.

Thoughts, comments?

 

[ruffdog]

To me, the middle picture showing the "crimped" area sure looks like a larger (left) tube and smaller (right) tube of the guard. Why is it crimped there??? Who knows. Had the shaft been broke or bent???? It is an old shaft for sure with that style u-joints.

 

[Yakman1975]

To me, the middle picture showing the "crimped" area sure looks like a larger (left) tube and smaller (right) tube of the guard. Why is it crimped there??? Who knows. Had the shaft been broke or bent???? It is an old shaft for sure with that style u-joints.

yeah. So now I'm looking for a round bushing 1-1/4" to 1-1/8" so I can buy a PTO shaft assembly off the shelf vs put together from parts

 

[dstig1]

G&G Manufacturing Company - Products

www.ggmfg.com

If they don't have it nobody does. Surplus Center sells some of their stuff, but not everything by a long shot... You may need to search the web or call them if you can't find it on Surplus Center as G&G doesn't sell retail.

 

[5030]

Just go on Agri Supply's website and buy a new complete pto shaft for under 150 bucks. That one is basically junk.

One thing I quit doing is greasing the shaft halves. I'll pull them apart and apply motorcycle chain lube to them.

Hopefully, the PHD is in better shape than the pto shaft. Today and for the last 20 years or so, pto shafts have removable plastic guards. The metal ones are antiques.

 

[Peter 315]

Try this place....Weasler PTO Implement Yoke, Domestic 14 Series, 1-1/8" Round Bore

 

[5030]

I see no economic reason to buy a Weasler or Euro-Cardan when the ASC import shafts will do just fine. A PHD is not an intensive load and you don't turn them very fast, in fact idle speed is ideal

 

[Yakman1975]

Just go on Agri Supply's website and buy a new complete pto shaft for under 150 bucks. That one is basically junk.

One thing I quit doing is greasing the shaft halves. I'll pull them apart and apply motorcycle chain lube to them.

Hopefully, the PHD is in better shape than the pto shaft. Today and for the last 20 years or so, pto shafts have removable plastic guards. The metal ones are antiques.

Yeah, that would work great except for the 1-1/8" input shaft on the gearbox.
I've found a $199 shaft that will work here:
PTO Drive Line, General Purpose, Post Hole Digger, 1-3/8
Supposedly this is equivalent to a Weasler 14 series. If the cross/bearings are compatible with Weasler 14 series parts, I could replace the implement yoke with this one:
14 Series Pin Yoke - Weasler Engineering, Inc.

Now I'm just waiting for ToolTuff to respond to my message regarding whether their shaft will work with Weasler parts.

 

[Yakman1975]

The other option is to use a PTO shaft with a 1-1/4" round shear pin yoke and use a sleeve bushing like this to fit it to the gearbox:
McMaster-Carr
The only issue here being the gearbox shaft has a 5/16" shear pin, and I haven't seen a pto shaft with that size yet.
The Weasler yoke mentioned in the post above has a 1/4" shear pin hole which I could ream up to 5/16" to match the shaft.

 

[hunt4570]

Check this one out, I've bought a couple PTO shafts from them and been happy with both of them, and at a great price. If this one does not fit your digger/tractor combo look around, they have a pretty good selection.

VEVOR PTO Shaft, 1-3/8" PTO Drive Shaft, 6 Spline Tractor End and Round Implement End PTO Driveline Shaft, Tractor PTO Shaft, 30"-39" Brush Hog PTO Shaft Black, for Finish Mower, Rotary Cutter | VEVOR US

VEVOR PTO Shaft offers adjustable length, robust construction, and a secure fit for tractors and implements, delivering powerful performance and wide application.

www.vevor.com

 

[Yakman1975]

Check this one out, I've bought a couple PTO shafts from them and been happy with both of them, and at a great price. If this one does not fit your digger/tractor combo look around, they have a pretty good selection.

VEVOR PTO Shaft, 1-3/8" PTO Drive Shaft, 6 Spline Tractor End and Round Implement End PTO Driveline Shaft, Tractor PTO Shaft, 30"-39" Brush Hog PTO Shaft Black, for Finish Mower, Rotary Cutter | VEVOR US

VEVOR PTO Shaft offers adjustable length, robust construction, and a secure fit for tractors and implements, delivering powerful performance and wide application.

www.vevor.com

Yeah, I saw this one but it doesn't specify what the shear pin diameter is. Funny how some of these companies have no clue what information is required to match a PTO shaft to tractor/implement. Then you try to get a hold of them and wait, wait, wait.

 

[Yakman1975]

I decided to go with this ToolTuff PTO from Amazon, and will make up the difference in shaft size with a bronze sleeve bearing from McMasterCarr. I also ordered some sleeve bearings to make up the difference in the yoke (3/8") to input shaft (5/16") shear pin size.
I will just need to measure and get a couple grade 5 bolts/nuts to use as shear pins when all arrives.

 

[Yakman1975]

...and now she works like a charm. Watch out China, here I come!