Shut off engine to unhook/hook up?

cowboydoc · Nov 6, 2002

I haven't ever turned my tractor off. It's a pain hooking up equipment as it is without making it harder by having to stop and start your tractor as well. Also it helps alot to be able to raise and lower the 3 point arms to hook equipment up. Most of the CUT's also have a safety feature that if you aren't in the seat the pto won't engage anyway. On my bigger tractors it's an effort to engage the pto so I don't see how that could ever happen either.

Anonymous Poster · Nov 6, 2002

Hi,

I think it's like the lottery...if you don't buy a ticket you can't win!

Or just the opposite!

If you don't run the engine, the PTO won't turn...and you can't lose...your clothes, appendages or life.

My policy?  Buy one lotto ticket...and remove one tractor ignition key!

The payoff in both cases are unlikely...but both possible...why take the chance unless you want the possible result?

Bill in Pgh, PA

looch · Nov 6, 2002

Possible versus probable.

If you avoided things based on the possibility of injury, you wouldn't get very far. I try to avoid things that probably will cause me harm, but even then that's not practical - like driving a car.

Shutting down the engine every time you hook up a new implement (shutdown the tractor, remove the old implement, start up the tractor, move to the new implement, shut down the tractor, hook up, then start the tractor again) would represent a significant amount of wear and tear on the tractor. Not worth it to me for the amount of probable risk.

Don't change your ways on what a few faceless people say on the 'Net - do what is comfortable for you.

skent · Nov 6, 2002

For 3 point connections and FEL I leave engine running, brakes locked, range in neutral.

If hook-up requires connecting a PTO shaft, engine is off - key is in pocket.

Neighbor got caught in a PTO two years ago. He lived through it. . . . but ain't been right since (for a good reason).

And while I've never heard of a PTO engaging itself either, it's just my personal preference.

Mosey · Nov 6, 2002

cowboydoc - "it's an effort to engage the pto". Good point, I have to double clutch half the time to get mine to engage.

pbenven - "Don't change your ways on what a few faceless people say on the 'Net - do what is comfortable for you." I agree! The purpose of the post was to do a poll and nothing more. I'm not trying to convince anyone to leave the tractor running if they don't already.

The score so far:

Leave running: 7

Shut off: 11 (plus 1 with an electronically engaged PTO, which isn't what I was referring to)

I don't know how to tally Egon's replyt, but it was funny!

dmccarty · Nov 6, 2002

Mosey,

I leave the engine running while hooking up the 3PH implement.

The engine is turned off when I put on or take off the PTO
shaft. The easiest way for me to put on the PTO shaft is
to straddle the shaft and let my legs hold it steady while I get
the collar on the tractor PTO.

THERE AIN'T NO WAY IN HADES I'M GOING TO RISK THAT
SHAFT TURN'N WHEN I'M HOLDING ON WITH MY LEGS.

NOT TO MENTION THAT ITS TO DANGED CLOSE TO THE
FAMILY JEWELS!!!!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The engine is off. When I live on the property I'll take the
key out of the ignition as well. To many people have been
killed by power when a switch was not locked and someone
else turned the power back on... Not likely to happen to me
since I work alone but given how close that shaft is to Mr.
Precious......

/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Later,
Dan

Mosey · Nov 6, 2002

I'm like pbenven on technique. I stand to one side and hold onto the PTO shield with one hand and the yoke with the other. I keep a thin coat of oil on the PTO shaft so all of the implement's shafts slip right on quickly. On my finish mower, which is the widest implement I have, I do have to step over one lower 3pt hitch arm with one foot in order to reach easier, but I don't ever stand right over the PTO shaft.

cowboydoc · Nov 6, 2002

I think the key question is has there ever been an incident where a pto spontaneously engaged? Everyday people are killed by automobile crashes, even those with seat belts on, air bags, etc., the safest of drivers. I agree with pbeven that if we did everything everyday based on a probability of there being an accident we would never get very far. I would venture to say that you have more of a chance of getting hit by lightning but we still go out in the rain. I know for a fact that you have more of a chance of dying from heart disease caused by lack of exercise and poor diet than the pto shaft but everyday most people don't do any exercise and feast on the fat machine.

Anonymous Poster · Nov 6, 2002

Hi again,

pbenven - "Don't change your ways on what a few faceless people say on the 'Net - do what is comfortable for you." 

I don't mean to become the crusader for the �gturn it off side�c�h

But a guy I knew did get killed in the place where I worked, probably because he was comfortable in what he was doing, or careless, or both.

I can tell you with great certainty that comfort around dangerous things leads to accidents. Simple as that. Might even coin the saying �gcomfort breeds contempt!�h

Guess I will now have to figure out how to attach a photo of myself so I can�ft be accused of being faceless anymore /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Frankly, I would caution anyone against advising others to do something that could result in serious injury, simply because they feel comfortable doing it.

Forgetting tractors for a moment, do you pull the plug on your table saw or router when you change the blade/bit? If you don�ft you should. Will you lose something like a finger or worse if you don�ft? Probably not; possibly so.

I suggest that those comfortable doing things than could possibly [if not probably] cause them great harm, seek out someone who has actually suffered from doing that same thing, and see if that person continues the same behavior after the fact.

Publish a tally of those responses and you will have something meaningful.

Maybe someone knows for sure, but I believe I have read that the farm is a much more dangerous place than the factory. Why? I don�ft know, maybe because in the factory they stress safety as a way of life in the work place.

In any event, we will all do what we want regardless of whatever anyone preaches.

And we may suffer if we are wrong in our decisions.

Such is life.

Bill in Pgh, PA

Egon · Nov 6, 2002

Mosey:
I'm neutral. For some jobs the tractor is shutoff. For others it's left running. Depending on situation. I'd be more concerned with guards and shields or trying to work on rotating equipment. As most of my clothes are old almost all the pockets have holes in them and the key just falls down into my boot.

Training and procedures from my working days would require everything shut off, The ignition locked out and the key placed in a locked box to which only I would have a key. On electrical systems I fully support this procedure.

Egon