PTO safety

[Backwoods Welding]

Almost everyone knows the danger of the PTO shaft when it's spinning but here is a repair I did with a valuable safety lesson.
I had a guy call and ask if I could straighten his PTO shaft off his rotary cutter. I told him I would look at it. When I saw it I ask him how it happened. He didn't get it latched all the way on the shaft and while it was spinning at 540 rpm it came off and flew 50 feet in front of the tractor! It actually stuck 6 inches into the ground. Luckily for him I had an old shaft laying around that I cut and welded a new piece in but just remember, take an extra second to double check your hook up!

 

[Backwoods Welding]

Here is the after, for some reason I can't post more than one pic at a time on the app.

 

[Ed of all trades]

We tend to get sloppy because we do it so often. Thanks for the reminder. Ed

 

[Wagtail]

Sloppy/complacency is one thing. Ignorance is another... and yes, I was ignorant. The very first time I mounted my slasher onto my brand spankin' new tractor (see left).

LORD! I cursed a blue streak trying to align the shaft onto the PTO. Finally it slid on, or I thought it did... I didn't know about the locking position. Fortunately, when it did come away from the PTO, the shaft just nose-dived into the ground and left a rut. I dug the dirt out and figured out what I'd done wrong.

Later I discovered that there is not a standard in shaft locking configurations. Some have 'buttons' that need to be depressed, others have a collar that needs to be pulled back. There are probably more variations that I've yet to encounter.

 

[teg]

...Some have 'buttons' that need to be depressed, others have a collar that needs to be pulled back...

I have one where the collar twists to unlock, once released, springs twisted back and locks.

I always give them a final tug to make sure they don't pull off.

 

[Looking4new]

I've got one that has two bolts that need to be taken out to get the shaft either on or off.

 

[Backwoods Welding]

My New Holland baler has a bolt in it. Next time I change U joints I'm going to change that end.

 

[prs]

I recall a post hole digger I had that had a bolt retain the coupling. Terrible arrangement.

prs

 

[Looking4new]

My New Holland baler has a bolt in it. Next time I change U joints I'm going to change that end.

I recall a post hole digger I had that had a bolt retain the coupling. Terrible arrangement.

prs

I am not overly thrilled with that system, but the bolts will NOT go through the holes unless you've got the joint on properly. So in that respect I would say that it is a positive arrangement.

 

[Backwoods Welding]

I don't like it, I have a problem with the nut backing out, then you have the nut and bolt as flying projectiles and then the shaft comes off.

 

[yamatitan]

Sloppy/complacency is one thing. Ignorance is another... and yes, I was ignorant. The very first time I mounted my slasher onto my brand spankin' new tractor (see left).

LORD! I cursed a blue streak trying to align the shaft onto the PTO. Finally it slid on, or I thought it did... I didn't know about the locking position. Fortunately, when it did come away from the PTO, the shaft just nose-dived into the ground and left a rut. I dug the dirt out and figured out what I'd done wrong.

Later I discovered that there is not a standard in shaft locking configurations. Some have 'buttons' that need to be depressed, others have a collar that needs to be pulled back. There are probably more variations that I've yet to encounter.

I did the same exact thing first day I had my tractor with the finish mower. Mine just wedged in the pto cover and broke of one of the chains that keep the guard from spinning. Oops lesson learned, luckily no more mishaps since. Ive grew up mowing with my dads tractor but it was a dedicated mower and we never removed it so was never taught the proper way to hook up the pto shaft.

 

[Whatswrong]

I don't like it, I have a problem with the nut backing out, then you have the nut and bolt as flying projectiles and then the shaft comes off.

I believe you should get a Nylock nut and tighten it good and tight I think it should be tight enough to squeeze the shaft with the yoke and thus remove any chance for wobble and wear .

 

[TMGT]

We always used pto pins on shafts that had the hole, they have a rounded spring bail that holds them in place.

 

[MF283]

I have one where the collar twists to unlock, once released, springs twisted back and locks.

I always give them a final tug to make sure they don't pull off.

:thumbsup:

 

[RalphVa]

Go naked around PTOs. Best advice. Just don't get an erection and get it caught.

Yeah, I hate those pull back collar kinds of PTOs. Had my sales person change mine out to a push button one. But even the push button one is harder to work than the push button one I have on my shredder/chipper. I glues a button onto the fairly recessed one he supplied for my cutter.

Ralph

 

[banjodunn]

Go naked around PTOs. Best advice. Just don't get an erection and get it caught.

Yeah, I hate those pull back collar kinds of PTOs. Had my sales person change mine out to a push button one. But even the push button one is harder to work than the push button one I have on my shredder/chipper. I glues a button onto the fairly recessed one he supplied for my cutter.

Ralph

G'day hmmm don't think I could stand close enough to worry about that AND it may upset the neighbours:laughing::laughing:

Jon

 

[hslogger]

I have a very stout Fimco mower from the early seventies that I had purchased with a tractor. The pto shaft button/rod was removed and they had been using a bolt with nut and lock washer.
I used it like that for twenty some years. Finally I yanked that u joint assembly off and put on a new one. Apparently the ol boy I bought it from must have ruined the unit and wallored it out so he just put in a bolt. I never had a problem with it but was kicking myself when I fixed it right.. Now I am that ol boy;-)