In case anyone takes life for granted when standing near a spinning PTO shaft - here's what can happen when a #8 grade bolt for PTO clutch is no match for PTO engagement at 2000 RPM's (that was my fault - had just turned PTO off and saw I had missed a spot so turned it right back on before before throttling down - clutch had already stopped all RPM's so when it re-engaged it hit HARD). This happened so fast that I didn't even have time to disengage PTO or kill the engine. Scared the living $#!#!#$ out of me and thank GOD I was out of harms way. Before I could even turn off key, shaft had already slung off the RC's gear-box, wildly flinging shrapnel into the abyss, slung around the strap metal holding weight for rear of RC, ripped the welded chain right in half and TWISTED THE ENTIRE STRAP FOR RC UP WITH PTO SHAFT!!! It instantly killed the engine from the shaft seizing due to being twisted up and can only hope no internal damage to engine/powertrain (sounded OK but will be keeping close eye on it). After further examination this morning, it also broke a U-joint and bent the U-join housing on yolk - was only a few revolutions away from slinging my clutch like a cannon-ball. Pics were taken this morning after I had already untwisted the PTO shaft and RC strap from one another - they were wrapped so tight that the best visual description I can come up with is that they were TWISTED AROUND EACH OTHER LIKE A BREAD TIE!!! They were twisted together so tight that I couldn't lower the 3 point down in order to to hook a chain to temporarily lift up the rear of mower long enough to get it back to house - had to un-twist them before I could move this mangled mess to further inspect the damage.
Lesson: Check all PTO u-joints & connections etc REGULARLY before operating. If you EVER suspect anything a-miss going on behind the back tires - ALWAYS disengage PTO. This could happen to anyone running a sheer-bolt style implement in a fraction of a second and if you get in the way of a spinning shaft or the debris flinging off of it while spinning at ANY RPM (In my case - 2000 rpm's = just <540), based on how quick it twisted up the 5/16-3/8? steel strap, it would be nothing for it to kill/severely mangle/dismember someone in its path. Scary stuff. Will always be more careful around PTO after seeing this & hope it helps anyone else that reads this to understand how serious that little scary sticker is about the PTO shaft's ability to cause physical harm/death. The little WARNING!/DANGER! sticker of the stick figure twisted up around PTO shaft is no joke - if you don't believe it, take a look at these pics & imagine that metal strap was your arm!
