4300 PTO Release

[DrDouglar]

This seems like a dumb and simple question. I went to put my tiller on the 4300 HST and I could not turn the PTO shaft by hand to align it so I can attach the shaft from the tiller. I know I have turned it by hand before.

I have not used the tiller for a couple of years and with the bush hog I can turn the bush hogs shaft. The repair manual says there is a "tab" to release the PTO so it can turn somewhat freely. But I cannot find any. Sounds simple enough but I cannot figure it out. I have called three dealer's service departments and they have not come up with an answer either.

I have apparently shed a few brain cells in the last couple of years and the answer to the PTO went with. Any ideas how to get the PTO free?

The 4300 has a mid PTO also.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Dr.D, leave your tractor running and you should be able to turn the pto shaft to the postion you need. Yes, you can't turn the tiller shaft because the tines are against the ground and you would have to fight with that.

Sincerely,Dirt

 

[DrDouglar]

Tried it. The PTO still does not move.

Besides the fact that I am on the conservative side in that I do not like to mess with the PTO when the tractor is running.

Thanks

 

[jsboening]

Can you move your pto selector to the front pto position, effectively putting the rear pto in neutral. Than you can rotate the rear pto shaft on the tractor easily by hand. Thats what I do whenever I'm attaching a rear pto powered attachment. I guess it will only work if you have a pto selector lever.

 

[kennyd]

Can you move your pto selector to the front pto position, effectively putting the rear pto in neutral. Than you can rotate the rear pto shaft on the tractor easily by hand. Thats what I do whenever I'm attaching a rear pto powered attachment. I guess it will only work if you have a pto selector lever.

That won't work on a 4300. The mid-PTO is driven off a spur gear on the rear PTO in the tranny case. The only thing the mid selector does is engage or disengage the spur gear from the rear PTO output shaft. You can NOT have only the mid-PTO engaged.

DrD:
Is the mid-PTO button pulled up?

 

[jsboening]

So if your running a mid mount mower the rear pto is turning as well?

 

[kennyd]

So if your running a mid mount mower the rear pto is turning as well?

Yes, it is.

 

[jsboening]

Is that unique to the 4300? I've had a 4100 and now a 3720 and on both you can select mid, mid and rear, and rear only. Thanks for educating me.

 

[kennyd]

It is definitely the case on the mid-framed 4x00 series (4200,4300,4400). not 100% sure on the 4x10 series, but I think it's the same setup.

 

[DrDouglar]

Still no luck in finding an answer, but I did find a JD Mechanic who went so far as to send me a written response with diagrams form the service manual.

First suggestion was to try moving the PTO lever slightly forward to see if that released it. It did not.

Next try the mid PTO lever as mentioned above. No dice.

Next suggestion was the the roller pin on the PTO lever was partially sheared and prevent full motion of the control arm. This portion of the lever is next to impossible to see without some disassembly of the plastic shroud around the seat. I tried this once before for a different reason and it is a pain.

The last possibility [and more common, he said] is that one of the fingers of the PTO clutch break plate is damaged. This equates to $$$$

I continue to look for a simple and less costly solution.