Secret to hooking up PTO shaft

[bigtalker]

Is there a secret to hooking up shafts to tractor. Large attachments can be really hard. Rotary cutter. Brown tree cutter. Tiller. Fertilizer shaft is never a problem. Seems like it is hard to get splines lined up and then hard to push the collar on. Have attachments with both spring loaded collar and also collar with pin on u joint. Thanks. GB

 

[wedge40]

Common question on here.
And the most common answer will be clean, lube and practice, practice, practice.

Wedge

 

[slowzuki]

1. Don't worry about the lock while you're lining up the splines it will go on a bit first.
2. Light equipment you can turn the shaft, on bigger stuff its not going to turn, wear a glove and turn the pto shaft of the tractor. Most of them will turn at least one way, some will not due to self engaging pto brake. Some will wind up almost like a spring and want to jump back to where they where, try to get it to catch the splines as you turn it and if you miss try on the unwind too.
3. Lube to splines, lube the lock mechanism, lube the tubular shaft.

 

[LeadPoison]

Lots of swear words usually help ease it on for me.

 

[AndyMA]

Same as everybody else said. I use spray white lithium grease. You can turn almost any attachment a little either with your hands or using a bar or pipe wrench.

For me with 1000 to 2500 lb Cat II equipment, After fighting the weight of the equipment, the PTO is almost like the frosting on the cake.

Practice and also I usually bring in the PTO shafts slightly from above so that they are longer than then need to be. This tends to force them on.

Good luck

Andy

 

[gwdixon]

All good suggestions.

Also - hook up the 3 PH first and raise the implement off of the ground. That will allow you to rotate the business end (blades, tines, flywheel, etc.) to rotate the PTO shaft into the right position.

The fertilizer spreader's shaft is never a problem because there is nothing stopping the shaft from rotating freely.

As already mentioned, don't bother to depress the lock to begin with. Once the splines are lined up correctly it is much easier to deal with the locking mechanism later. Hose it down with WD40, or similar, and you are good to go.

 

[Chef Pa]

What all said about grease - and a pair of grease gloves in the tool box. For heavier stuff I keep a 24"L drift pin in the toolbox and use to turn by the yoke. Drift pin does double duty for changing shear bolts. Can change a shear bolt and be back in the seat in about two minutes (most of the time )

Greg

 

[bigtalker]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I was doing it right all along. GB

 

[RoyJackson]

Use a bungee cord to take some of the PTO drive line's weight.
I wrap the drive line and hook the bungee to the implement frame. As far as the hook up itself, the other guys all gave you good advice.

 

[9973720wb19]

1. Don't worry about the lock while you're lining up the splines it will go on a bit first.
2. Light equipment you can turn the shaft, on bigger stuff its not going to turn, wear a glove and turn the pto shaft of the tractor. Most of them will turn at least one way, some will not due to self engaging pto brake. Some will wind up almost like a spring and want to jump back to where they where, try to get it to catch the splines as you turn it and if you miss try on the unwind too.
3. Lube to splines, lube the lock mechanism, lube the tubular shaft.

this is what i do as well. i have a quick connect and hook that up then make sure the shaft goes straight get it started on the end then push the lock button or pull back sleeve push it all the way up and pull back to lock in. i like the bungee cord idea as well...