PTO shaft damage on a spreader. Why did this happen?

[N80]

I've got a typical cone gravity spreader. It isn't super cheap and seems well made and but I can say for sure that the PTO shaft is the most robust thing on it. In other words, if something bound it up, a lot of things would brake and bend before the PTO shaft would twist. And while I wouldn't recommend engaging the PTO at high RPMs the spreader is 'free wheeling' so to speak and the spinning parts have almost no mass to them, certainly not enough inertial resistance to twist a PTO shaft. Sounds to me like his came with a twist in it.

 

[Big Barn]

Perhaps your friend had it lifted up too high (the telescoping shaft would be extended) when he engaged the PTO. That combined with high initial RPM might have done it.

Terry

 

[crazyal]

I have a Herd spreader that I use to spread sand on the driveway in wintertime. It has the same PTO shaft you're talking about, it's almost square but it's actually rectangle. While I don't engage the PTO at high speeds and I ease the clutch to avoid shock it still has to spin the agitator buried in sand. I've never had an issue with like what you're talking about. Is it possible that the shaft wasn't hardened?

 

[MHarryE]

I too like N80 have a middle of the road cone spreader and feel that the PTO driveline is the heaviest built part on the spreader. I think it would rip the gearbox apart before damaging the driveline but there might be ways using the 3 point to cause some problems although shaft twist is still hard to imagine. Since I have a hydraulic top link I make sure my spreader is vertical and the PTO driveline is close to level before engaging the PTO.

 

[Wakey]

But can't do much about clumpy fertilizer.

You can lift and slam the bag on concrete, once on each side.