Pto driveshaft safety shield

normde2001 · Jul 12, 2002

Can't find the thread at the moment, but a few days ago some guys were discussing the safety shield and the consensus was that it should not turn and should be held in place by the chain, (I guess the one that holds the lower arms together when there is no implement). Well, anyhow, I noticed mine was turning, although I could easily stop it with my hand, (the safety sticker says it should turn freely on the shaft.) I decided to hook the chain to the eyelet and began brushhogging. After about an hour I noticed that the chain had broken loose and the shield was turning. The front plastic bearing had welded itself together although I had "greased at" it through the plastic zerk. I took it apart and fabricated a new bearing out of thinwalled PVC and I believe it will work ok as long as I let it turn with the shaft. I can't believe that plastic bearing is designed to withstand a constant 540rpm. Any opinions would be appreciated.

jtn · Jul 12, 2002

I let my guard spin with the shaft. I do not go anywhere near it when the PTO is running.

JT

dgood1 · Jul 12, 2002

Ditto on not going near the PTO when it is running. Mine gets disengaged before I leave the seat. I may do some other "unsafe" things, but going near a running PTO shaft or implement is not somthing I will not do.

RobS · Jul 12, 2002

Mine has a chain at each end which I use. It does not spin and seems to be surviving just fine. I do keep it greased and I suspect a plastic bearing works since there is so little load on it. Based on the stories I've heard about PTO accidents, I would recommend fixing it so it works properly /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird · Jul 13, 2002

My Bush Hog tiller had a chain to hold that shield on the front (tractor end), but after a year or so, the chain pulled out of the plastic and allowed the shield to turn also. My Bush Hog finish mower had a chain at each end (tractor and implement ends) and they always worked with no problem. And my Howse brush hog didn't even have the chains, or any obvious place to connect one, so the shield turned with the shaft, but as you said you could easily hold it with your hand.

njrqs · Jul 14, 2002

Bird & Co.

Glad to hear some of you let the shield spin. I know it isnt supposed to, but mine does.

I figure it is smooth, and you can stop it by hand, so I figure if anything/one gets near it it has to be much better than no shield at all !!

wichiwichi · Jul 14, 2002

Whats with all these cheesy plastic sheilds any more. Safety sheilds are godd but they have so many now it's almost impossible to properly grease the equipment. I know the mfg's are trying to protect themselves from lawsuits. Maybe they need to put some commonsense clauses in some of these laws.

TresCrows · Jul 15, 2002

Not to be overly dramatic cuz I am just a tractor beginner compared to most of these guys but please do not grab hold of the PTO shaft--EVER--NEVER--stay completely away from it. Always kill the tractor and allow the cutter etc to spin down before ever touching the PTO shaft. It will rip you into pieces--even with the plastic shield should it jam at the moment you grab it. That is very dangerous. Did I say it will rip you into pieces, it will wind you up and render you into human spagahti. J

ronjhall · Jul 15, 2002

I have 3 implements that have the plastic shield with chains. All three have broken the chains in the last year. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif It would sure help if the PTO shaft manufactures would come up with a better way of keeping the shaft protected. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif Of course this would add more to the price of attachments with PTO shafts. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

chim · Jul 15, 2002

TC, your concerns are not unfounded. A while back I noted somewhere on one of these threads about a safety program that was listed in the weekly Lancaster Farming News. There was a picture of one of the speakers, and one of his hands was a hook. His mistake was touching a running PTO guard that had the chain missing and was spinning with the shaft. He had apparently done it before, but this time the cover was frozen to the shaft. Many of us do things we ought not do from time to time. Some pay dearly............chim