PHD U joint

Treemonkey1000 · Mar 28, 2010

My neighbor gave me a post hole digger for hauling some horse stall mats. The other day I was out digging some holes with the old beast when the auger started swinging I lowered it to the ground to start digging. Well I lowered it too fast or something and it twisted the U joint apart. My question is should I just try to heat this part of the yoke and weld it together or see if I can buy the yoke from a tractor supply place? I went to an auto part store and I can get the U joint for about $25. Then I would still need to get the yoke that the U joint goes into fixed. The driveline from the PTO tore off the welds. That is about a 1" square drive line. Not sure if that is a common drive shaft that I can purchase off the shelf? I went to my Tractor store this morning but they are closed on Sundays. Take a look at the pictures and see what you think. I haven't had to try and repair this stuff before. I will have to take it and get it welded for the Driveline to yoke connection. It does give me a lot more respect for the torque coming out of the PTO! You can see that the yoke is really twisted up.

zzvyb6 · Mar 28, 2010

It looks like the "cross" may be OK. Yes the yoke is broke and probably too far out of alignment to get it all back together square. Tractor Supply will have just a shaft with just one of the yoke pair ends that can salvage your drive shaft. Take your shaft and old yoke with you because there are a couple of shaft spline types and yoke types (size, English and Metric). They are expensive pieces but you won't do that again, I'll bet. You might find some parts on Craigslist or eBay, too. If you had a welder, it would be a good learning or training exercise but bound to fail again. You could also try a local auto parts store for a complete unit (Both yokes and a cross). Heck, an old car's prop shaft could be reworked into a good unit if you have the time. At my place, the post holes are needed today not next week, so I go with the TSC parts. If you have other attachments laying around, you might just be lucky enough to be able to share a shaft between a mower and the digger. Long shot, but what the heck...

banjodunn · Mar 29, 2010

G'day throw it away or hang it up in the shed to remind you just what a PTO can do

you would never be able to get it sufficiently in line to be able to keep a new cross in it ( a slight twist or out of round cup hole will wear a cross in no time). As posted take your shaft with you to the local suppllier and check on whats avail for your shaft you can also have a look on the bare co site they give you pretty good idea of what is avail and what shaft size it is avail for. Good luck

Jon

Treemonkey1000 · Mar 29, 2010

Thanks guys for the replies. I will waddle off to my local tractor store and see what they have. Usually me going to the Tractor store is more fun to browse all of the goodies. I forget what my little L3750 is rated at the PTO but it was not even up to PTO speed...If I find something I will let you know.

easygo · Apr 2, 2010

It looks like that yoke is pressed into shape out of steel plate? I'm not all that surprised that you twisted it up. TSC usually has half drive shafts in several sizes and shapes. However don't bee surprised if you have to hunt for the proper HP rating, and all that fun stuff.

Treemonkey1000 · Apr 2, 2010

I dropped it off at a Driveline place here in Seattle. Brand new yoke with U-joint welded back onto the end of the square telescopic drive shaft will give me a $94 education.

Treemonkey1000 · Apr 5, 2010

FYI I picked up the drive shaft for my PHD digger today. They did a great job and it came out cheaper than their quote. $70 instead of the $94. It could have been cheaper if I had a welder around. First couple of pictures is the new yoke. Next picture is the opposite end. Since the PHD was given to me I am not squawking spending a little bit on it.