Reassembling rotary cutter driveshaft---do I need this plastic shield?

[pacerron]

Lumberdink, morning... On the bell ends of the guards, use a large hole saw on a drill motor and cut a large hole so you can see the zerk fittings and get the nozzle of your grease gun in there to lube it. The hole should not be a safety issue as compared to removing the entire guard. Good luck... Dave

All my PTO shaft guard bells have holes already provided by the mfg. for greasing the zerks in the U-joints on each end and a slot hole between the
two slide pieces to reach the zerk for the shaft or to put the grease gun in to put a little grease on all 4 sides of the shaft. They also have a little hole where each bell fits on to use a needle attachment on the gun to grease the bushings that allow the shafts to turn easily in the shields.
When you re-assemble the unit you need to get the holes and zerks lined up if you are going to grease the U-joint zerks while attached to the PTO. A little red paint squirt on the zerks make them easier to find looking through a dark hole. I find it easier on most to just grease the U-joints before hooking to the PTO, then the shaft can be moved to get easy access to the zerks without using the holes.
The safety tubes should have a little chain at each end to fasten to the implement and the tractor to keep the entire shield from rotating. Some guys think they can just let it spin and if they grab it or something gets caught in it that it will stop instantly. Not a good idea...
The bell guards and chains have another purpose. A U-joint could break. Think how much damage could be done particularly on the equipment end if it broke and nothing was supporting the shaft and guard.

 

[RoyJackson]

All my PTO shaft guard bells have holes already provided by the mfg. for greasing the zerks in the U-joints on each end and a slot hole between the...

That was a very good post, Pacerron...my compliments!

 

[LD1]

Glad you decided to put them back on:thumbsup:

I am not one to advise removing saftey items either, and honestly, most of my PTO equipment doesnt have them shields any more either.

BUT...I like them on a bushhog. Not really for saftey, but without them, I find that weeds like to wrap up and be thrown back up on me as well as making it harder to collapse the PTO for removal. I have one bushhog that has them, and the other does not. If I use the one that is missing the guards, the PTO becomes about 8" in diameter in no time due to the weeds.:confused2:

 

[pacerron]

That was a very good post, Pacerron...my compliments!

Thanks Roy.
I've still got all my fingers and toes.
Old age arthritis keeps reminding me where they are.

 

[MHarryE]

When you take the shields off and then get injured, pick a good injury lawyer. Every ambulance chaser in the state will be calling on your door when it hits the news. At last count when I left the ag industry I had been involved in 42 cases where farmers lost life or limb in PTO shaft accidents but we never paid a dime in any of them where the farmer had removed a shield. As somebody stated, it is incredible how fast clothes can get wrapped in a spinning driveline. I remember that from depositions.

 

[Soundguy]

keep the plastic shields..

soundguy

 

[Rockgod]

keep the plastic shields..

soundguy

This!


It's one of those safety items worth keeping. :thumbsup:

 

[CowboyRon]

Not only are they a good safety feature, when I shred some tall stuff, without the pto shields they tangle all around it but with the PTO shields, they just ride on into the mower. I have an auger that is missing one-half and I probably won't replace it because it seems so expensive for a "piece of plastic." But it would probably be cheaper than a trip to the ER.

Bart

I second that, I have a smaller howse brush hog that is missing the shaft cover. When I cut tall grass the drive shaft gets all wrapped up, and I have to cut it off. I know the guard can be a pain, but I'm always preaching to my teenage boys that safety comes ahead of everything.

 

[k0ua]

Well I have learned a few things, I have always kept the shields on all my rotary cutters, and finish mowers thru the years, but I never knew that weeds, and grass stems would pile up on the uncovered shaft. I have always used the little chains as the manufacture intended, and knew that kept the plastic from spinning, but never thought about the broken u-joint and a big azzed shaft spinning in a big circle behind the tractor cuz I did not use the chain. So yes, thank you for pointing this stuff out. Like everyone else who ever greased a u-joint I have cussed the plastic guard, but it only takes a few more seconds to rotate the shaft and the guard access hole into alignment. Of course do this with the PTO shaft off of the tractor. Putting on and taking off the shaft used to be hassle for me, but after doing it a while, it has gotten a lot easier, also keeping it lubed helps Overall, thanks for the thread!:thumbsup:

James K0UA

 

[Soundguy]

I second that, I have a smaller howse brush hog that is missing the shaft cover. When I cut tall grass the drive shaft gets all wrapped up, and I have to cut it off. I know the guard can be a pain, but I'm always preaching to my teenage boys that safety comes ahead of everything.

not only will they wrap around the shaft, but they can 'walk' it and then hog the seal out by crowding it at the input shaft, or on the pto of the tractor.

soundguy