Mowing Cutter death trap

[Kodiak45]

Recent used purchase of a 10’ offset John Deere cutter at 1000pto. This thing scares me and I lean forward when running cause I think the pto shaft is going to explode. Is this normal from the video. Most of the noise is coming from the loose shield. I’ve ran plenty of implements with pto’s and never been worried. See picture of the hookup orientation at cutting height along with the video. I can spin the shaft by hand and no bearings feel loose or anything else alarming.
Not sure what I should expect, but I don’t like the fear of a yoke going through my head.
Any thoughts from experienced users of batwing cutters or anything close?
Should I be worried and if so what do I need to do in order to correct?

 

[Topzide]

Looks like the shaft is bent to me. The connection at tractor doesn't seem to spin well. JM2C.

 

[zzvyb6]

I can't tell from the dark photo at the tractor end, but first suspicion is that one of the PTO shafts is mis-phased. This are probably low angle shafts, so the yokes at each end of each shaft must be aligned as mirror images. Post some pictures of each shaft showing both ends.

 

[zzvyb6]

From the video, it's pretty obvious that the shaft connected to the tractor's pto has been assembled incorrectly. The Cardan yokes are 90 degrees off. Most shafts are designed to be put together properly phased, so I'd bet that some yahoo put a new yoke on one end without knowing the consequences.

 

[zzvyb6]

From the video, it's pretty obvious that the shaft connected to the tractor's pto has been assembled incorrectly. The Cardan yokes are 90 degrees off. Most shafts are designed to be put together properly phased, so I'd bet that some yahoo put a new yoke on one end without knowing the consequences.

Like so:

 

[BnRidge]

 

[Kodiak45]

Thank you. This is good news then. I also found that one of the yokes is now missing the cap and bearings, so that is part of the problem in combination of the misphasing. I’ll get yoke corrected this week assuming supply has the right parts in stock. I should be able to correct the alignment by just rotating the shaft since it is square. Thank you for your help.



View attachment IMG_1953.jpg
View attachment IMG_1955.jpg

 

[ruffdog]

Yeah.....get that thing fixed ASAP.

The phasing is wrong, the shaft may be bent, and at least one u-joint that is destroyed.

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree with zzvyb6 part of the pto vibration is due to the 2 opposing u-joints on the telescoping shafts are out of time/phase. I suggest to slide telescoping shafts apart then attempt to place opposing shafts in time/phase while sliding halves together

 

[Rustyiron]

While you're at it, there's a lot more driveline and gearboxes to inspect and lubricate that can be very expensive if neglected.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Good info never heaerd of phasing a pto shaft. Now I know... I will be watching for this on my equipment.

Good thing you brought it up Kodiak and zzvyb6 saw it and knew what it was.

 

[BackRoad]

Most of my PTO shafts are a triangle (3 sided) design.

Are they susceptible to needing the universals joints aligned also?

 

[Rustyiron]

In my experience, all square and triangular pto shafts only fit together 1 way. One face of either type has a dimension, divot or bump on it that the opposite part can receive.
This keeps the "phasing" correct ..... but I'm sure that I haven't seen them all especially maybe a lower grade/cost attachment.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Mine are triangular, or at least the one I have slid apart.

 

[RayIN]

Kodiak45, while you have it apart, straighten out the metal cover, your ears will appreciate the effort.

Mine are triangular, or at least the one I have slid apart.

Naw, surely not I'm the only one to forget to disconnect the pto shaft from the tractor when unhooking.
This is the first I've heard of pto shaft timing, but then all my stuff is 540RPM. My triangular shafts have 1 longer side.

 

[nyone]

Like so:View attachment 3712641View attachment 3712642

Good catch. I suprised the shaft even went together 90* off. Typicaly these are 3 spline with 1 being different.

 

[BnRidge]

ISO standards were developed around 1980 and later for PTO shafts. Going through the machine shed here a few years ago I found 4 tractor guards from the 40s-60s that had been removed because some older equipment pto's were so annoying to use. Square symetrical shafts were common. Shaft guards could be make shift draped over affairs that tended to become bent and otherwise miserable, then also removed. Also, not only do the shaft knuckles need to be in phase, but the input and output shafts need to be parallel. Most equipment has that designed in. An exception could be when making turns at the end of a field where the shafts start to chatter from the misalignment.

 

[jwmorris]

Good info never heaerd of phasing a pto shaft.

In the old days they were generally square shafts that could be put together wrong.

These days, most will only go together one way, being trilobal with one flat. Forcing one to put them together correctly.

FWIW the OP could swap his shaft and never have the problem again or just note that they are in phase with one another.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

In the old days they were generally square shafts that could be put together wrong.

These days, most will only go together one way, being trilobal with one flat. Forcing one to put them together correctly.

View attachment 3727724View attachment 3727725
FWIW the OP could swap his shaft and never have the problem again or just note that they are in phase with one another.

Yup that's what mine looked like. I didn't notice the flat though. I just twisted it until they worked right.

 

[Hay Dude]

If you need a new complete shaft, try Maugansville AG in Maryland. Great people and they ship all over the country very quickly.