Posthole Digger PTO Shaft

[Bluetick1955]

I bough a 3pt post hole digger. Tried to use but the PTO shaft is frozen and won't slide.. I guess been sitting longer than I realized. Any ideas the best way to get apart?

Bluetick1955

 

[Gary Fowler]

Prodigious use of light oil or penetrant to soak into the sliding part then place a board across the U joint and tap it with a hammer to get some movement, then back out. Keep working it back and forth till it loosens up. Pulling it apart might require some force like a come-along with the other end chained to a tree.

 

[Soundguy]

do you have a parts washer?

if so, put the shaft in the washer.. or at least part of it. then flip it.

a bucket with diesel in it may help too if no washer. stand it in there and then flip it now and then. even pour thru the center back and forth.

if there is no shield on the shaft take a ballpeen hammer and start tapping down the length to break the rust..

 

[George2615]

I just had the same problem. I clamped one end in a vise, on the other end I clamped à pair of vise grip pliers then tapped on the pliers with à hammer. It took à while, only moving about 1/4" at à time but it eventually came off. Then I sprayed the shaft with penetrating oil, then greased it and slid the halves back together.

 

[kirkawilson]

Ditto what George2615 said; tap & beat till the rust breaks. Lotta rust will show on the inner shaft when you get it out. Oil & grease it well before you reinsert to keep it from happening again.

 

[Bluetick1955]

Thanks. Got to get it off gearbox first. Gonna heat it tonight to get off there

 

[oosik]

Friend had an old rear cutter. Pto shaft was as solid as a bar of steel. We used a dead fall hammer(no dents) and gobs of WD40. Took half an hour but eventually split it, then steel wool on the male half and lots of grease down the tube.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got the same problem, Post hole digger was stored outside for about 3 yrs. I have mine soaking in penetrating oil, tomorrow I'll take a hammer to it.

 

[Bluetick1955]

I put mine between two trees and a chain puller. Pulled so hard snapped drive pin. didn't move. Finally took other end off put in a press. popped when it finally moved the took a log rod and drove it out.Once it moved it wasn't hard to drive out. I buffed the rust off and out put gobs of grease in and slides like a charm. Hung under barn so it doesn't see the rain

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I chained mine to a tree today, and pulled with the L3940. Didn't come apart. soaking it some more.

 

[RoyJackson]

Although I'm sorry you guys are having trouble with the drive shafts, I'm glad this thread was opened. It's a reminder for me to check my drive shafts on the cutter and snow blower.
It was suggested by a dealer to separate the tractor end and the implement end shafts for the seasons the implements aren't used (winter for the cutter, Spring and Summer for the blower) and store them in a dry environment.
BTW, this is probably a good time to loosen slip clutch bolts too...

 

[Bluetick1955]

It's a bear. If you need I found one on inet at agrisupply out of a ncn for about $70

 

[BHD]

soak them in diesel fuel or similar for a few days, and I have found if there not totally closed one can press them together a little to get some movement started, and then work on pulling them apart,

when ever I am done with a unit I take it apart and lay it on the machine, have yet to the problem again.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Got mine apart this morning. chained to a tree, and this time pulled with the tractor in 4WD . The 1/2 can of spray I used had never reached the rusted area. I had left the shaft mostly closed, now I will keep them almost fully apart. Cleaned it up and greased it up good, and good to go. Now I need to get my auger fixed. One of the cutter edges is bent down, from catching on a rock once, and pulling it out instead of turning it backwards. I checked by rotary cutter shaft, it's ok. i keep it outside but under an old truck cap, so it keeps it out of most of the weather.

 

[Soundguy]

i like the diesel soak. 5g bucket of old diesel, mineral spirits, paint thinners and reducers, old gas i don't want to run, strained drainings from the parts cleaner... etc. makes for good soak for rusted parts.

 

[kebo]

Got mine apart this morning. chained to a tree, and this time pulled with the tractor in 4WD . The 1/2 can of spray I used had never reached the rusted area. I had left the shaft mostly closed, now I will keep them almost fully apart. Cleaned it up and greased it up good, and good to go. Now I need to get my auger fixed. One of the cutter edges is bent down, from catching on a rock once, and pulling it out instead of turning it backwards. I checked by rotary cutter shaft, it's ok. i keep it outside but under an old truck cap, so it keeps it out of most of the weather.

Coming in here late on this thread, but that's the same method I use to free up PTO shafts that are stuck together. I figure if I break the cast yoke trying it, the shaft wasn't worth having anyway!! :laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

Got mine apart this morning. chained to a tree, and this time pulled with the tractor in 4WD...

Just out of curiosity, did you hook the drive shaft to your tractor's PTO stub shaft, or rig it to the draw bar?

 

[orangeandgreen]

I had a similar situation, except my shaft was bent slightly. I chained the shaft between the front bucket and brush guard and lifted the bucket. Took a few tries but got it apart. That neighbor doesn't get to borrow the post hole digger any more.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Just out of curiosity, did you hook the drive shaft to your tractor's PTO stub shaft, or rig it to the draw bar?

drawbar. I think hooking to PTO could do some serious damage.

 

[hunter townsen]

I have had good luck with a mix of 25% atf, 25 % marvel mystery oil and the rest with a thinner , acetone, laq thin, enamel reducer etc, although laquer thinner and acetone will destroy paint , enamel reducer insnt near as bad , but all are flammable, I always wire wheel all the rust off I can first, let it soak tapping it as often as possible, I sometimes use a air chisel with a rounded head on low pressure when im lazy lol. then come along at one end, and fastened to something heavy on other end and put light pressure , let it sit over night and give it a shot, if possible I suspend it from a beam on my shop attached to something heavy like a tractor etc. I have only done this once on a pto , but have done it on driveshafts for autos , and many other items that are stuck , works well for me, but be carefull if u use heat the penetrant likes to catch fire. good luck
rob