PTO shaft Length

[JB4310]

Greg, I agree, in that I would want as much overlap as possible, but as a practical matter, I can understand the question as to the minimum safe amount of overlap. And in the link I provided, Bush Hog says:

Both the question and the answer make sense to me.

Bird,
Thanks for the link, I think I have at least the 6" minimum on this short shaft, I agree I would want as much overlap as possible, and on those longer shafts I would not be comfortable with only 6 inches, I cut the min off, leaving the max on but that was with the 3 pt hooked up (the shaft could be put on and removed when hooked to 3pt), I could have left more overlap by connecting the shaft first then pulling the carrier in to connect the 3pt. (leaving the max insert, unable to collapse shaft unless 3pt unhooked) my gen is set up almost parallel with pto so there is not much deviation of drive shaft alignment.

You can't see the shaft clearly but can get an idea what I'm dealing with.

 

[greg_g]

Both the question and the answer make sense to me.

Well, I guess both of us could have been more specific. I totally agree that 6 inches should be an absolute minimum, with an attempt to leave as much overlap as possible - up to the point of perhaps 1" away from binding.

When I read your response, I envisioned somebody buying an aftermarket replacement and figuring out how much to cut it down to fit safely. I based my response on adjusting an OE shaft to fit a specific tractor-implement combination.

Another consideration that neither of us mentioned is the operator that elects to use the same PTO driven implement behind more than one tractor. He has to cut the shaft to a non-binding length for the tractor with the shortest lower lift arms. I can envision cases where that might make that same shaft unsafe to use (extended past the 6" safety margin) on the larger tractor.

//greg//

 

[Kendrick]

CF is right my blower was the same way. one suggestion is to hook both ends up to the respective pieces seperatly and then find the closest point they reach. you will then be able to hold the pieces up to gether and mark them. after marking drop the impliment to the maximum distance and see how much overlap you have. my blower requires 8" minimum i believe. also depending on the housing you may have to take it appart to line the cuts up better. it was my first pto shortining to. has worked quite well so far thorugh the winter

 

[greg_g]

Wile checking it for the I-Match descovered that the shortest distance was when it was raised all the way up.

my blower was the same way.

I'm wading into uncharted territory here, never actually having owned a snow blower myself. Nor an i-Match either for that matter (although I've seldom read anything good ever posted about them).

But something doesn't sound right about the geometry you're describing. Unless I'm missing something very obvious, the PTO shaft should not continue to collapse above horizontal - UNLESS the toplink is pinned to the wrong hole(s) and/or adjusted to the wrong length.

//greg//

 

[elalexander]

I just bought a King Kutter tiller. The web site has manuals and the manuals show how to cut a PTO shaft in detail. Raised lowered etc. I have a HF quick hitch but do not use it on anything with a shaft mainly due to the weight sticking out 5-6 inches further behind my tractor. Also, remember the wood shop rule from school: Measure twice, cut once

EL

 

[Jimmyp5]

I just bought a King Kutter tiller. The web site has manuals and the manuals show how to cut a PTO shaft in detail. Raised lowered etc. I have a HF quick hitch but do not use it on anything with a shaft mainly due to the weight sticking out 5-6 inches further behind my tractor. Also, remember the wood shop rule from school: Measure twice, cut once

EL

Heck I measure twice then call for another person to do it! I swear my eyes cross and I will cut 1/8 short all the darn time!

 

[Kendrick]

But something doesn't sound right about the geometry you're describing. Unless I'm missing something very obvious, the PTO shaft should not continue to collapse above horizontal - UNLESS the toplink is pinned to the wrong hole(s) and/or adjusted to the wrong length.
//greg//

Beats me to the best i can come up with is that the arms are just below horrisontal when the atachment is down as the arms rais up it goes past level of the attachment point and starts bringing the setup closer to the machine. kinda like a folding char and how depending on the design the front and back leggs are still parell with eachother even though the chair collapses flat

 

[greg_g]

the arms are just below horrisontal when the atachment is down as the arms rais up it goes past level of the attachment point and starts bringing the setup closer to the machine.

And unless I'm still missing something, that shouldn't happen. Ideally, the toplink should be as parallel as possible to the lower lift arms when the implement is at operating height. Most tractors have more than one set of toplink holes, some implements do as well. Pick the combination of holes (on both ends) that aligns the toplink as close to parallel with the lower lift arms as possible. See if that makes any difference to how/where the PTO shaft extends/retracts.

//greg//

 

[CFHartman]

Greag G
I don't want to jump on this man's post. I went out tonight and took some pictures of the I match at different hights. The first is all the way at the top. the second would be about where the broadcaster will be operated form at level PTO shaft. The third one is at bottom. It's dark and cold and raining. I didn't want to go back and get the spreader and put on. At no time is the top lind and the bottom links parallel. I have never owned a larger tractor. this JD 2210 is in the sub compact class. I do love the I-Match.
Charlie

 

[greg_g]

I'm sorry Charlie, but I'm not grasping what you're trying to depict with those photos. The test of fire is simply to connect the implement to your i-Match, and raise/lower the TPH to what you consider operating height for that particular implement. Then stand off to the side and eyeball the toplink and the lower lift arms. From this vantage point, then decide which pin holes (tractor end and/or implement end) will render the toplink as parallel as possible to the lower lift arms.

This is where a lot of folks take issue with the i-Match, but obviously it depends a lot on what tractor it's mounted on. Those that take issue have reported better lift geometry (and therefore PTO shaft angle) by removing the i-Match and connecting the implement directly to the tractor.

I think I could get a better idea of what you were trying to demonstrate if you'd post a couple of side-view photos.

//greg//