L3400 pto frozen in gear

[ChuckLaB]

How do I get my PTO to work again? Seems to be stuck in gear - gears grind if try to engage the yellow PTO handle.

Background: My Kubota L3400 had sat unused for 2 years. Once running again (started on first crank once battery recharged - this little engine is so strong), I had to first get the clutch disengaged. (I hadn't used the spring/pin thing on the clutch pedal to keep the clutch plates apart while parked - after this, I ALWAYS will use that) To fix, I left the clutch pedal locked down and rocked the rear wheels while in high gear - did this daily and after 3 days the clutch released! Hooray, that's fixed.

But now found a second problem: The PTO seems to be stuck in gear. Gears grind if try to move the PTO engagement handle into gear. (Will go into gear if engine stopped, but then can't start it because of the safety switches (which I can't locate - where are they?)

So ... Any ideas on how to free up a stuck-in-gear PTO?

 

[LD1]

First of all, are you pushing the clutch ALL THE WAY to try and engage the PTO?

 

[Fxfymn413]

The PTO seems to be stuck in gear.

Stuck in gear or stuck out of gear? Your post says both.

If it's not possible to engage it can you turn the PTO shaft by hand? It should turn freely with the tractor off.

 

[ChuckLaB]

First of all, are you pushing the clutch ALL THE WAY to try and engage the PTO?

Thanks for asking. Yes, pushing clutch pedal all the way, holding it down. Everything in neutral. Then when try to pull yellow handle to engage PTO, the gears grind. With time waiting, or after engaging various gears (engine on or off) trying to see if I can get the gears to slow or stop, there appears to be no change in the speed of the gears/engine when the PTO handle is pulled. Grinds every time, always at the same apparent rpm.

 

[LittleBill21]

most switches are simple push bottoms that touch the levers themselves, should be under the wheel well, out in the open

 

[ChuckLaB]

Stuck in gear or stuck out of gear? Your post says both.

If it's not possible to engage it can you turn the PTO shaft by hand? It should turn freely with the tractor off.

Thanks for asking.

Stuck in gear, I guess. Apparently gears are turning somewhere, because every time I try to pull yellow PTO handle to engage it (with clutch fully depressed and held down), the gears grind. Every trick I try - double clutching, different gears, implement connected or disconnected, whatever I try, the spinning gears grind when I try to engage the PTO.

Note: if put tranny in neutral (with either Hi/Low selector or 4-speed selector, the PTO can be engaged (the lever moves into place), but then of course it's in neutral, so Bush Hog won't spin up when clutch is released.

Your second question: Yes, with tractor off the PTO spindle spins freely. (Though I seem to hear some faint rubbing noises internally that I don't recall hearing in the past.) What does this mean exactly?

 

[ChuckLaB]

most switches are simple push bottoms that touch the levers themselves, should be under the wheel well, out in the open

Thanks for answer. I can see/find the other switches (gear shift lever for instance), but the PTO yellow handle, once it goes under the floor, seems to attach directly into the transmission. I don't see a switch. (Going out to look again though.)

 

[LittleBill21]

Thanks for answer. I can see/find the other switches (gear shift lever for instance), but the PTO yellow handle, once it goes under the floor, seems to attach directly into the transmission. I don't see a switch. (Going out to look again though.)

maybe inside, prolly need a wire diagram

 

[newbury]

Messicks has online parts diagrams. Kubota does also but I don't know the links.

 

[ChuckLaB]

Thanks for answer. I can see/find the other switches (gear shift lever for instance), but the PTO yellow handle, once it goes under the floor, seems to attach directly into the transmission. I don't see a switch. (Going out to look again though.)

Follow up - after checking again, the PTO handle goes directly into the transmission. No switch attached to the lever itself. However, near where it goes into the tranny, a few inches over, are two items tapped into the side of the tranny that possibly look like sensors (they have two wires going into each one). Wondering: Is it possible to disconnect the two leads on each sensor and then connect each set together, to bypass the safety switch?

 

[LittleBill21]

Follow up - after checking again, the PTO handle goes directly into the transmission. No switch attached to the lever itself. However, near where it goes into the tranny, a few inches over, are two items tapped into the side of the tranny that possibly look like sensors (they have two wires going into each one). Wondering: Is it possible to disconnect the two leads on each sensor and then connect each set together, to bypass the safety switch?

you really need to a wiring diagram, or know how to test this without potentially shorting something out

 

[LD1]

Pretty sure it's a two stage clutch. And the issues you had freeing the main clutch.....the second stage likely isn't releasing either.

Not sure I would want to bypass safety's and let it start with pto engaged. But I guess it depends if you are just trying to start with a post hole digger or tiller, with low inertial load, or trying to start with a bushhog attached

 

[plastikosmd]

Good post here on this site with some Tranny pics

L3400 3-point hitch adjustment

After putting up with a "jerky" 3 point hitch for two and a half years I've finally decided I'll find out for myself if it can be adjusted to make it smooth. I've seen some videos that show really rough movement, and some that are really quite good, so there's obviously something that can be...

www.tractorbynet.com

Maybe this will provide some clues

 

[DK35vince]

Pretty sure it's a two stage clutch. And the issues you had freeing the main clutch.....the second stage likely isn't releasing either.

That's what it sounds like to me.
If the main clutch was stuck and freed up, sounds like second stage clutch (for the PTO) is still stuck.

 

[ChuckLaB]

Pretty sure it's a two stage clutch. And the issues you had freeing the main clutch.....the second stage likely isn't releasing either.

Not sure I would want to bypass safety's and let it start with pto engaged. But I guess it depends if you are just trying to start with a post hole digger or tiller, with low inertial load, or trying to start with a bushhog attached

Yes, it's definitely a two stage clutch.

And for the moment, I'll avoid trying to bypass the safety's.

I guess I figure since the main clutch was able to be released by rocking the tires (with engine off, gears engaged - which took three days of daily rocking before it freed up), I'm looking for some way to do the same thing on the PTO.

But how to "rock" the PTO? That's my question. With bushhog attached, I can't rock it because the blades swing free underneath. Is there some sort of tool that would fit on the spline of the PTO to give me enough leverage to rock it back and forth (with engine off of course)?

 

[LD1]

Yes, it's definitely a two stage clutch.

And for the moment, I'll avoid trying to bypass the safety's.

I guess I figure since the main clutch was able to be released by rocking the tires (with engine off, gears engaged - which took three days of daily rocking before it freed up), I'm looking for some way to do the same thing on the PTO.

But how to "rock" the PTO? That's my question. With bushhog attached, I can't rock it because the blades swing free underneath. Is there some sort of tool that would fit on the spline of the PTO to give me enough leverage to rock it back and forth (with engine off of course)?

Anything that has a PTO shaft.

Hook it up, and use a pipewrench on the pto shaft going to the implement.

 

[old and tired]

....{PTO} Will go into gear if engine stopped...

[tractor off] - Can you engage the PTO and rock the tires back and forth to free the PTO clutch?

 

[ChuckLaB]

[tractor off] - Can you engage the PTO and rock the tires back and forth to free the PTO clutch?

This sounds like a great idea - I will try that

 

[old and tired]

Don't know if this would help or not, you can lock the clutch pedal down. Not sure if that might help pull the clutches apart or not.

 

[ChuckLaB]

Good post here on this site with some Tranny pics

L3400 3-point hitch adjustment

After putting up with a "jerky" 3 point hitch for two and a half years I've finally decided I'll find out for myself if it can be adjusted to make it smooth. I've seen some videos that show really rough movement, and some that are really quite good, so there's obviously something that can be...

www.tractorbynet.com

Maybe this will provide some clues

This is a great post. Thanks for posting the link. (I'm so far only half way through the 28 pages of posts - it's a great read.) Doesn't address my immediate concern of frozen PTO clutch, but it's a great education. Nice to see pics of what my own tractor model looks like inside.

FWIW- My L3400 never had his problem of erratic lifting/lowering of the 3-point.