Hot PTO shaft

[Birdman]

Is it normal for the PTO shaft to be hot on a round baler after use? I used my new to me Claas 45 round baler the other day and when I went to disconnect the shaft it was too hot to hold on to for more than a few seconds. I had to go to the house and get some gloves. I went over the baler before I used it, greased all the fittings, oiled the chains, and checked the oil in the gearbox. The gearbox made a hissing sound and spewed some oil out when I removed the check plug. I have never noticed a PTO shaft being hot before, but this is the first time I have used a round baler. Just wondering if this is normal or should I be concerned?

 

[Fredex]

Assuming yhou noticed the high temperature when you tried to disconnect the pto shaft from the tractor. Did you grease the u-joints on the pto shaft? If the u-joint is dry it can heat up - even destruct. Even if you did grease the u-joint, if it is going bad it can heat up a bunch. Also the heat could have come from the tractor side. Check the temperature of the transmission oil and be sure it is full. Is it a hydrostat tranny? I think they run hotter.

 

[burnetma]

Where along the shaft was it hot? Universal joints or mid-shaft? I would say not normal, but also not a huge concern if you are not using it extensively. It would be nice to figure out why and correct it if possible.

My New Idea Cut/ditioner PTO shaft U-joint got really hot like that once. I attributed it to the type of service I was putting it through. I was mowing a very odd shaped field that was very heavy and I was really pushing it fast. So the combination of the poor shaft geometry (only two UJ in the shaft with some bad angles), the frequency of really tight turns and the high HP transmission really got it hot.

So think about the set-up and what you were doing. Is this a two or three UJ shaft? Was the set-up within specification? How was the shaft geometry when it was hooked up? A lot of turns? Was it noisy in the turns? Did the baler lug down frequently? These might give you some answers.

 

[Birdman]

It is a gear tractor, 2 u-joints on the baler shaft and they were greased prior to baleing. The shaft is about 6' long and the baler end is about 18" higher than the tractor end. I only noticed the heat where I grabbed the end of the shaft to disconnect it from the tractor. I wish now that I had thought to check both ends of the shaft for heat but that did not occur to me until later when it was already cooled down. The last field I baled was an L shaped field on an incline so there was lots of turning but the field was small, probably 5 or 6 acres, only had to make 6 or 7 rounds. Did not notice the baler lugging down, or making more noise in the turns. It was a very hot day, mid 90's.
Thanks for the input so far.
I have not noticed any other shafts being hot when I disconnect them, but have only used a bush hog and PHD so they are probably not worked as hard as a baler shaft.

 

[kmdigital]

I would guess that the heat came from the tractor PTO shaft itself. Being too hot to hold with bare hands isn't difficult on a hot day as a transmission puts out a lot of heat with all the rotating parts. It's nice though on a cold winter day, as it helps keep the feet warm.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Certainly no expert here but, how long did it take to bale? Doesn't a baler require lots of HP? Are you at the low HP range for the baler used?

If it was 90 degrees out already, that could be a big factor.

I would check all of my fliuds, level and color, and odor. If all is fine there I would chalk it up to a hot day using the tractor, with what is most likely a u-joint that is going bad.

Certainly next time out stop and check for heat with what ever implement you are using.

steve

 

[Doc_Bob]

It is a gear tractor, 2 u-joints on the baler shaft and they were greased prior to baleing. The shaft is about 6' long and the baler end is about 18" higher than the tractor end. I only noticed the heat where I grabbed the end of the shaft to disconnect it from the tractor.

Sounds like heat from PTO gear box being transfered to PTO shaft.
Bob

 

[Birdman]

Thanks everyone for the help. I think I will take a closer look at the u-joints, change the fluid in the baler gear box and check the PTO, for heat, in the future when using other equipment. Also plan to pick up one of those non contac thermometers, just so I can see the exact temp. of the shaft in the future. Not sure if I will be baleing anymore this year, but will watch more closely the next time I do bale.

 

[slowzuki]

Every tractor I have driven when worked hard with a mower or baler will have a hot pto coupling at the tractor end. When driving you can feel the heat coming off the tranny in gear tractors and hydro models. The hydraulic pump for steering and everything is dumping hot fluid right into the tranny.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. remember guys.. hp that goes into the tranny pto section, that does not make it out the pto shaft becomes 'waste' heat.

Also.. a drive shaft transmitting kinetic energy will heat up... it's just physics. My guess is a baler eats up substantial hp.. thus makes for a hot shaft. I know when i'm done mowing with my 15' batwing mower, the gearboxes are warm and so are the pto shafts.... i don't find that strange at all.. unless something has no lube and the metal turned color.. etc..

Soundguy