I hate my PTO

[k0ua]

Today I hooked up my FarmKing 74 inverted blower. Winter is still a number of weeks away but I like being prepared. Today was cool so it seemed like a good day to get弾r done.

After struggling with the PTO for over 20 minutes I finally got it connected. I was drenched in sweat. I store the blower indoors and keep the connection well lubed. It is so difficult to pull back on the ring while trying to align the splines and push forward. Getting old (70 this week) and having a slightly sprained thumb do not help.

I came close to detaching the PTO guard to give me better access but hate removing a safety device.

Not sure I can do this as I get older. Is there a better device out there?

Yes, but you are not going to like the cost. Get rid of that push/pull PTO shaft and get a button PTO shaft. Couple of other things. Support the PTO shaft with a bungee cord so that you are not constantly having to lift the PTO shaft. It doesn't seem like much at first weight wise, but as you "screw around" trying to get the splines to line up, it wears on you. Especially as you get older and weaker. But if the shaft is supported, it doesn't wear you out as fast. The button activated PTO yoke is better, because you are not trying to perform an "unnatural act" of simultaneously pulling the collar back AND trying to push the collar on the PTO splines. This is just wrong, and the designer should be horse whipped. Or maybe even hung and eviscerated. The button yoke can wear out your thumb, by pushing the button but you can put a small clamp on it if you have to. The twist collar is better than the pull/push, but it can be a pain too, but not near as bad.

Make sure your splines are adequately lubed and make sure there are no burrs of any kind on either end. But the biggest thing is getting the weight off of your arms and that way you have time and are not in stress to get the splines lined up. Of course make sure the PTO shaft on one end or the other can turn so you can actually get them lined up.

That is about all the "wisdom" I can offer you. Good Luck.

 

[9973720wb19]

with my tractor off (not running) the pto will turn by hand. i pull back the implement collar on the shaft (which stays locked back) and ease the shaft onto the tractor pto (right hand on shaft left hand gently turning tractor pto until it slips on the edge of the tractor pto. then using both hands to push shaft all the way up then pull back to lock. my tractor is a new model. i have an external pto button that will spin the pto (if you want to play a game of roulette pto engagement) but the easiest way to to just shut the tractor off and turn the pto by hand. i actually found this method when i took delivery of a new mowing deck (15 foot batwing); after 20 minutes of me and the dealer rep failing to get it hooked up in the heat...he said "alright...turn off your tractor...let's do this another way...it was on in seconds. try it! another thing is to make sure the shaft of your attachment is level with the tractor pto. i hook up the hitch then the hydro and lower the attachment so that the shaft is level with tractor pto. if too high or low...it's a bear to get on if you can all all.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have had 3 different types of PTO couplings (well actually 3 but the one that you put a bolt thru to hold it on is unsafe and that was about 60 years ago that my Dad had one of those). First is the pin to push in which is rather stupid idea since the one you push in is small and hurts your thumb to do it. Second is a ring like the OP has that you have to push back then push forward on the yoke - very awkward to put on but easy to take off. Third is the kind I like with a twist collar - just twist it to release the ball bearing the slide it on. You do have to keep #2 and #3 well lubes so the ball bearings dont rust because they can stick and not release when you move the collar.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have several of the pins and one with a collar... I don't have problems with any of them. My lube of choice is 00 grease; when there's nothing on the PTO shaft I keep the cover on to keep dirt from collecting.
The worst to put on is that on my IH rotary mower; 45 years ago when it was made they put a lot more metal in the shaft, plus the protective sleeve is also steel. That puppy is hea-vy.

 

[pmsmechanic]

So here's another idea. Forget about pulling the collar back until you have the pto shaft lined up and on the splines. You can slide the shaft onto the tractor pto shaft about an inch before you need to pull the collar back to release the balls. I also lift the three point up enough so that I can rotate the implement pto shaft to line up the splines. It's a lot easier than trying to rotate the pto on the tractor.

 

[Jstpssng]

I can hold the collar with both hands, then spin the PTO shaft with two fingers. It's a short shaft though, for my tiller and logging winch.

 

[k0ua]

Same goes for the button push model. Don't push the button until the yoke is lined up and partially slid on the splines. With it supported by the bungee, it just isn't a big deal anymore for me. Work smarter, not harder.

 

[Richard]

I don't know if I'm spoiled or screwed.

I don't have the collar to pull back....I don't have the pushbutton. My mower is hydraulic so it bolts on. Support bracket bolts around PTO assembly. Speed increaser bolts to support bracket. Hydraulic pump bolts to speed increaser....and done. The bad news is the speed increaser and hydraulic pump (with attached fluid hoses) gets to be a bit heavy and awkward to move about.

 

[ptsg]

With today's modern machining and processing capabilities, I still can't quite figure out why tractor manufacturers won't just simply bevel each spline on the PTO shaft to help hook the PTO shaft. Pretty much what JD uses on their Auto connect decks.

Made a quick 3D drawing. Hopefully what I'm trying to say comes through. While I don't really have any problems connecting the PTO shaft, I can understand that for some can be tricky. Specially with so much in the way.

 

[CobyRupert]

Someone here posted that they use a bungie cord to suspend the PTO shaft so you don't have to hold it up and try to line up the splines. It helps quite a bit. I keep a bungie the right length wrapped around the work light on the back so it's there if I need it.

^ This.
...when it’s a pto you can bungee off the 3 PTH top link.

 

[oosik]

I sold my snow blower when I got the larger tractor. I can plow the berms with the larger tractor - no need to blow them.

However - I do have a Wallenstein PTO driven chipper. The PTO shaft is the button type. There are the easy times and then there are the other times.

Holding the shaft up with a bungee cord helps. I can tip the PTO shield UP when making connection - that helps.

I've found that keeping the PTO shaft in the spare bedroom, where it's warm, helps also. Cold grease does not move/slide easily.

 

[pmsmechanic]

With today's modern machining and processing capabilities, I still can't quite figure out why tractor manufacturers won't just simply bevel each spline on the PTO shaft to help hook the PTO shaft. Pretty much what JD uses on their Auto connect decks.

Made a quick 3D drawing. Hopefully what I'm trying to say comes through. While I don't really have any problems connecting the PTO shaft, I can understand that for some can be tricky. Specially with so much in the way.


View attachment 669184

Actually a bit of careful grinding with an angle grinder would give an adequate bevel too.

 

[forestcreature1]

So here's another idea. Forget about pulling the collar back until you have the pto shaft lined up and on the splines. You can slide the shaft onto the tractor pto shaft about an inch before you need to pull the collar back to release the balls. I also lift the three point up enough so that I can rotate the implement pto shaft to line up the splines. It's a lot easier than trying to rotate the pto on the tractor.

That is my method [and turning the tractor-end shaft to line up first too].

 

[pmsmechanic]

I sold my snow blower when I got the larger tractor. I can plow the berms with the larger tractor - no need to blow them.

However - I do have a Wallenstein PTO driven chipper. The PTO shaft is the button type. There are the easy times and then there are the other times.

Holding the shaft up with a bungee cord helps. I can tip the PTO shield UP when making connection - that helps.

I've found that keeping the PTO shaft in the spare bedroom, where it's warm, helps also. Cold grease does not move/slide easily.

I washed all the grease off of the tubs of my rototiller pto shaft and I just use WD-40 on the 2 tubes. It works quite well actually and I don't have to fight with grease hardening between the tubes because of dirt.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I washed all the grease off of the tubs of my rototiller pto shaft and I just use WD-40 on the 2 tubes. It works quite well actually and I don't have to fight with grease hardening between the tubes because of dirt.

That's another thing I've been doing for years and years...

Save the grease for grease zerks!!

SR

 

[shooterdon]

Using grease makes no sense to me either. It will pick up dirt and is rather "tacky" in the winter (gets down below 0* quite often).

I spray mine with PB blaster or WD40.

 

[ovrszd]

One of my frustrations about getting old is that I get mentally blocked. Struggling to do something for more than one minute is an example. Regardless of task. It's actually the definition of "insanity". Doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

So the moment something gets frustrating I step back and regroup. Realizing the current method is NOT working.

Last time I hitched up my 15ft batwing I found myself in this situation. The PTO shaft has a heavy CV joint at the tractor end. Trying to lift the PTO shaft and align the splines (21 spline). Wasn't happening. Struggled for about 10 seconds. Mentally stepped back. Oh,,,, dummy,,,, the tractor is running so it's PTO brake is holding the shaft from turning even slightly to align the splines. Laughed at myself all the way around to the ignition key to shut it off. Shaft went right on. Embarrassing.

I don't have any Winter uses for PTO. I grease the tractor shafts and the implement coupler splines. I always have a PTO shaft condom on the tractors when not in use.

I slip the PTO shaft onto the tractor shaft until the release mechanism prevents it from going on further. Then I activate the release and push it the rest of the way on. Never do both at once.

I prefer the simplicity of the push button style. But I don't mind the slip collar. I keep all of them properly lubed.

I remove the heavy shaft on my batwing and store it in the machine shed thru Winter. Properly lubed of course.

 

[LouNY]

The push button driveline yokes are much better. Those **** slide collar yokes suck. If you take your driveline to a good dealer they can order a push button yoke and replace the slide collar yoke. Cost should not be too bad either. I have never met anyone who preferred the collar style yokes. The third option would to find a safety lock style yoke, its collar slides back and locks back. When you slide it on the pto the collar automatically releases and locks. However those are normally only found on the big drivelines.

Hooking up the round baler drivelines with a slide collar yoke is the worst, they weigh about 70 lbs and your trying to pull the #$%^ collar back while wrestling it into place. This weekend I did silage. Was using two wagons, one with a pin style yoke and one with a slide collar yoke. The pin style yoke was much nicer to use, only had to hook and unhook wagons 17 times that day. Was glad the drivelines were small.

It is corn silage time of year already,
the drought this summer has really hurt our yields.
We are down over a third.

 

[ovrszd]

It is corn silage time of year already,
the drought this summer has really hurt our yields.
We are down over a third.

We have good corn yields here this year. Silage cutting is minimal around here this time.

 

[CobyRupert]

It is corn silage time of year already,
the drought this summer has really hurt our yields.
We are down over a third.

Further up the (Washington County NY) road: Corn height seems to be all over the place here, from field to field. Only have seen one farmer here that has started chopping a few days ago, he’s always early. Then again, his cows have never seen a blade of grass in a pasture, or a bale of hay. Only the silage and corn they get in the feed lot, err..I mean free stall.