Attaching pto implements

[chim]

Nothing can possibly go wrong - until it does. I worked with a guy who had a neighbor who habitually stepped over a running PTO. The last time he did that, something went wrong. He survived, but among his very serious injuries was an instant gender change operation.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

My kioti while running allows me to hand turn the PTO at least a little, enough to say connect a PTO shaft. Tested this yesterday.

Oh... Speaking of that. When I last took off my tiller I propped it sitting up. Not sure why but it flopped over and dug the PTO shaft into the dirt at a 90 degree angle. Best as I tried I could not pull the shaft back out. Had this happen last year might have been the same attachment... Anyway. I used a snatch strap wrapped around a hefty oak attached to the yoke and backed away from the tree. It popped free and I connected it as mentioned above.

 

[mjonesnh]

My tractor allows pto stub to be rotated with engine on. back up close to 3-point pins on mower, give pto stub a shot of wd40 that stays beside mower year-round, rotate stub to match bush hog splines and slide till stops. Retract spring collar rearward while pushing forward on shaft as far as I can then pull back to lock. I then pull the telescoping arms onto the mower pins and connect top link. Found out years ago that connecting pto was easier without lift arms in way. Usually, a 2–3-minute job unless I have to move the tailwheel around a little with a 2x4 for both lift arms to line up with pins.

 

[Saucymynx]

Many years ago I saw a picture of what happened when a guy got wrapped up in a lathe. I've seen a lot but that was the most awful thing I can remember. It isn't impossible to have a similar accident with a PTO. People have done it. Seeing that picture convinced me to never be around a PTO with the tractor running - whether the PTO is engaged or not.

In a former life, I was a trauma surgeon. Late one night in the middle of winter, a guy came in in rough shape. He had been running a manure spreader and had gotten off the tractor to check something near the hitch and his winter overalls got caught up in the PTO shaft and flipped him around the shaft, a couple times until it ripped his arm off at the shoulder. he survived, but he doesn’t do much typing anymore

 

[RayIN]

That sounds like a PIA. I only hook up a brush hog, easy enough to turn pto driveshaft by hand.

When the PTO is disengaged the shaft should turn freely; if not, the clutch should be adjusted.

 

[blenderbender]

My Kubota B3000 is a pain. but only some of the time, which I don't understand. If I put the hydro gearbox in neutral and move the PTO from rear to belly, half the time I can get a quarter rotation of the PTO, then half the time it doesn't budge. I don't get it.

 

[ZiggyD]

The “magic” is making sure there’s no debris or rusty crust on either side, applying a light coat of clean grease, making sure at least one side turns freely, and marking where they need to align ahead of time so you’re pushing a ridge into a groove. Any other way is a struggle waiting to happen.

 

[WinterDeere]

The “magic” is making sure there’s no debris or rusty crust on either side, applying a light coat of clean grease, making sure at least one side turns freely, and marking where they need to align ahead of time so you’re pushing a ridge into a groove. Any other way is a struggle waiting to happen.

The gearbox in my 3-point spreader will sometimes stick after sitting between uses. It doesn't take much effort to un-stick it, but it's way easier to do this before connecting it to the tractor than when you're bent over between the 3-point links trying to connect to the PTO stub.

One thing that's nice about a typical universal joint is that bent over at 90 degrees, that driveshaft makes an excellent torque lever, for getting anything to turn. I wouldn't want to chance damage by putting all of my weight onto it to free a fully-frozen implement, but usually the effort required to turn the thing is well below the design point of the driveshaft supplied with it.

Point being, make sure you can turn the damn thing, before connecting it to the 3-point!

 

[kneedeep]

I have seen a farmer made metal lever that would hold the collar open, seems there was an article in Farm Show?
I could use one for my big tractor.

 

[Robert Soccio]

Is there a trick to attaching pto implements to the pto? Sliding the collar onto the shaft?
I always find it a PIA to connect the 2. Various implements. The collar almost never lines up with the shaft. Then I have to play with the switch for several minutes, turn it on and off, until the shift rotates just right to slide the collar on.
I'm can't turn the implement collar generally, or turn the implement gear box.. too heavy/difficult. Then I'm stuck playing with the pto switch.
Is there an easier method I'm not seeing? Would be nice if one could put the pto in "neutral" so I can turn the shaft by hand.

I use the finishing mower, stump grinder, chipper, tiller etc.

kioti tractor.

 

[Robert Soccio]

Is there a trick to attaching pto implements to the pto? Sliding the collar onto the shaft?
I always find it a PIA to connect the 2. Various implements. The collar almost never lines up with the shaft. Then I have to play with the switch for several minutes, turn it on and off, until the shift rotates just right to slide the collar on.
I'm can't turn the implement collar generally, or turn the implement gear box.. too heavy/difficult. Then I'm stuck playing with the pto switch.
Is there an easier method I'm not seeing? Would be nice if one could put the pto in "neutral" so I can turn the shaft by hand.

I use the finishing mower, stump grinder, chipper, tiller etc.

kioti tractor.

Shut off the tractor. You then should be able to rotate the PTO shaft to line up.

 

[5030]

I have seen a farmer made metal lever that would hold the collar open, seems there was an article in Farm Show?
I could use one for my big tractor.

Never been an issue with me. I spray the slide collars with PBlaster prior to hitching up an implement, every time I hitch them up and the collar slides effortlessly.

 

[5030]

Shut off the tractor. You then should be able to rotate the PTO shaft to line up.

Every tractor I ever operated, at least modern ones, all have pto stubs that will turn at least 1/4 turn freewheel to align the splines. Both my Kubota's turn a full 1/2 turn, but in reality, 1/4 turn should be enough. They all freewheel like that today.

 

[qualsite]

Yep... with the PTO in N, it should turn by hand with no problem. Keep the PTO shaft clean and oiled. I use transmission fluid with a little lanolin in it, or SuperLube [synthetic grease with Teflon]. After I pull the implement off, I put an empty chicken feed bag over the PTO shaft to keep it clean and dry. Be careful using WD40, as it will gum up and make things worse over time. I had a case of Dexron II left in the barn I don't use anymore, so it makes a convenient lube, particularly if mixed with a small amount of lanolin as a preservative, which is much better than WD40 for long-term corrosion resistance. Have you ever seen a corroded sheep?? For the shaft itself, SuperLube grease won't harden or get gummy, and the Teflon in it will keep things moving smoothly, plus it's clear and won't make a mess or get your hands nasty Nothing worse than a firmly stuck PTO shaft that won't slide anymore when you're trying to slide it onto the PTO stub. One took me an hour to get unstuck, and then had to use a wire brush on a grinder to get the old hardened grease and rust off, and then relubed with some SuperLube, after a good spray of Moly dry lube. An extra couple minutes of taking care of them when you pull them off will save time and aggravation later.

 

[JBacon52]

,,, Found out years ago that connecting pto was easier without lift arms in way....

Now that's something I'll need to try out!
Thanks for the idea..
JB

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Be careful using WD40, as it will gum up and make things worse over time.

Amen.

But at least it's easier to deal with on a PTO shaft than in locks.

 

[howardjohn]

I keep a can of wd 40 in my tractors tool box. A little spray on both the pto and the shaft before I try and put it on the tractor helps a lot

 

[Rhorn4400]

On my pro shafts they will slide on about an inch before you have to pull then collar
Back. Also on my two Kubotas with engine off I can turn the pto shaft on the tractor to align easily with my hand

 

[WinterDeere]

I keep a can of wd 40 in my tractors tool box. A little spray on both the pto and the shaft before I try and put it on the tractor helps a lot

Same. But in my case it's a spray bottle that I fill from the gallon can, and it's kept in the shed where I park the tractor. Give the ball joints and other linkage connections on the 3-point, the PTO stub, and both ends of the driveshaft a quick spray with WD-40, after making sure everything's been washed clean and dry, before putting it away = ready for the next use.

 

[eco88]

Shut off the tractor. You then should be able to rotate the PTO shaft to line up.

Read a bunch of similar posts.
Tried it. Doesn't turn.
The shaft turns only about half an inch and when I let go off it, it turns back the same half inch, like spring loaded. Not enough time and hard to hold with one hand while trying to pull back the collar and push the implement side on. Impossible with just 2 hands.

I wish there was a way to make the pto go into "neutral" so I could spin it by hand.

Tractor off, in neutral, level ground and all that. Nothing seems to work. If the implement side can be turned, I rotate its pto shaft, most you can't turn, too difficult. So then I'm stuck playing with the pto switch and turning the main shaft until the implement side lines up and can be pushed on.
This is same regardless if button or collar.
It's extremely aggravating. The shaft is greased up and slippery, plus you dont have much room to get close to it with the shield in the way and all the arms.

I wish they would design a simpler and easier way to hook things up to the pto. It's a major pia for me every time. I dread switching out the implements