Hooking up pto shaft arrgh!

[Jimmy Joe]

Just used my Ford 501 sickle mower behind my new DX40 for the first time. I had one heck of a time sliding the shaft onto the tractor. I finally tapped it on with a hammer but could not get it on all the way. I mowed ditches without it being on all the way, stopped and checked it once in a while. I had to use the hammer to get it off again. I tried an end from a different mower, it took a while but I got it on. I filed the end from my mower to remove rough spots I really couldn't feel any. Spent about an hour sliding it on and off was a struggle grease helped but still not good. I had no trouble hooking to my Ford 3600 tractor, I guess it just needs to be broke in. Anyone else have this problem, if so how did you fix it?

 

[MossRoad]

... Anyone else have this problem, if so how did you fix it?

Yeah, I hated drive shafts so much I sold my tractor and bought one that has all hydraulically powered implements. No drive shafts ever again for me! No more 3pt hitch, either. Quick attach operated from the driver's seat. Change non-powered implements in 15 seconds without getting off the tractor. Powered implements have just two hydraulic hoses to hook up.

Anyhow, that's how I fixed it.

 

[WH401]

I found I had a pretty touch time hooking the PTO shaft up between the RFM and the tractor's PTO when it was all brand new. As I have used the mower, and the PTO shaft, and what not, have become "worn in", it gets noticeably easier each time when I go to hook the mower up.

 

[bota7800]

It just takes a few times to get the hang of it.

My main problem is coordinating the twist of the coupler to get the shaft to lock because the shaft shield is in the way. I saw a neat new version shield in a tractor dealer that allows you to slide the shield back out of the way for an unobstructed hook-up.

I could not find a link to what I am talking about.

Off-topic: Is there such a thing as a hydraulically operated mower?

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

i had same trouble with my mower, it went on but wouldnt come off

since that time i have come to the conclusion to keep it well GREASED before i slide it on and i mean well greased, havent had any more problems

 

[banjodunn]

G'day i think the safety shield you may have seen is the bare co lever action guard check it out on their web site i think they actually have a short movie of it as well


Jon

 

[bncsauve]

Sort of sounds like you aren't getting the ball locking mechanism released. The ones with the sliding buttons are pretty self explainatory, but, the ones with the collars can be deceiving. On mine, you don't slide the collar, but instead, pull in on the face. It's not really intuitive. I've stood there, sliding the collar until I was blue in the face until I finally remembered to pull on the face and it then goes right on.

 

[polo1665]

I do have some trouble getting the front and rear PTO's hooked up on my Simplicity, but mainly because of the tight space. I've never had trouble on the 3510 (once the splines are lined up). I keep it greased, it goes right on and locks in place easily.

Mark

 

[J_J]

It just takes a few times to get the hang of it.

My main problem is coordinating the twist of the coupler to get the shaft to lock because the shaft shield is in the way. I saw a neat new version shield in a tractor dealer that allows you to slide the shield back out of the way for an unobstructed hook-up.

I could not find a link to what I am talking about.

Off-topic: Is there such a thing as a hydraulically operated mower?

Why sure. Power-Trac's, and skid-steers use them all the time. They are mostly on the front of the machines. The center picture is a hydraulic flail mower, which is what I have. The first one is a brush cutter, and the last one is a finish mower.

 

[J_J]

On the PTO shafts, The mating surfaces have to be clean, free of rust, old grease, etc. On both shafts, use a wire brush, file, brush, scrape, and clean throughly. Keep the ends out of the dirt when you disconnect. Lube when you hook up.

 

[Soundguy]

Just used my Ford 501 sickle mower behind my new DX40 for the first time. I had one heck of a time sliding the shaft onto the tractor. I finally tapped it on with a hammer but could not get it on all the way. I mowed ditches without it being on all the way, stopped and checked it once in a while. I had to use the hammer to get it off again. I tried an end from a different mower, it took a while but I got it on. I filed the end from my mower to remove rough spots I really couldn't feel any. Spent about an hour sliding it on and off was a struggle grease helped but still not good. I had no trouble hooking to my Ford 3600 tractor, I guess it just needs to be broke in. Anyone else have this problem, if so how did you fix it?

In general, on a drive shaft.. make sure they telescope freely ( clean and grease ), and if the female end is dirty or has surface rust, go at it with a flat file and small wire brush till it is shiny.. same with the male pto shaft stub.. though those usually just need cleaning, as they wear down a bit..

soundguy

 

[greggh]

I had the same problem, I would cuss and discuss all over the barn before I figured out my problem. I tried grease and oil on the stub to no avail. The PTO stub on the tractor had too much paint and would not let the shaft slip on. After scraping off the paint and adding a little oil the shaft slipped right on. Did I ever feel stupid, I never thought a little paint could cause so much of a problem.

 

[bota7800]

G'day i think the safety shield you may have seen is the bare co lever action guard check it out on their web site i think they actually have a short movie of it as well


Jon

Yep, it was BareCo: Shaft Guard

J_J, I figured there must be a hyd. mower, just never thought about it. Should have thought about SkidSteers. To quote Homer Simpson: "D-oh"

 

[cowboy357]

The best thing I,ve found to use is the aeresol carb cleaner with the little straw nozzle to clean all the hard to get areas to clean off the old grime & surface rust . use a little brass wire brush to get to the hard to get spots .

Then put Powdered graphite on the telescoping shaft & both ends ( I use a cheap plastic mustard dispensor ) to apply the graphite powder. Seems to work much better then grease or oil. . Bob

 

[Patches]

I've found, if you raise the implement with the three point until the PTO and implement shafts are level(no deflection in either universal joint)the engagement is MUCH simplified, due to the fact you are pulling the coupler and shaft straight onto the PTO shaft, as opposed to pushing the coupler onto the PTO shaft while also having to pull the shaft on an angle to get the required length. Don't know if this makes much sense in writing, but sure does in practice

 

[Dave5264]

yes, i had some challenges:

1) Newbie me didnt know about the spring loaded locking Push Pin on the Mower Coupler the first time
2) Second time it took a bunch of lube spray, and a tap with a block of wood to get it on while using the push pin
3) Now, after the Paint wore off the inside of the Mower Coupler, it slides on easy.

 

[BigE_]

My PTO shaft was damaged by something before I got it. There were burrs and indentations on the splines. I couldn't get my PTO pump on for my BH until I finally took a die grinder and a file to the shaft and cleaned it up nice. Added some grease and now it goes on and off easily.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

A lot of good advice here, thanks. There is some rust in between the splines, even after filing. I guess I will try to find a wire brush to fit the hole and put more lube on it. The spring loaded locking pin is missing on my mower. On my old tractor there was a hole through the pto shaft I could put a bolt through to hold it on with. Not so with the new tractor I will have to replace the pin. I just thought with all the miles on the mower and as easy as it fit on my old tractor getting it on the new one would not be a problem.

 

[NewToy]

I took a wire whhel to my PTO shaft to get it looking nice and shiny, then a fine coat of some white (lithium) grease and it's slick as a whistle. The only reason I used the white grease is it was the first thing I saw on my lube shelf. I really works well and doesn't seem to act like a magnet like some of the heavier chassis grease I tried.

John

 

[sellercreek]

Good suggestions all around! In addition to making everthing as shiny as possible, I have found that spraying the splines and the locking collar with PB Blaster or a similar penetrating oil helps a lot, especially if the balls inside the locking collar have corrosion on them.

While it is not feasible to do so with all shafts, it is a good idea to remove them and store them inside out of the weather, too.