Attaching PTO Shaft Newbie Question

[2kpsd]

I am borrowing a PHD from a friend at work to put up some corner posts for my horse fence. It is just like one you buy from TSC. I'm having problems connecting the pto shaft to the tractor. It slides on an inch or so but thats all. This is the first time I'm using the pto. He told me I might have to take a wire brush to the tractor side of it because it is brand new, never used and still has paint on it. The PTO shaft has a locking collar on it but I could not get it all the way locked on. Any suggestions or am I doing something wrong???

 

[Freds]

It sounds like you are not disengaging the locking mechanism on the PHDs shaft. You need to release the bearings that lock into the groove on your tractor's PTO. I can think of three different systems offhand. One of them looks like you would turn a collar to release it, but you need to pull the collar back.
Either way, when you think you have it locked on, make sure you give it a few good tugs to make sure.

 

[2kpsd]

Yes, I tried with the collar pulled back but it still wouldn't go fully on.

 

[Freds]

All I can say is that if you can get it started, like you said, it is probably getting hung up when the bearings encounter the tractors PTO. Hold the PHD's PTO shaft up and see what you need to do to get the balls to release. Maybe they're "frozen" in place even.
This topic has come up before and it is usually a case of not doing what is necessary to release the steel balls.
You could always ask the guy who lent it to you, too. Maybe it's broken and he wants you to fix it /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Good luck

 

[beenthere]

Sounds like you are not getting it slid on far enough.
If you are getting the PTO to slide on about an inch, and then when pulling the collar back, not getting the PTO to slide on another inch, that is the problem.
Look at where the groove is on the PTO drive shaft and where the 'balls' are in the PTO shaft. That is how far you need to move on the drive shaft. When far enough on, then the balls should engage and lock the shaft onto the tractor.
Just sounds like you are not going far enough, and I would first suspect the tractor drive shaft needs cleaning of paint, as the PHD owner suggested. Also, look for any burrs that might be holding it up.

 

[3RRL]

You cleaned off your tractor shaft spline? And it's borrowed? Check the shaft end for any mud or crap that might be in there?

 

[joppa45]

I had the same thing happen to me,I tried shaking and everything that I could think of including levering with a bar. Then it just slid on with no effort at all,very confusing. Maybe the balls have to aline with spline also, I still haven't figgured it out. Just have to have blind determination I guess.

 

[Dan239]

Check to see if the balls are loose when the collar is pulled back. If it has been setting for a long time they may be just stuck.

 

[2kpsd]

Thanks everyone for the replies - I am going to try spraying the pto shaft with penetrating oil tonight to make sure the balls are free and not stuck. See what happens from there-

 

[anojones]

I had this problem as well- and it turned out the PHD shaft had a plastic collar that I could move, but that wasn't the acutal locking mechanism- you need to actually grab the end of the PTO connection (not the little plastic collar that moves) and either slide it forward or backward (different shafts go different directions) to unlock the bearings so you can slide it all the way on. I still screw it up as my mower is a pull back then slide the shaft, and my PHD is a pull back and then slide on the shaft- drives me nuts.

 

[willywildes]

I did this too. I kept pulling back on the back piece. it slid back and you thought that should do it. but mine you grabbed the tractor end of the shaft and pull it back and it went right on.
good luck, it drove me crazy. don"t beat on it! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

W.W

 

[2kpsd]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I still screw it up as my mower is a pull back then slide the shaft, and my PHD is a pull back and then slide on the shaft- drives me nuts. )</font>

Isn't that the same thing for both of them???

 

[RalphVa]

You definitely need to get that paint off. Then lube it with white grease. I wipe mine clean and put new white grease on it every time. Use lacquer thinner or other similar paint remover. Just be careful and don't let any of it seep into the seal area.

If you have a front PTO, put the lever in that position to allow the rear one to turn. This helps.

The PTO connection for my brush hog is a terrible design. You have to pull back on a collar and seem to have to get the thing at just the right position on the PTO shaft before it'll slide on. Once I get it on, I've learned to also give it a tug back to make sure it's locked. Didn't do this once and had it come off!

I like the design of the PTO connection for my McKissic shredder MUCH better. It has a button that you push to get it unlocked to slide on. It seems to go on any number of positions, too.

On both PTOs, I support the PTO shaft on a tension cord to take the weight of the thing off my arms so they can just concentrate on getting the locking mechanism unlocked and the PTO in the right position without struggling with the weight of it, too.

If you have a movable cover over the PTO shaft, raise it up.

Ralph

 

[Farwell]

Any possibility of the shaft being short for your tractor?
Farwell

 

[anojones]

Whoops- one of those was supposed to say slide the collar forward. I finally ended up removing the safety cover over the PTO spline on the tractor- I know I shouldn't but it sure makes it easier to put on and off shafts- and I'm not sure how much protection it really gives. I rented a tiller with the button shaft- much nicer design.

 

[JoeF]

Similar thing happen to me with bush hog. Look in the female part on the PHD and find a ball or bering. Match that up with the slot on the PTO shaft. There will definately be a hole or slot there. Pull back the locking collar and it should slip right on. Check by pushing and pulling on the shaft to make sure it locks.

 

[2kpsd]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...you need to actually grab the end of the PTO connection (not the little plastic collar that moves) and either slide it forward or backward (different shafts go different directions) to unlock the bearings so you can slide it all the way on.)</font>

Thanks for everyone's help once again - this is the answer I was looking for. Tonight after work I tried pulling back on the metal part of the pto shaft and it moved! I was pulling back on the plastic collar thing thinking this was the release mechanism. Once I figured out how it works, it slid right on fully and locked into place. Didn't have to remove any paint or anything. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Got several holes dug - works pretty slick. Got about 8-10 inches deep and the soil got fairly hard, so I dumped some water into the hole and moved onto the next one. Came back 5-10 min later and it was nice and easy the rest of the way down.

Once again - thanks for everyones replies - this website truly is amazing. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Here are some pics of the phd I'm borrowing -

 

[2kpsd]

Here is my first attempt at installing corner posts.

 

[2kpsd]

sorry - here is the pic

 

[Freds]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Tonight after work I tried pulling back on the metal part of the pto shaft and it moved! )</font>

Yep /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Like I said, no matter how many times I've seen this topic come up, it always seems like something isn't being done to release the locking mechanism.
Been there, done that /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif