3-Point Hitch PTO spline yolk pin won't depress

[jmurphy2007]

Got a BX23 which I use a Herd/Kasco sander. Ran into problem removing yolk from tractor as pin to release yolk won't budge. I have lubricated with good penetrating oil and carefully tapped it with hammer and a piece of wood. I have also tried moving shaft forward and back put pin will not depress. Any ideas?

 

[kthompson]

If implement is still connected to the tractor removed the end on the implement so you can drop the implement and have more room. Seems you have done the obvious, you might try rotating the pin using vise grip pliers. But the oil and taping a little more effort with trying to move the pto shaft on the tractor shaft. You may find the female end had been dropped in the dirt and that build up was pushed together preventing free movement.

 

[Omega Woods]

Are you sure the yoke isn't jammed onto the tractor? Occasionally, if the implement hits the ground while going over a ditch or something, the PTO shaft will get jammed past the lock groove on the tractor (ask me how I know).

If this happens, you won't be able to depress the PTO pin. A picture might be helpful.

 

[newbury]

Next thing I would try is heat, a LITTLE heat with a butane torch DON'T get it too hot.

 

[lennyzx11]

Smack it with the hammer!

 

[Ivan49]

Are you sure the yoke isn't jammed onto the tractor? Occasionally, if the implement hits the ground while going over a ditch or something, the PTO shaft will get jammed past the lock groove on the tractor (ask me how I know).

If this happens, you won't be able to depress the PTO pin. A picture might be helpful.

If that is happening your PTO shaft is to long. Your could break the casting around your PTO. There were just pictures of this happening on another web site

 

[jmurphy2007]

What did you do in the case of it being jammed?

 

[CincyFlyer]

What did you do in the case of it being jammed?

You need to pull it (the yoke) backwards slightly, so that the pin is back in the groove.

 

[CobyRupert]

Got a BX23 which I use a Herd/Kasco sander. Ran into problem removing yolk from tractor as pin to release yolk won't budge. I have lubricated with good penetrating oil and carefully tapped it with hammer and a piece of wood. I have also tried moving shaft forward and back put pin will not depress. Any ideas?

You need to pull it (the yoke) backwards slightly, so that the pin is back in the groove.

Are you sure there's slack in the telescoping pto shaft so it can be pulled back?
Does it lock into the grooves on the tractors pto spline when you pull it back? If so, how can you move it forward and back without the pin pressed? Did it move forward and back or did you just "try" without success?

Picture looks like the yoke right up tight to the tractor(?). Yikes.
Like above commenters noted, I think the pin is already in its depressed position if the yoke is not set in the grooved portion of the tractor's pto spindle if you are able to move it back and forth (?). Once you pull it backs to these grooves where it locks, then you'll have to depress the pin and pull back. (Assuming there's slack in the telescoping portion).

If no slack, raise or lower implement so that there is.

 

[jmurphy2007]

It won't move forward or back. Come to think of it. During the winter I backed into a frozen pile of snow and the sander bounced up toward the tractor. I do believe that probably forced the yolk too far back. What are my options? Disconnect the universal joint and try some sort of puller?

 

[CobyRupert]

It won't move forward or back

Ok. Do you think the yoke is in it's proper "seated" position on the tractors spline, or is it in a more forward position closer to the tractor?

This answer will determine if the "pin" is stuck, or if the pin is already depressed and the yoke is stuck on the tractor's spline.

 

[jmurphy2007]

It's very possible the yolk has moved forward beyond its normal position. I don't believe the pin is depressed

 

[wagne223]

From your pic, the shaft appears rusty and the yoke is tight to the case.

Rust on splines makes it hard to slide.

Assuming you had the yoke properly set with the pin in the groove upon connecting the implement,

Yoke tight against tractor indicates the PTO shaft is too long. It was forced past the pin grove which most likely damaged the pin with parts of the pin now jammed in the splines.

I would disconnect the implement and move the tractor forward separating the PTO shaft. This will give you room to work.

Then, using a pry bar and hammer, work the yoke back.

If it still won't move, then the pin is sheared and wedged in the splines.

Only option then is to cut the yoke off.

 

[oosik]

Perhaps you are at the point where the U-joint needs to be taken apart. Then you need a puller that can attach to the U-joint and "bear off" the PTO stub. You do this - lube the U-joint and PTO stub - wait a while for it to soak around the PTO stub - lightly tap on the U-joint while tightening on the puller. This will remove the U-joint without causing damage.

Once the U-joint is off - determine that the drive shaft is the correct length - clean and lube the PTO stub and inside of the U-joint.

Hopefully the PTO stub has not been jammed back and caused any damage.

 

[CobyRupert]

Ok. Either yoke is stuck on tractor's spline (may want to try a little heat, or getting lube into yoke/spline); Or:
are you sure that the spreaders telescoping pto shaft has enough slack to actually slide back? If not, this may be why the yoke is pushed forward so much. Ever have trouble lowering the 3 point hitch all the way with it attached?
Also what Wagne said: "I would disconnect the implement and move the tractor forward separating the (telescoping) PTO shaft. This will give you room to work."

 

[Coyote machine]

To get a better idea of what's happened I'd clean where you see the PTO splines coming out the back of the yolk and then try to mark where that is on the shaft with a score mark or measure it if possible. Then try to slip a rope in the hole between your zerk and the PTO spline shaft. have both sides of the rope go back to a point to where you can tie them to something stationery like a house or tree and if possible keep the rope level with the PTO shaft and parallel to it as well. Without pulling the house or tree down, go forward until the rope is tight and then a little more to see if you can pull the yolk back some on the PTO shaft. You don't need a lot of movement, just enough to allow the pin to be depressed into the groove in the splined section of the shaft.

Is there another zerk on the tractor end of the yolk that could be greased to possibly allow the yolk to slide away from the PTO gearcase?

 

[TerryR]

Are you sure you are pressing on the right end of the pin? What does the other side look like? I may be wrong, but I'm thinking on mine the working pin is on the other side of the yoke.

But it is strange that the yoke is right up against the housing.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Perhaps you are at the point where the U-joint needs to be taken apart. Then you need a puller that can attach to the U-joint and "bear off" the PTO stub. You do this - lube the U-joint and PTO stub - wait a while for it to soak around the PTO stub - lightly tap on the U-joint while tightening on the puller. This will remove the U-joint without causing damage.

Once the U-joint is off - determine that the drive shaft is the correct length - clean and lube the PTO stub and inside of the U-joint.

Hopefully the PTO stub has not been jammed back and caused any damage.

This ^^ is what I had to do with a used winch that I bought. It had the implement half of the pto shaft jammed onto it. After I took apart the U-joint and used the puller to to remove the yoke the splines on the winch shaft were slightly buggered up so that a new pto shaft would not slide on. Using a magnifier I studied the splines and could see and feel the slight deformation the pin made when it was sheared off. I used a fine flat file to remove the high spots on the splines and all was (is) well. It doesn't take much to foul the joint it is a close fit. When you use the puller you might have to get creative and make a slotted collar or something that the puller can grab on to if you can't catch in the holes or grind some flats on it.

gg

 

[airbiscuit]

Soak, Soak, Soak. Find a way to keep the PTO connector immersed in PB Blaster, Acetone/ATF, what ever your penetetrating lube of choice is. It needs time and immersion to penetrate. If that doesn't do it attach a puller or come a long (with a little pressure) to do a straight pull and tap, tap, tap

 

[Gordon Gould]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the soak approach and I would try that first too. But that shaft is pushed in way way beyond the lock point and I strongly suspect the pin is already sheared off and the splines jammed.

gg