Pto damage

[daveob]

I am a new Tractor and attachment owner, I just bought a John Deere 4520 Tractor and a MX5 Cutter and a RT665 Tiller. After using both attachments I encountered PTO damage to both the end of the tractor pto shaft and the gears or teeth on the end of the the attachments PTO's to the point that I had to tie a strap to the attachment pto and wrap the other end to a tree to pull it off of the tractor end. I am being told by the John Deere dealership that I purchased everything from that I am not supposed to raise the cutter or tiller up all the way up when it is running and that is what is causing the damage and it is my fault for the damage. The dealership is charging me hundreds of dollars to repair both the end of the tractor pto and replacing the end of the pto shafts for both of the attachments. Now I have fellow Farmers that are telling me that the dealership did not cut the shafts to the correct lengths when they set up everything and thats what the real problem is and you should be able to raise an attachments up when it is still running without damaging the teeth on the pto's. Please advise before they stick me wth a large bill.........

 

[GManBart]

It seems to depend on the implement, but even if everything is sized perfectly there are times when the shaft can make intact with the implement if you raise the 3pt too high. I just set the stop on the 3pt control so it won't go high enough to allow the shaft to contact the implement.

 

[kennyd]

Your dealer is WRONG, and your fellow farmer friends are 100% correct.

Here is a good video on how to size and fit a PTO shaft, maybe forward it to your dealer as well.

 

[GManBart]

Your dealer is WRONG, and your fellow farmer friends are 100% correct.

Here is a good video on how to size and fit a PTO shaft, maybe forward it to your dealer as well.

The shaft binding is one scenario, the shaft hitting the deck of a rotary cutter is another.

My Massey will lift a cutter high enought that the shaft will contact the top front edge of any rotary cutter deck, regardless of how the shaft is cut.

Maybe I misread the OP's scenario, but it wasn't very clear.

 

[jenkinsph]

Gman makes a good point about the rotary cutter, would have to see it raised to know for sure. The tiller is a different matter as it can swing up and down unencumbered since nothing is below the pto shaft.

Who is responsible for trimming the pto shafts to allow enough play is a good question. When I bought my 4520 I checked the length of the pto shafts to make sure they fit before using them.

 

[daveob]

In response to some of the feedback, the shaft is NOT coming in contact with the deck of the cutter all of the damage is between the tractor pto teeth and the attachments pto teeth like its being pushed or pulled out of position causing the teeth not to mesh correctly.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

In response to some of the feedback, the shaft is NOT coming in contact with the deck of the cutter all of the damage is between the tractor pto teeth and the attachments pto teeth like its being pushed or pulled out of position causing the teeth not to mesh correctly.

The splines have to line up (male=PTO, female=coupler on shaft from implement). There is a locking collar on the female end which locks the two together via the groove on the PTO shaft. If it isn't properly locked in place I could imagine them coming apart and damaging the splines. You should give a tug on the drive shaft of the implement to insure the coupler is locked in place.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Maybe post pics of the damage??

 

[daveob]

I check to make sure the collar is locked into place before use, but after use the ball bearings in the locking collar are out of position (pushed twards tractor)on pto resulting in spline damage.

 

[kco]

I check to make sure the collar is locked into place before use, but after use the ball bearings in the locking collar are out of position (pushed twards tractor)on pto resulting in spline damage.

Sounds like the PTO shaft is too long. You should definitely check it before using it again, as others have already suggested. It can damage the PTO, bearings, etc.

It is good practise to minimize the angle of the PTO as much as possible. For example, when making a turn with the implement running don't raise it more than necessary.