PTO shaft stuck/jammed on tractor

[RoyJackson]

It looks like this type of problem is not all that common which is a little surprising to me given the number of guys using bush hogs and driving bumpy terrain where you can easily "V" the tractor/bush hog which shortens the distance from PTO to gear box. Obviously the root cause here is that the PTO shaft is an inch or two too long but guidelines for how to cut those things are not terribly precise. As most people would be shy of cutting too much off, it would not be surprising to find that many PTO shafts are a bit longer than necessary and therefore susceptible to this type of problem.

I've been on TBN for 5 years and can only recall one other instance...on a Kubota, I think.
The guy did damage his PTO...but from jamming the shaft, not trying to remove it.

 

[Farmerford]

Island Tractor:

Those steel balls have ridden up onto the top of the splines and the angled protrusions that were pressed into the collar are like ramps on a one-way (overrunning) clutch. The balls probably tighten on the PTO shaft as the yoke is pulled out. Therefore, you must relieve the pressure on the balls or put a lot of force on the yoke to pull it off.

Here is what I would try.

Remove the PTO cover.

Drive out the spring/roll pin that holds the telescoping shaft in the yoke with a pin punch.

Take out the cross by removing the bearings in the yoke that slips on the splined tractor PTO shaft. A screwdriver will usually dislodge the retaining rings.

insert a round bar (1" outer dia or perhaps 3/4" pipe) through the bearing bosses in the yoke that is still attached to the PTO shaft. Then, supporting the yoke on the bottom side with a jack or a heavy weight such as a sledge hammer to minimize the shock to the bearings, drive a wedge between the end of the PTO shaft and the cross bar/pipe you slipped through the yoke ends. A cold chisel will make a good wedge. That will put more force on the PTO shaft/coupling than pulling will do and it will not put any force on the tractor housing (as long as you properly support the yoke when driving the wedge). It will also be a shock force which is better than a steady pull. TAke along a file to clean up any deformation to the end of the PTO shaft.

If that doesn't do it, take a grinder (a wheel on the end of a portable drill will probably do) and grind away the collar where the balls are pushing into the collar so that the balls can move off the shaft. It should not take much grinding to relieve enough pressure for the yoke to come off, particularly if you leave the wedge in place to maintain pressure.

 

[IslandTractor]

Here is what I would try.

Thanks Farmerford, I will consider this if I cannot get the collar off with more simple means once I take the PTO cover off. Your method sounds logical but as I've never taken apart a PTO coupler before it is somewhat confusing to me without the parts in front of me to follow along with your directions. I'm hopeful that once I can get the PTO cover off I can get some wedge between the collar and tractor housing then bang it loose. If not I'll move to Plan B.

Again, thanks for the detailed instructions.

 

[JerryG]

Thanks Farmerford, I will consider this if I cannot get the collar off with more simple means once I take the PTO cover off. Your method sounds logical but as I've never taken apart a PTO coupler before it is somewhat confusing to me without the parts in front of me to follow along with your directions. I'm hopeful that once I can get the PTO cover off I can get some wedge between the collar and tractor housing then bang it loose. If not I'll move to Plan B.

Again, thanks for the detailed instructions.

The reason that I suggested a similar route as well as I am sure Farmerford did was that PTOs aren't normally made to take a lot of pull. Some can take a great deal but others will have seal damage and or other internal parts destroyed if too much pulling force is applied. If you aren't comfortable taking the u-joint apart, use a 4.5" angle grinder with a cut off blade to cut down both sides of the yoke where the shaft goes through it and cut off an ear. You would have to take it in for them to put a new yoke on but that would be much better than the possibility of doing internal damage to the PTO. Hope you get it fixed soon.

 

[IslandTractor]

My hesitation to take the yoke apart is purely naive as I've never done it. I'd rather try to take it apart than cut it apart. I did look ignorantly at the yoke briefly on Sunday and could not see how the thing could be disassembled. I assume there must be some locking ring washers or something that I did not find in my brief inspection. It will be easier to sort out once I remove the PTO shield.

By the way, my lack of action in the past couple of days is purely related to the fact that the tractor is 70 miles away. I'll get back there on Friday. This holding a regular job thing is really interfering with more important tractor maintenance duties.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I just now read this thread for the first time. By the sound of things, several others have put in more time and thought on the problem than the few minutes I have. That said, I have my initial reaction and a few suggestions.

One, I would only try using the tractor itself as a "puller" in a last ditch effort. Too little control over how much pull can be exerted on a part (or parts) of unknown strenght. I've seen a few pto's damaged by excessive compression or excessive pulling. (All those were on other brands with no real bearing on your problem)

Prying can put quite a load on the pto shaft too. I'd try addressing the stuck collar, possibly with a slide hammer or hammer and punch, going easy at first to see what sort of reaction you get.

But my first try would PROBABLY be to disassemble the yoke, then attemt to use a gear puller of some configuration to pull the entire assembly back to its INTENDED position on the shaft. There is far too much splined shaft exposed behind the yoke. I'd pull from the yoke, pushing against the end of the pto stub with the gear puller. Put a bit of pressure on the assembly with the puller. If that doesn't move it, try a bit of "shock" with a hammer to the wrench end of the puller. That may just jolt it "unstuck".

Whatever course of action, I'd go easy at first, working my way up in "force" required. You MAY be working with a more delicate assembly that what it appears.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks Farmwithjunk. I thought of the gear puller approach too but did not think about using the yoke and end of PTO shaft for the pull/push points. Makes more sense than pulling on the collar itself. I'll need to get a gear puller from NAPA or someplace like that as I don't have a tractor supply store closer than 2hrs drive.

As noted in earlier replies, my first step will be to see if I can just disassemble or budge the collar back to it's rightful spot somehow once I get the PTO shield off. If that fails I'll move to the gear puller/wedge/manual traction approach and then try a comealong if needed. I think I am pretty sure at this point that using the tractor to pull is a last ditch method and I will hopefully solve the problem before getting to that stage.

 

[diyDave]

A couple of things to try 1. Assume you are going to write off that ball coupler, anyway, so just take a lady's slipper pry bar and remove those 3 little balls, by deforming the sheet metal housing that they have already dented. 2. If # 1 doesn't work, rig up a slide hammer, using the biggest piece of all-thread you can lay hands on(that will fit through the shaft tube). Put a washer and nut on the inside of the yoke, close to the tractor, attach a heavy piece of thick pipe or other dumbell shaped blunt object with a hole big enough to allow it to slide on the all thread, then put another washer and a couple of nuts locked tight, and slide the weight to the rear, and if things ain't boogered up too bad you should be able to beat it apart. Another thought- you could set the all thread up as a puller, by putting the all thread tight against the drive shaft, then a nut, then a washer against the end of the tube, then 2 nuts locked together, then wrench the shaft, yoke and all off- you will probably need a helper to hold this rig in alignment, as you screw the all thread in, to force the yoke off the shaft. You may have the type of shaft that once all of the 3 balls rig is removed, you can put a regular, old style pto retaining pin/spring/retainer clip on. Its a lot of work compared to cutting 1 or 2 inches of drive shaft off of each end of the pto shaft! Good luck

 

[irwin]

Just my 2 cents...... I would get my slide hammer and carefully at first ( like FWJ suggested) tap it off. I'd bet it would come off without too much force..{25+ years auto repair experience}

Shouldn't be too hard to attached the slide hammer without taking too much apart.

 

[AllforWork]

I use Anti-Seize lubricant. Works great for me. Want solve your problem now.