PTO shaft cover problem and Q's

Bird · May 28, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

( I'm a little curious why the shield is so important )

You're right, Rat. I've run a brush hog with no shield a lot of hours, but I'm scared of those PTO shafts, so never go near one with the engine running. And most of my neighbors had older equipment without the shields and usually no problem. But who among us has not gotten a little careless or forgetful at some time, and it wouldn't take but once with that thing. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Just another safety device, but a darned good one, and personally, I didn't want to get near that shaft even with the shield.

JATO_RaT · May 28, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

I think your response is right on the money. Anything you do to operate safely or safer is advisable. My mower lost its shield some time back. I feel no less safe with it gone. I would not however want others to use the mower without the shield if not purely out of guilt knowing it should be there or much worse if they were hurt as a result of no shield. It's the careless and forgetful additude that results in more injuries then anything. A table saw for example injures more folks who are doing the same repetitive thing like cutting blocks. As an electrician, electricity still scares the daylights out of me so for those not well versed in it, it should scare the holy dog dew out of you. Again, I don't advocate running your tractor without a shield, I just see it as less important for myself. A falling branch hitting a spinning PTO is one thing, but what about a mower blade striking a rock or even a branch and sending it your way. 540 RPM vs many thousands at the blade tips can be easily more devastating when it decides to exit to the drivers side of the mower. Safety first for sure. Rat...

jinman · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

I've never had a shaft cover on a rotary cutter last for very long. My first one was destroyed by blackberry vines that became entwined in the PTO and forward U-joint. They wound up into a knot and cracked the shield beyond repair. My second cover was destroyed when I raised my mower too high and the structure of the cutter bent the PTO shaft and the bent shaft destroyed the shield. I replaced the bent shaft with an older/stronger drive shaft with no shield and it remains on my cutter until now. Like you, if my hat blows off and I stop to pick it up, I disengage my PTO and the brake brings it to a complete stop before I get off the tractor.

The two implements I have that I refuse to operate without a cover are my posthole digger and my chipper shredder. Since I may operate in close proximity to the rotating shafts, I would replace the shields if they became damaged. It's just plain good sense.

Now for everyone who can come up with a "what-if" scenario, I'm just going to point out that most vehicles driving up and down the road have an exposed driveline (even frontwheel drive). Large box trucks not only have their drivelines exposed, but are high enough off the ground that you can easily see them turning. Granted, they are not going through brush, but they don't have the structure of a rotary cutter between them and the ground either. RaT, like you, I'm a lot more concerned about the blades and what they might hit than I am about the remote chance of something getting thrown by the driveline shaft. Let me be strong in also saying that if a person doesn't feel comfortable operating without a guard, they should not do it and I applaud their safety conciousness.

Anonymous Poster · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

My tractor was delivered with the brush hog attached. The delivery guy went over most of the tractor operation with me, but forgot the PTO shaft. The next morning, I wanted to try the box blade...and couldn't figure out how to release the PTO shaft. I knew there had to be a button or a release of some sort, somewhere, but I didn't know what it looked like, and I couldn't find it.

So, I released the little black buttons that hold the bell part of the shield in place, and slid it back. With it out of the way, I had a clearer picture and I found the release button. Then, I put the shield back together. Unfortunately, once you release those little plastic buttons, getting them back together is like folding a map.

So, the next time I used the brush hog, the shield came apart and started spinning with the shaft. I was upset at first, but I never go near it, so I've gotten over it. I can't see it back there, and what I can't see can't hurt me, right? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Seriously, I'll get it replaced Real Soon Now; if only because it's too soon for the new tractor to start going downhill...I'd like to keep it reasonably nice as long as possible (if you ignore the scratch in the hood from the first time I messed up picking something up with the loader).

JerryG · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

Shields are there for prevention accidents. I know two guys that live close to me that have been seriously injured because they didn't have shields and didn't follow safety precautions. One of them was using a post hole auger and got his glove caught on the bolt that holds the pto shaft to the gear box. He has had to wear a neck brace for most of twenty years. The other guy was using a grinder mixer. He was in a hurry and tried to step over the pto instead of going around. His pants was caught by the pto. He has had problems for the last 7-8 years. His injury's, well lets just say that its a good thing that he already had children. Shields are there to protect you from MISTAKES.

Bird · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

JimI, you ain't supposed to do that. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Probably shouldn't admit it, but I had to remove the shield from my tiller, so I left it off, and I bought the last rotary cutter I had just the way it arrived at the dealer ("some assembly required") and I left the shield off. I knew no one was going to operate them except me and my brother and I think he, like me, wouldn't go near that thing if it were turning. Then before I sold them, I put the shields back on both of them. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As the old preacher said, when caught with his girlfriend, you're supposed to do as I say; not as I do. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

JATO_RaT · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

My mower is missing the shield because more then anything, I could not figure how to get the blasted thing separated to shorten the driveline. Of course, I was in a hurry to get moving so I cut it loose and it would never go back on and stay. There is no reason for me to ever have to go to the driveline or PTO shaft and fool around while its turning my mower. If anything, I am more aware that its there and avoid it all the more. Kinda like the lawnmower with it's turning blade, not a happy place for hands and feet.

GSS · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

Thanks Bill. Good idea.

Good to see you still around. A while back I was looking around to see what happened to "macher"... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

jinman · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

( ...you're supposed to do as I say; not as I do. )

Exactly! ...he he he

When I grow up, I'm gonna get me a tractor and batwing mower like they have at DFW airport. They have hydraulic motors running the blades and only big hoses coming from the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

GSS · May 29, 2003

Re: PTO shaft cover problem and Q\'s

I agree, but it's just like anything in this world. Someone hurts/maims/kills themselves by doing something dumb or being careless and then people ask why they were not warned of the potential danger of it. Then after litigation and finger pointing, the companies cover their @$$es with stickers slathered everywhere, a chapter of warnings in the manual (that no one reads anyway) and more than likely a complicated redesign of it to make it "safer"...

Prime example: Fast food coffee cups and lids warning that the contents are extremely hot. Come on now!!

- Gerald