JD 4210 PTO not working

VoyagernOK · Nov 29, 2021

I have a JD 4210 with a loader and lots of implements... right now, I have a JD 47 backhoe on it that we use regularly. (We are a Rural Water District with 8 miles of waterline and about 4 miles of sewer lines and 75 acres to maintain.)

The backhoe will come off even though it is mounted to the frame with releasing a couple of pins and putting the 3pt arms back on, but the PTO doesn't work, so we couldn't run any of our mowers or the tiller with it anyway. I've been wanting to get a hydraulic offset flail mower to use with it but haven't because of this PTO issue.

So, I'm wondering what would be wrong with the tractor that the PTO won't turn when the lever feels like it is engaging? Also, is the PTO system connected to anything else such that just leaving it inoperable and ignoring it will end up resulting in further damage down the road?

seville009 · Nov 29, 2021

I know nothing about the JD 4210, and this may be overly simplistic, but on my MF1540 tractor, I have a lever that puts the pto in neutral (or engaged), and a separate button located on the dash to actually engage the pro.

If the pto lever is in neutral, and I engage the pto button, nothing will happen (pto won't spin).

So - make sure you don't have the pto in neutral

VoyagernOK · Nov 30, 2021

seville009 said:
I know nothing about the JD 4210, and this may be overly simplistic, but on my MF1540 tractor, I have a lever that puts the pto in neutral (or engaged), and a separate button located on the dash to actually engage the pro.

If the pto lever is in neutral, and I engage the pto button, nothing will happen (pto won't spin).

So - make sure you don't have the pto in neutral

Thanks for the idea, but no, the 4210 only has a little knob you lift to engage the PTO. But I was directed to this YouTube video that looks like it might be a good place to start:

Midwesterner · Nov 30, 2021

Being an electric switch, I would start by checking the switch to make sure that it is working, and that power is going where it needs to go. Being as it is a $40 switch, if you are uncomfortable testing electrical controls, I would say try swapping it out and see if that fixes the issue. Also, no, leaving the PTO not working will not hurt anything on the tractor.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/64355/referrer/navigation/pgId/232394719

VoyagernOK · Nov 30, 2021

Midwesterner said:
Being an electric switch, I would start by checking the switch to make sure that it is working, and that power is going where it needs to go. Being as it is a $40 switch, if you are uncomfortable testing electrical controls, I would say try swapping it out and see if that fixes the issue. Also, no, leaving the PTO not working will not hurt anything on the tractor.

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/64355/referrer/navigation/pgId/232394719

Midwesterner: THANKS! That's where I'll start. Another user emailed me a link to the Technical Manual for this tractor (838 pages!) and I was able to find the diagrams for the electrical on this switch as well as lots more related the solenoids that actually control it. Now at least I have some place to start.
Again, thanks for your help.