Driveshaft won't attach ?

[G McCall]

Help !

Purchased a new 296 Bush Hog cutter and I can not get getthe drive shaft to attach to the PTO tractor shaft. My manuel simply says to push the drive shaft onto the PTO shaft until it "clicks" (my words) and make sure it is secure and won't pull off. There is a ring on mine that I suppose I am to pull back while I slide the connection on to the PTO shaft. That ring is hard to pull on anyway, but I never got the drive shaft on.

I tried to inspect the attachment threw all the grease and see if while I held the ring back I could press the "snap bar in that takes the place of a bolt on other drive shafts. That "bar" would not press in.

Any ides or was my explanation clear as mud ?

 

[troe]

i have ben there, try rotating the pto, with tractor engine off, or rotate the mower pto, sometimes with a small bar or screwdriver just a little , in most cases that will get the spine lined up. make sure you have the ring pulled all the.
does it start on the spine at all? if it does most cases you do not have the ring in the proper postiion..if it will not start at all then the pto and spine is not lined up, i am using the word spine i do not know if that is the proper name of the beveled grooves on the pto and shaft.
good luck
tom r.

 

[greg_g]

I've used the type to which you refer, and was able to push them right on without fooling with the outer ring. On mine, the outer ring was for removal rather than installation. I pulled that ring back to unlatch the shaft prior to removal. Your problem could be as simple as too much grease. Put that end of the shaft in a vice, wipe out excess grease. Press on the inner locking ring (bar) with a stout screwdriver until you can feel it move. Do this around the inner circumference in case there's more than one area with restricted movement.

Obviously, make sure that the two sets of splines - male on the tractor and female on the shaft - are properly aligned. If the splines don't mate, the inner ring will never actually reach the indentation to snap in. Then don't worry about being gentle. Push the shaft onto the stub with reasonable force. It will break in with time.

//greg//

 

[Soundguy]

I've seen at least 3 different kinds of pto collars with rings.

One pulled back to install.. the other pushed forward to install.. and one turned to install... try all 3 and see what ya get.

soundguy

 

[G McCall]

The drive will start on and push in allright to a point.......
When I try to push the drive shaft hard onto the PTO, it feels like hard metal is stopping the snap bar from reaching the indented groove.

Next time I go to my farm I will get the shaft on a vice and hopefully make the snap bar activates.

 

[RonR]

On my PHD, which sits outside, I spray that collar with WD40 or silicone to free it up. Makes a world of difference.

ron

 

[G McCall]

I've seen at least 3 different kinds of pto collars with rings.

One pulled back to install.. the other pushed forward to install.. and one turned to install... try all 3 and see what ya get.

soundguy

Wow three ways.

I know this one pulls back only but I don;t think I actually tried to turn it.

Also, I could not find anything in the manuel to help with this problem.
Hopefully it is something simple.

 

[Soundguy]

Don't worry.. it usually is.. try that collar.. see if it turns either way...

dontcha love them manuals that don't tell you what to do!

soundguy

 

[RalphVa]

The PTO attachment will go onto the splines a little bit without having to pull back that ring. However, the trick is to get the splines lined up. What I do is disengage the PTO (on my tractor, I put the selector into the front-only position). Then, you can easily turn the PTO shaft by hand a little bit while you hold the PTO attachment shaft up onto the end of it. When aligned the parts will push together easily. THEN, pull that ring back and push the implement shaft on all the way until you hear a click or until you can tug it both ways, and it won't come off (after releasing the ring). ALWAYS tug it both ways after releasing the ring to be sure it's locked in place. I didn't once and had the PTO shaft come flying off and apart.

Raise any cover over the PTO shaft. I didn't realize mine did this until a dealer rep showed me. Also, attach a chain or tension cord to the implement shaft to help hold it up to near the right position.

I don't know why they invented those ring ones. I have another implement that has a pin that you push. This is no so counter to pushing it on into place.

Ralph

 

[3RRL]

The drive will start on and push in allright to a point.......
When I try to push the drive shaft hard onto the PTO, it feels like hard metal is stopping the snap bar from reaching the indented groove.

Next time I go to my farm I will get the shaft on a vice and hopefully make the snap bar activates.

Sounds like you don't have a problem lining up the shaft then.
Have you measured (scaled) to see if the collar CAN line up with the groove? What if there's something inside to keep you from pushing it on all the way, besides the collar? Check for those things.
Otherwise it's just your collar is not releasing...allowing expansion so the balls (or whatever) that grip the groove can move out. It might just be stuck or rusty? Perhaps you're not moving it back or turning it far enough to release? A little extra massaging with some force might do the trick if it's not one of the two above.

 

[firemanpat2910]

Hammer, you need a bigger Hammer.. Ok maybe not but you sure would feel better. I agree with the others, check for too much grease, burs on either piece, or the collar not moving far enough. Do you have any other pto shafts you can try on the tractor? or possibly a overrun clutch, or shear clutch, that you could test the splines on? Possibly take the shaft end to TSC or other store and test on a tractor end or, male spline of adapter? once you figure out if its the tractor end or implement end its half the battle,, In my experience its always the female halfs fault

 

[dweitzel]

Help !

Purchased a new 296 Bush Hog cutter and I can not get getthe drive shaft to attach to the PTO tractor shaft. My manuel simply says to push the drive shaft onto the PTO shaft until it "clicks" (my words) and make sure it is secure and won't pull off. There is a ring on mine that I suppose I am to pull back while I slide the connection on to the PTO shaft. That ring is hard to pull on anyway, but I never got the drive shaft on.

I tried to inspect the attachment threw all the grease and see if while I held the ring back I could press the "snap bar in that takes the place of a bolt on other drive shafts. That "bar" would not press in.

Any ides or was my explanation clear as mud ?

Try lifting up the 3-point a bit after hooking up the cutter. I've found keeping the drive shaft a bit more in a straight line helps out.

***** Keep others off the tractor while working around the 3-point and pto especially if it's running ***!

Dw

 

[TC33DRon]

I have the same problem with my new rear Woods mower. What i do is, put the driveshaft on is far as it will go, then put a big screwdriver thur the u joint down to the hole that is used for the drawbar side to side adjustment . Pull the collier back and jam the handle of the screwdriver forward hard several times. Works for me.
Ron

 

[JoeL4330]

Try lifting up the 3-point a bit after hooking up the cutter. I've found keeping the drive shaft a bit more in a straight line helps out. Dw

Indeed, not only does the "rotational" geometry have to line up, but so, too, does the longitudinal. The straighter the shaft is after you get it on "a little bit" (i.e., the spline engagement) the easier it goes on.

 

[troe]

hope you have it figured out by now but if you do not try taking the pto shaft apart from the mower, might be easyer to handle the end of the shaft when trying to line everything up without holding the whole shaft from the mower, then if you do get it figured out slide the shaft back togeather and try it again.
have a good day

 

[john_bud]

It sounds like the PTO balls that engage in the groove may be stuck. Try putting it on with the action for release. Pushing the button, pulling the collar, etc.

That has been my trouble spot in the past.

jb

 

[G McCall]

I will try again this weekend with all the advice I have received here.

Can't lose

 

[AndyMA]

I will try again this weekend with all the advice I have received here.

Can't lose

I do the WD-40 trick mentioned earlier on mine. Slide it on until the metal hits and then slide the collar back is how mine works. I can barely move the collar and the ring doesn't release unless I use the WD-40.

Andy

 

[johntab]

I've run into this on all my new stuff. Clean the inside splines of the pto shaft with a wire brush. Spray with a good lubricant and try to install. Repeat as necessary...it'll eventually get on.

 

[G McCall]

Drive shaft still won't engauge onto the tractor PTO shaft.

I copied this post and tried everything I read with no luck.
I must be doing something wrong, but I wore out trying.

I brought the drive shaft (PTO end) with me and will carry it up to the dealer to have it checked out. Hopefully they can show me what I am doing wrong. Other drive shafts work on our tractor, just don't have one with this "slip collar connection).

The saga continues.