PTO Shaft frozen by rust or something?

[bbse]

I have left mowers out many times...never a problem. I guess I need a bigger chain, more patience, and hook that come-along back up. I had it strung like a banjo string....I will leave it longer and more oil, more pounding and heat. I hate to have to drop a 150 bucks on a new one. This thing still looks new.

 

[hube2]

... To my surprise there was NO rust on the shaft at all - only the old grease which had set up like cement after all those years.

This brings to mind another topic about getting a snow blower ready for storage and someone saying they store their PTO shaft inside and in 2 pieces. I imagine that sitting in the hot sun all summer could bake the grease dry.

 

[sea2summit]

I have left mowers out many times...never a problem. I guess I need a bigger chain, more patience, and hook that come-along back up. I had it strung like a banjo string....I will leave it longer and more oil, more pounding and heat. I hate to have to drop a 150 bucks on a new one. This thing still looks new.

I would spend $15 on a torch and bottle of fuel before I just gave up on it.

 

[deserteagle71]

This brings to mind another topic about getting a snow blower ready for storage and someone saying they store their PTO shaft inside and in 2 pieces. I imagine that sitting in the hot sun all summer could bake the grease dry.

That's what I did when I got done using it this time.

 

[PILOON]

I have no choice but store my blower outside.
I pull the PTO shaft apart, wipe off old grease and apply fresh grease and re assemble.
Next I bag the U joint end so that weather is kept away.
Bearings get fresh grease and blower is stored on 4 x 4 blocks.
All bare metal gets a thin coat of spray paint simply to deter rust as I know the next usage will remove that protection anyway.
My theory is wet snow won't adhere to shiny bare steel like it will on rusty metal.
Now that theory has proven itself for going on 10 years or so.

 

[jmc]

Based on several responses here, maybe try a solvent for grease rather than for rust?

 

[grsthegreat]

this is why i like keeping all my impliments and equipment in covered buildings. i just cant let something i paid good money for sit outside in the rain. friends call me ****.

 

[billfires]

I agree with you 100%. In 2001 I bought a 15 month old New Holland 1920 that had 72 hours and had been kept in a Cover It garage. For the first 2 years it was parked in my garage but got displaced to sitting outside. The worst thing I could have done to it. I am now going to have to have the stuck clutch replaced at 650 hours. Bill C

 

[Loaderman22]

I left my near new post hole digger out for a couple of years. It was greased and I left left the shaft elevated off the ground. Never the less, It welded itself together with rust. I soaked it in Kroil, chained one end to a tree and chained the other end to my tractor. Broke a 1/4" logging chain twice. Never budged. I tried keeping it stretched by chain and come along for 2 days hitting hit with Kroil and hammer. No luck. Don't own a torch. looking for ideas. It is like new on the outside, hardly any rust at all.

I had this happen on a mower shaft. I used straight ATF, cheapest I could get, took shaft off implement, and soaked it with the ATF, anywhere I could get it inside. Let sit a day, then threw it in the back of the pickup for a week, let it bounce around back there, rolling over the grooves in the bed, smacking the sides on every turn, etc. Took it out the following Saturday and smacked one end on a rock and just by the sound I could hear it moved, then gently pulled it apart with the tractor and a tree. Mostly old grease, and a tiny bit of surface rust. Seems all that bouncing around got the ATF in all the right places, and loosened it up. Best part was, all I had to do was drive to my day job and home everyday, no extra effort needed. Good luck.

 

[Garson]

50% acetone, 50% red ATF. Better than any commercially available corrosion breaker.

Great choice. I've used acetone/ATF for years. Popular Mechanics did a review of commercial rust removal products and ATF won hands down. Let it soak in for an hour and it should come free.