PTO shafts

[Thaines]

I have a JD tiller and post auger the prior owner of the farm I bought left sitting in the bushes. The collar on the auger is rusted and jammed up pretty bad won't move going to try some penetrating oil on it if not replace the yoke. Both the shaft for the auger and tiller do not slide are they suppose to be fixed length or should they adjust like the shaft on my brush hog?

 

[k0ua]

I have a JD tiller and post auger the prior owner of the farm I bought left sitting in the bushes. The collar on the auger is rusted and jammed up pretty bad won't move going to try some penetrating oil on it if not replace the yoke. Both the shaft for the auger and tiller do not slide are they suppose to be fixed length or should they adjust like the shaft on my brush hog?

They have to slide because when the 3pt is lower the length needs to be longer than when the 3pt is raise.. Try some Kroil

 

[oosik]

I got and subsequently sold an old auger with a rusted pto shaft. I put everything I had on it to try to loosen - no joy. Then I had a brain fart - took the shaft to a local welding shop and put it in their part washing tank. Let it sit in the tank for three day and after a little encouragement with my rubber dead-fall hammer it finally broke loose. Then it was just a matter of continued wiggling, pushing, pulling and it finally came apart. Had to take the U-joints apart - clean & grease.

 

[freewookie]

I have a JD tiller and post auger the prior owner of the farm I bought left sitting in the bushes. The collar on the auger is rusted and jammed up pretty bad won't move going to try some penetrating oil on it if not replace the yoke. Both the shaft for the auger and tiller do not slide are they suppose to be fixed length or should they adjust like the shaft on my brush hog?

I had the same scenario for a digger I got. Sprayed it all down with break free and let it sit for a couple hours. That did the trick!

 

[clemsonfor]

I just bought a Bush hog rz60 and the shaft had seized tight on it but a few taps around it I was able to loosen it enough to work it free. Its pulled apart now. Will clean the shaft and regressed it before I slide it back on. The spring release mechanism needs some oiling too as its a bit stiff.

 

[gwdixon]

All excellent suggestions above. Penetrating oil or Ed's Red is the first step in every case.

In addition, I've:

>attached the frozen shaft between two trees. Chain on one end, Come-A-Long on the other. Put some tension on and bang on the shaft with a hammer. It is tough to do if the plastic safety cover is on it.

>attached the shaft to the tractor and a tree and drove away slowly. Warning: possible damage.

But whatever you do to get it apart, the best follow-up is to store the PTO shaft in two pieces. It NEVER gets stuck that way. Remember that the shaft only goes back together one way so mark one face of the shaft ends with paint so you just have to line up the paint on both pieces. Before the paint idea, it seemed that the last try to line up the shaft was the only one that finally worked.

Also, I hose down the shaft with WD-40 when putting it back together. Grease seems too heavy and can dry and stiffen over time. Oil is OK but can get gummy while seeming to absorb dirt. Bottom line: lube it with something handy.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

soak in penetrating oil as mention if this does not work clean oil off as this will burn apply heat with a torch just had a tought I heard of people doing this to seized engines stand shaft upright with inside shaft up pour coke on it they say its a great on rust why not they say you can put a nail in some and it will disappear wonder who they are?

 

[bumperm]

Or, you might try loosening it up with the Be All End All of penetrating rust break free goober: a 50 / 50 mixture of acetone and ATF (automatic transmission fluid). In tests (search on line) this concoction beats all the others hands down - and is cheaper too. You do have to shake it from time to time to keep it mixed up, but it sure does work well.

If the shaft has a plastic cover on it preventing you from getting to the "slip joint" of the shaft, you will probably have to sacrifice the cover and cut it lengthwise to remove as it's probably not going to slide over the U-joint. Then stand shaft on end and apply copious amounts of penetrant to the joint over a day or so.

bumper

 

[Soundguy]

get a small basin and a trash bag. put the shaft int he bag and put in some diesel and atf oil and let it soak. use the bag to get the fuel oil all around the shafts including inside them.

let er set.