My Stupidity kicked in at full throttle.

[etpm]

It sounds to me like you have paint making the thing stick. Since you said it is power coated. So at least some kind of paint. If the coupling detent has indeed not been able to engage then if it was mine I would use some sort of paint solvent mixed with some sort of oil to help loosen the assembly. Mix the stuff up and apply while applying some sort of pulling force. Not too much force, but a steady force. Maybe use a ratchet strap and then use a brush to paint on the solvent mixture. And apply the solvent mixture often and heavily. It will probably need to wick in some. Just don't really yank on the thing. I'm sure once the paint starts to get soft it will let go.
Eric

 

[Jstpssng]

Gentle heat on the yoke may also help.
I don't remember if anybody mentioned it yet.

As for the title; in another forum there is a thread on stupid things we have done. I thought I could easily win that one, but found out that I'm a lightweight. Yet somehow this reminds me of the time I drove my '85 Ranger for a while without the front driveshaft installed... then did very similar to what the OP describes.

 

[confederatemule]

A picture of the stuck PTO connection would help

You are correct.

 

[WinterDeere]

Could you take the u-joint apart and then possibly use a puller.

late to this thread, but this is the ONLY way to do this job. It's possible you already damaged the PTO by driving the shaft end onto it, but why double your chance of damage pulling on it?

They are not made to handle a lot of thrust force, and there are plenty of printed warnings about damaging one just by having a PTO shaft that's a bit too long, to where the telescoping driveshaft may bottom out and push on the stub as the implement goes up/down.

There's a rubber seal at the stub/housing interface, so torch heat is not your friend, here. Use a puller. If there's not enough space between driveshaft end and PTO housing to get standard gear puller jaws onto it, then use a bearing splitter type puller. A $30 puller could save you $1000 in repairs, and a lot of lost time.

 

[confederatemule]

O K, thanks for all of the helpful positive posts. I appreciate the negative posts also. I find something useful in any response.
The shaft is off.
I used a ratchet strap attached to a tree with the other end hooked to the shaft, just before the U-joint. With a hammer I tapped on the strap hook in a direction away from the tractor. After a tap or two I would try to tighten one click. Finally it came off like an arrow shot from Robin Hood's bow.
Before I put the shaft back on the stub the stub will be clean down to the bare metal. It will be lubricated, at least this one time.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

About Aerokroil. I had my own repair business 43 years and it does have unique properties. I know it's expensive but I use it sparingly.
I wouldn't have a shop without a can. That and dead-blow hammers.
When my Deere was brand new I had a time with PTO also. I used some emery cloth even in grooves. Then clean-clean-clean. WD-40 wash, wipe, repeat. As said a little clean grease & keep covered not in use.
It only takes a minute to clean hydraulic connectors, PTO, grease fittings, etc. every time it's used.

 

[Jstpssng]

O K, thanks for all of the helpful positive posts. I appreciate the negative posts also. I find something useful in any response.
The shaft is off.
I used a ratchet strap attached to a tree with the other end hooked to the shaft, just before the U-joint. With a hammer I tapped on the strap hook in a direction away from the tractor. After a tap or two I would try to tighten one click. Finally it came off like an arrow shot from Robin Hood's bow.
Before I put the shaft back on the stub the stub will be clean down to the bare metal. It will be lubricated, at least this one time.

It's always nice to read a story with a happy ending.

 

[airbiscuit]

..The shaft is off. I used a ratchet strap attached to a tree with the other end hooked to the shaft, just before the U-joint. With a hammer I tapped on the strap hook in a direction away from the tractor. After a tap or two I would try to tighten one click. Finally it came off like an arrow shot from Robin Hood's bow.
Before I put the shaft back on the stub the stub will be clean down to the bare metal. It will be lubricated, at least this one time.

 

[mllud]

Just a note
The old girl likes the shaft to engage without force. It should slide right on.
Now you can go back to work.

 

[RayIN]

O K, thanks for all of the helpful positive posts. I appreciate the negative posts also. I find something useful in any response.
The shaft is off.
I used a ratchet strap attached to a tree with the other end hooked to the shaft, just before the U-joint. With a hammer I tapped on the strap hook in a direction away from the tractor. After a tap or two I would try to tighten one click. Finally it came off like an arrow shot from Robin Hood's bow.
Before I put the shaft back on the stub the stub will be clean down to the bare metal. It will be lubricated, at least this one time.

Clean the PTO splines with Acetone to remove all paint. If the paint is a heavy coat, wrap the splines with a rag, then soak it in Acetone, outside of course.

 

[airbiscuit]

I've removed powder coat by using carb cleaner or laquer thinner. The trick is to soak it into a rag, wrap it around the part, then seal it in a plastic bag. The bag prevents the solvent from evaporating. Let soak for an hour and the coating comes off like a grape peel.

 

[airbiscuit]

This was another comment on that thread...

I have found that leaving a powder coated object in the environment that it is supposed to survive in, is the best way to get that crap to bubble.

 

[Williy]

Have you tried a pry bar and gently tapping with a rubber
hammer just work your way around it

willy

 

[dodge man]

Once again a perfectly good thread ruined by the OP coming back on and telling us he fixed it. Now all we can do is scold the people that don’t read the entire thread and tell the OP how to fix it.

 

[5030]

My FINAL suggestion is, get yourself a suitable length of appropriate diameter heater hose or plastic pipe that fits snugly and covers the stub and when not in use, keep it covered. Most dealers (Kubota included sell a cover cheap), if you want to buy one. Mine always stay covered when not in use and I put a nit of grease inside the cover so when I slip it on, the grease keeps the splines lubricated.

B4 I install any coupler, I spray the coupler with PBlaster inside as well.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

Could you take the u-joint apart and then possibly use a puller.

That would likely be the safest option of all. Even if you wreck the U-joint, it's the least costly thing to replace.

 

[kenhar]

Grease or oil on a PTO shaft works great one time, but the next time with the dirt and grime build up, you will cuss your grease gun. A wire brush on the shaft and inside the yoke does wonders. If it don't go on easy, you may have a burr on the splines or possibly a defective yoke. A touch with a file on both the male and female splines on the 540 PTO sometimes works wonders.

 

[WinterDeere]

I grease my PTO stubs. Never been an issue. I keep the OEM condom on the thing when not in use, although sometimes I'll forget to re-install when dropping an implement, and it does have dirt/dust stick to the grease.

But I have these things called paper towels, and this other thing called a hand. It takes all of about 2 seconds to wrap my hand around the stub with a paper towel, and swipe that dirty outer layer of grease off. Every boy learns that move around age 13, or so I thought.

People who talk about grease on a PTO stub being a problem are inventing a problem out of nothing. Every manual for every tractor I've ever owned says to grease the thing.

 

[olenjohn]

Drill a hole thru the pto shaft and spud. Put a bolt with a nylok nut on it. Run it like you stole it.

 

[Smokie Joe]

I bought a new 2024 Mahindra 1126 tractor. I have put around 70 hours on it. Until this past Saturday it had never had it's PTO stub uncovered. When I took the cover off the stub looked very smooth and black. I intended to connect a new 48" rotary cutter to the tractor. Every thing looked good and clean in the PTO shaft yoke.

Well the shaft went on to the stub about 1/2". From there I used a block of wood and drove it on, as far as it would go. About 1/4" from the lock pin groove.

My thought when driving it on was that it would free up while I was using it. But I ain't gonna use it for fear that the shaft will free up and sling off.

Now to my question. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I am gonna git the shaft off. I am disconnected from the rotary cutter with the cutter end of the drive line separated from the tractor end of the drive line.

My thought is to tie the shaft to a tree and drive off with the tractor.

I am open to any other ideas.

When I git this apart I will be cleaning the powder coat paint off of the stub.

Mule

Put prybar between pto slip joint and tractor apply moderate pressure tap i said tap pto joint it will slip off eventually. Been there many many times