Posthole Digger PTO Shaft Question......

[BHD]

there are series (basically hp ratings on the shafts),

I have a trencher and had to upgrade the pto shaft as I was burning out the bearings,(in the yokes), in heavy or hard soils,

most post hole diggers will not pull over about 15 hp so the light duty shaft will be fine,

your not supposed to be off the tractor or standing near the device when it is diggin any way,
don't be like my AG teacher, who had the draft setting wrong o the three point when he was trying to hang on the digger to add weight to it when it bounced up out of the ground and came down on his foot, and chewed half of it off,

 

[Dave M7040]

Dave,
We had to remove the spring pin so, someone didn't have to push it in while it was chained to a stump to pull it off. But I can tell you that way before the ball bearings get to where they seat, it is extremely hard to get on within the first 1/2" after inserting it, it becomes to hard to do with only your hands.

Clearly something is not correct.
As a test, why not go to somewhere like TSC and buy a yoke and see if a new one will go on your pto shaft easily before you worry about it being the correct yoke for your shaft.
Then just return it saying it does not fit or whatever....

If it goes on easily, then find the correct one but..... if it does not, now you know something is off with the splines on your pto. Perhaps a bit of a twist caused by the old yoke?

Dave M7040

 

[Dave M7040]

there are series (basically hp ratings on the shafts),

I have a trencher and had to upgrade the pto shaft as I was burning out the bearings,(in the yokes), in heavy or hard soils,

most post hole diggers will not pull over about 15 hp so the light duty shaft will be fine,

your not supposed to be off the tractor or standing near the device when it is diggin any way,
don't be like my AG teacher, who had the draft setting wrong o the three point when he was trying to hang on the digger to add weight to it when it bounced up out of the ground and came down on his foot, and chewed half of it off,

What did you students do?
Kick the pieces of bone and flesh into the post hole........I should not be making light of a life changing event.

Actually, although it was very bad for the instructor, it would have made a life time impression on all the students so many others were saved by his stupidity or carelessness.

Turning at a few hundred rpm, the pto driven equipment does not look scary because it is quiet. If the pto was turning at 25,000 rpm and making a screaming noise from the gearbox, everyone would stand far back.

A bit like the all electric car coming silently up behind you when walking in a parking lot.

Dave M7040