PTO Shafts -- Am I Missing Something????

jeffinsgf · Jun 21, 2005

Okay, I will admit to being a CUT rookie. I was around tractors quite a bit when I was a kid, but Dad usually hooked stuff up and I ran it. The first few times I hooked up my brush cutter I struggled with the PTO shaft, but eventually got it. Today, the PTO shaft for my new chipper refuses to go on the output shaft. It will line up and slide on up to the detent balls, but the balls will not retract -- whether the collar is pulled back or not. It is a Comer shaft made in Italy. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. It just doesn't seem like it should be this hard. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Bird · Jun 21, 2005

Can you hold the collar back while you see if the balls can be pushed back by hand? Maybe a little corrosion causing them to stick? I'd try spraying them with WD-40 because I always have it on hand. I think a number of our members have said PB Blaster might be even better.

jeffinsgf · Jun 21, 2005

Thanks, Bird. After having a cold drink and venting my frustration here, I went back out and discovered I was pushing/pulling on the wrong part of the collar. That Italian collar has two moving parts, but only one actually has anything to do with the detent balls. When I figured that out, the balls did just exactly what they're supposed to do.

However, instead of deleting this thread, I would still invite comments on how to make the whole PTO shaft installation process less infuriating. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bird · Jun 21, 2005

No need to delete anything. What you just learned on your own may help someone else with the same problem. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

ronjhall · Jun 21, 2005

I would fight installing a PTO shaft on my tractor. Then one day I realized that the PTO shield would lift up to give a better view and access for installing and removing the PTO shaft. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

jeffinsgf · Jun 21, 2005

Yeah, I discovered that one during my last shaft battle. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

allpontiac · Jun 21, 2005

Yeah, took me a few times before discovering the shield would lift up out of the way

Freds · Jun 22, 2005

I think someone else posted this exact problem a couple months ago. I mentioned then that it sure would be nice to get some sort of standard on the mechanics of how they hook up, but that would be too simple.

One thing it took me a while to figure out was the tractor's PTO shaft can easily be turned by hand to get the teeth to line up with the shaft. Prior to dicovering this I was sticking a wrench in the shaft's yoke and getting the implement to line up with the tractor's PTO. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

have_blue · Jun 22, 2005

( I would still invite comments on how to make the whole PTO shaft installation process less infuriating. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

I have noticed that my PTO coupler is linked directly to heat and humidity. When the weather is 98 degrees and steamy, I have to fiddle with it until I nearly melt down. It goes on fine when the weather is comfortable. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Try wearing gloves. They make your hands much braver, and you can normally just man handle it and snap it right on.

frank_f15 · Jun 22, 2005

( One thing it took me a while to figure out was the tractor's PTO shaft can easily be turned by hand to get the teeth to line up with the shaft. )

Once you learn that makes it a whole lot easier don't it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif i also find that when you need to turn it, just a tad ususally does it then once it starts on usually ram it home till i hear it click the try and pull it back off to make sure the balls engaged!

Freds · Jun 22, 2005

Funny thing about my rhino brush hog is "ramming it home" does not get the shaft locked on. I can even pull it back off just as quickly. I need to take it easy or the balls never find the groove.

HomeBrew2 · Jun 22, 2005

Exactly the same thing with mine! Additionally, being a part-time idiot, I didn't even know the collar could be pulled back the first time in tried to hook it up. I thought the balls had springs behind them like a socket wrench ball.

EastTexFrank · Jun 22, 2005

( it sure would be nice to get some sort of standard on the mechanics of how they hook up )

Yea, that would be nice, wouldn't it?

I think we all have to go through the "lift the PTO shield and turn the shaft" learning process but I ran across a new one a couple of months ago. On my sprayer, I have one of those couplers where you pull back on the collar and slide it on to the shaft. My S-I-L called and asked for help to put on a new PHD that she had just bought. When I got over there the coupler looked exactly like mine. "Not a problem" I thought to myself, "this will take about 5 minutes". Well, was I ever wrong. 30 minutes later and I'm still struggling with it and my S-I-L has this look that says, "OK Mr Know-It-All about tractors, what are you going to try next??". Then I got lucky. I discovered that on that particular coupler, not only do you have to pull the collar back, you also have to turn it a 1/4 turn to unlock the retaining balls. One minutes later, she's on her way leaving me hot, sweaty and a little deflated.

Just when you think that there isn't much left for you to learn in this world and that you've seen about all there is, some engineer does the impossible and invents a new way to do it. It was a humbling experience. So, to all of you out there, if your coupler won't just slide all the way on to the PTO shaft, once you have it started on the shaft, try giving the collar a little turn. It might just save you a lot of sweat, cussing and frustration, not to mention a bruised ego. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

timb · Jun 22, 2005

Another one to add to the list - check for burrs on the splines. When brand-new, my rotary cutter's shaft (and probably the tractor) had awfully sharp splines and was a bear to get on. I thought about it but never got around to taking a deburring tool or stone to them, but after some use now it seems I have less and less trouble getting it to slide into place.

Adirondaks · Jun 22, 2005

It sometimes takes longer to get the shaft on then it does to till the garden. I find the iMatch to always be in the way. I push on the shaft as hard as I can and pull back on the collar fighting myself. Two things make it easier. Look at the collar the spline at a certain spot is female, look at the shaft, put a male at the same location as the female on the collar. PUSH it usually goes on up to the locking part, greas helps too and gloves as posted before.

Panache · Jun 23, 2005

My Deere PTO shaft does not turn EASILY but it will turn. I noticed there is a hole thru the shaft about 1" from the end. I took a cheap screwdriver and cut the tip off. I stick the screwdriver shaft in the hole of the PTO. That gives me a handle to turn the PTO. Much easier and cleaner than trying to turn a greasy PTO shaft.

newtothis · Jun 23, 2005

Ahhh, the PTO shield may move! I'll have to try that one. Glad I'm not the only one who's had problems that cause a bit of sweat.

By accident I noticed recently that my finish mower "snapped" into place by raising the whole deck after I made the connection but couldn't get it to lock.

jeffinsgf · Jul 1, 2005

Just wanted to add a note on this thread. It has been just about a week, and today I needed to use my chipper again. This time, I wore gloves and turned the PTO shaft of the tractor instead of trying to muscle the shaft into alignment /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. One more thing I did that I didn't see mentioned in the thread...I hooked up the PTO before hooking up the 3pt arms. In fact, the tractor was about a foot too far from the pins while I hooked up the PTO, then I backed up once the PTO was attached. Gave me a little more working room. Maybe that one is so obvious I am the only one not doing it that way before, but I thought I would add it. All in all, it was a totally different experience than last week. 20 seconds instead of 2 hours. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Thanks to all the TBN'ers who contributed to this thread.

MikeFromVA · Jul 1, 2005

If I am trying to rotate the rear PTO, I move the PTO selector to the mid-mount position - then the rear PTO spins much easier. Of course that also works in reverse when trying to hook up the MM PTO.

jmc · Jul 2, 2005

My problem had always been needing one hand to hold the collar back while needing both hands to force the Pto yoke onto the shaft. Well, my new Woods BH only takes one hand to slide it onto the shaft. So the lesson is, I should have cleaned and/or lubricated the telescoping part of that old PTO shaft...