Mechanical PTO problem

[Oldnbusted]

Allow me to preface by saying this isn’t my tractor, and I have not yet seen/heard the issue first hand.

The machine, a 2016 model 3520R, belongs to a friend/coworker that lives about 25 miles from me. Just a shade under 200 hours on it.

The issue is it’s making noise when the PTO is engaged. He says at low rpm it sounds like a clunking noise that changes to a rattle as rpm increases. His exact words were “it sounds like a bearing going out”.

He is under the impression that he can pull the rear cover and change a bearing, but I showed him the parts breakdown from this site and it does not appear that there is a carrier bearing at the rear of the shaft.

So I guess my question is: has anybody experienced any unusual noises from their gearboxes, and if so, was it fixable in the field?

I don’t expect this thread to get much traction, but I thought I’d throw it out there in case there is some insight I can take with me.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[ptsg]

With the engine off and the PTO lever in neutral, your friend should be able rotate the PTO shaft by hand, which should allow him to at least figure out if the two bearings that support this shaft are good.

It won't rule out any broken teeth on the gears or bad bearings on the primary shaft for the PTO.

Is this happening on just the 540 gear or also on the 540E gear?

 

[Oldnbusted]

He says it turns by hand, but there is more resistance than there used to be. Then he asked “what’s 540e” lol. So I guess there is a starting point.

 

[zzvyb6]

Is this with an implement attached ? and the driveshaft shield is making the noise. Normally you don't engage warp drive without a prop shaft connected.

 

[ptsg]

Wondering if he had a PTO shaft too long at some point and happen to basically shove that shaft into the transmission and damage some of the bearings.

Turn the PTO ON without anything attached to the PTO shaft, will make some noise due the clearances between gears and so on but it's really that loud, nor it looks like a bad bearing or broken tooth.

 

[Oldnbusted]

It makes the same noise with implement or without. It’s only ever had his brush cutter that he bought with the tractor on the pto. He says the sound is right at the end of the shaft. Says there is no excessive play in the shaft in any direction. It evidently mows just fine still. There is just a bad sounding noise where there wasn’t one before.

 

[Oldnbusted]

I appreciate everyone’s input. He’s changed his mind about messing with it. Says he’ll run it until it breaks, or until he gets a chance to take it in.