PTO lever frozen

[citytransplant]

Farmtrac 27HP tractor (same as Montana 2740) with dry, dual stage clutch. This 3-year-old unit is closing in on 200 hours of flawless service. I made my final payment on it earlier this month.

I had a new Bush Hog 5' Razorback Rotary Cutter delivered yesterday morning and after using it for about 30 minutes in the field my PTO lever froze in the disengaged position. The PTO engaged smooth as silk for the first 2 years allowing us to drill almost 100 holes for pole barn and fencing using a PHD. The PTO had not been used since late last year. When I engaged it a few weeks ago for the first time this year I noticed it took a great deal of force before engaging. Then yesterday after engaging successfully (but with some difficulty) 3 or 4 times I disengaged to make an adjustment to the cutter and when I returned to the saddle, pushed clutch in ... and (tried to) push lever back ... the darn lever would not budge. Today I adjusted the clutch pedal but the lever remained frozen.

Photos show the now slightly bent (frustrated operator) and scratched (frustrated vice grip) lever that is connected to a rod that extends out from its housing. Next to this assembly is some type of screw off window that I would guess has something to do with the PTO linkage. Please fire away with recommended solutions to my dilemma.

Finally, many know the deal with Farmtrac. I am in desperate need of a service manual for this unit and am willing to pay reasonably for one.

Meanwhile, my shiny new Cutter sits useless in my overgrown pasture.

 

[Soundguy]

I don't know the exact inards of your tractor.. but most tractors that have a trans pto.. IE.. dry, single stage lutch for drivetrain and pto, use a sliding collar to couple the shaft.

perhaps there is rust on the male shaft splines or female splines.. perhaps the edges are a little rough. i think i might have someone manually spin the pto shaft or work it rotationally as i tried to slide the pto engagement in.. do this of course with trans in neutral, and engine off. the gears normally have a bevel so will slid ein place.. however.. with a lil more friction.. may not be sliding so easilly.

try it and post back.

soundguy

 

[ampsucker]

maybe try some penetrating lube from the outside and see if that helps.

i assume you checked the hydraulic oil level in the reservoir to make sure it was topped off. looks like that is the upper most lever on the case and if oil isn't slinging up there internally it might dry out.

amp

 

[citytransplant]

Well you both were correct. Soundguy pretty much described what the set up looks like on the inside. Ampsucker nailed the problem that was (fortunately) external. I soaked the circled area in penetrating oil, gave her a few taps, soaked it again, and finally the lever gave way. The whole time I was out there spraying and tapping I admittedly was convinced that it would be to no avail and I was looking at hundreds of dollars in repairs, if parts could even be had.

Rusty stuck parts is the price I pay for not having a nice barn to store the tractor in during inclement weather.

Now I'm heading out before it gets dark are hook up the new Razorback and do me some cutting. Thanks to you guys!

 

[kthompson]

Well you both were correct. Soundguy pretty much described what the set up looks like on the inside. Ampsucker nailed the problem that was (fortunately) external. I soaked the circled area in penetrating oil, gave her a few taps, soaked it again, and finally the lever gave way. The whole time I was out there spraying and tapping I admittedly was convinced that it would be to no avail and I was looking at hundreds of dollars in repairs, if parts could even be had.

Rusty stuck parts is the price I pay for not having a nice barn to store the tractor in during inclement weather.

Now I'm heading out before it gets dark are hook up the new Razorback and do me some cutting. Thanks to you guys!

It can happen from the moisture in the air or from the water washing off the tractor after especially fertlizer and some chemicals. Keep them lubed.

 

[citytransplant]

Now that I bent the lever some, I want to take it off completely and try to reshape it and clean/lube it up some. Maybe even spray paint it and put a fancy knob on it. There is a roll pin that connects the lever to the rod. What is the best way to remove the roll pin? I tried tapping it out with a center punch. It wouldn't budge and I was afraid to wail on it lest I damage the rod which the lever is connected to. I never saw a roll pin until I started messing with tractors not too long ago and I never had occasion to remove or install a new one. Is there some special "roll pin removal tool" that makes the job easier? What's the trick, if there is one?

Funny thing is I recall the roll pin on the hi/low shifter lever working its way almost entirely out of its hole without my permission (lucky for me I happened to see it) while I can't get the pin on this lever to budge.

 

[KubotaSam]

Now that I bent the lever some, I want to take it off completely and try to reshape it and clean/lube it up some. Maybe even spray paint it and put a fancy knob on it. There is a roll pin that connects the lever to the rod. What is the best way to remove the roll pin? I tried tapping it out with a center punch.

If you use a center punch with a tapered shaft and a pointed end, the point will drive into the center of the roll pin and cause the pin to expand and jam against the side of the hole. What you want to use is a punch with a flat end and a shaft that is straight not tapered. I call them a drift pin or a pin punch. You can get them in sets with different diameters for different size roll pins.

 

[citytransplant]

Thanks! A quick Google search of roll pin punch turned up much information. I guess it's off to the hardware store or eBay to get me a set.

BROWNELLS : Proper Removal & Installation of Roll Pins Using the Brownells Roll Pin Punch & Starter Sets - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools

Removing Roll Pins

 

[tatra805]

While you are at it you might as wel drill the lever to put a lube nipple on it.

My iseki has them on the shaft itself with crossdrillings in each location a lever comes (shaft holds pto, 3pt and diff lock levers)

A bit more work but it will avoid these problems in the future and prevent the rust and crud to go direction bearing seals of this axle.

 

[Soundguy]

I 2nd the idea on a flat faced punch. Drilling for a grease zerk likely won't do much since the shift handle does not rotate on the shaft.. nor is their a grease galley cut into the ID of the handle where it rides the shaft. External spray lube and some cleaning will likely get you going...

If the roll pin prove to be a pain to drive out, drill it out...

soundguy

 

[Ryan03]

The 4wd selector lever on my 270 froze up last year after I got overzealous with the pressure washer cleaning the tractor. After lots of tapping on the shaft with a hammer and about 1/2 of a can of PB Blaster while working the lever, I had it comepletely freed up. I lubricated the 4wd and pto levers with graphite lock lubricant in an areasol can, So far, so good, neither lever has rusted in place since, and the Graphite lube does not seem to attract dust either. Glad to hear you got it sorted out.

Ryan

 

[citytransplant]

Drilling for a grease zerk likely won't do much since the shift handle does not rotate on the shaft.. nor is their a grease galley cut into the ID of the handle where it rides the shaft.

Right on both accounts.

If the roll pin prove to be a pain to drive out, drill it out...

I did buy a set of roll pin punches however despite much pounding, that pin didn't budge. Looks like I will have to drill it out as you suggest. I presume this should be a pretty straightforward process however Murphy's Law follows me like my shadow. Is there anything special I need to know? Is there any one particular type of drill bit I should use?

 

[Soundguy]

roll pins are typically spring steel.. which is harder than every day mild steel.. thus a set of cobalt or titanium nitride bits will likely get you a easier job. I like haveing 2 sets of bits anyway.. a beater generic set and a good set.

once you drill it a lil, the het may loosen it up.. try to drive it out afterwards. use some penetrating oil on it.. and be sure to use some sort of cutting oil to cool your bit.. even wd-40 in a spray can with a stray is better than nothing.. though the proper cutting oil is easy to find..

soundguy