Snowblower Just got my Woodmaxx snowblower and I need some advice

[KanakaRick]

My most common problem is not having the shafts aligned properly as Leonz mentions. I have a flail mower, finishing mower and snow blower, and find I need to align the PTO shaft as close as possible tractor's shaft--up/down, side to side, and adjusting the angle with the top link to get the alignment as straight as possible. Even a slight angle makes it much more difficult to connect the shaft on all three implements. The up/down is fairly easy to fix with the 3 point height. However, I sometimes find I need to lift the implement with the PTO not fully connected and put the tractor on a very slight incline so I can wiggle it to get the side to side alignment correct.

Is your snow blower an SB84? There is an inconsistency in the manual which shows a grade 2 bolt and the marketing PTO-shaft-comparison.pdf document which shows a grade 5 shear bolt. Your experience seems to suggest a grade 5 may be the correct bolt since the Grade 2 does not seem to handle the torque. The brochure says your premium shaft is a T5 and the standard shaft is a T4, which refer to torque ratings. It might be best to keep trying to contact Woodmax to clarify it. It does seem like the grade 2 is too weak. Here is the link and file:

PTO-Shaft-Comparison.pdf - Google Drive

View attachment 590994

One thing that may make it easier to slide the PTO shaft on the tractor is to hold the shaft with two hands and both thumbs on the PTO shaft, pull the collar back with your fingers(i.e. squeeze the fingers to slide the collar back), and slide the shaft on with your arms. Perhaps you already use this method. It took me a while to figure out that pushing the collar back with one hand while trying to push the shaft in the opposite direction to get it on the tractor was not the easiest way.

Good info. Glad to know the grade 2 is insufficient. I mean they have TWO bolt holes for the sprocket shaft and they are expecting a grade 2 to overwhelm TWO bolts on the sprocket shaft? Something's fishy here.

And yeah, I am doing it the way you stated. The problem for me is on an old ford tractor I had, the PTO shield on the tractor hinged up so you could get it out of the way when attaching the PTO. On the Kioti, the PTO Shield is bolted on with 4 bolts, and due to a sports injury I have chronic tendonitis, and that pushing motion from behind hurts like ****. If I could get on top of it and push the PTO sleeve on by using my knee to push, it may help. I am thinking the previous owner didn't use the pto much- if ever- and the splines are not rounded from any previous use in order to "slop" it up.

 

[atsah]

I lift the 3ph until the blower shaft is straight then I install the greased shaft onto my PTO.

 

[leonz]

Hello Rick,

I would check with your dealer to see if they have upgraded the pto shield to one with a hinge.

As far as I know you can still buy pto stub covers to prevent getting tangled up on the stub shaft and to prevent the stub shaft from collecting any fine dust from using the tractor or when taking it on the road as it will be a magnet for fine dust since the tractor frame is not grounded to the earth.

It sounds as if there is a huge amount of fine dust stuck on the PTO Stub and it needs cleaning with peroxide or alcohol and small metal scrub brush.

I would take some hand cleaner and put it in a shop towel or rag and wrap the towel around the pto stub for a day and let it work then wipe it off and use a small steel scrub brush to clean the splines with some alcohol to help break up any fine dust that is stuck there.