PTO Drive shaft problem (my latest issue)

[allenport]

On Friday 8/11 I mowed for a few hours. No problems. Yesterday, Saturday 8/13, I drove down to the field, engaged the mower, and it sounded like I was grinding up a pile of steel. It was loud and startling. I immediately turned off the switch. Looked behind me and it wasn't cutting at all. My first thought was a damaged belt (btdt) or something stuck. Ruled that out. Checked the blades to make sure they turned and weren't obstructed. Waited for my evening handyman helper (he is only a shade more knowledgeable that me on this stuff). He asked where the noise was coming from, and I couldn't tell. So I started up the tractor and engaged the blades so he could hear. He said it was coming from where the PTO drive shaft connects. He fumbled around with that, not really knowing what he was hoping to achieve. So that was the extent of trying to resolve the problem.

I then went to google and youtube looking for answers and really couldn't find any. I can't seem to see how that finish mower drive shaft connects to the tractor. I'm thinking it is loose or something. Does that make sense? I can't even figure out of to remove it. According to what I found on youtube, it should 'snap' in place. Some video show some sort of 'button' which mine doesn't have.

It's very weird that this problem occured overnight. I do mow very uneven land up and down hills, etc.

Do you still need a photo of this?

 

[K5lwq]

Yes a photo of the PTO shaft and both connecting ends will help a lot.

 

[tfuller]

Based on what you've told us it could be a bad U-joint or Gear Box. So you have never removed the finish mower from your tractor to know how the PTO shaft attaches? There are a couple different retention methods if you post a picture it should be easy to tell you how to remove it. Once you can remove the PTO shaft you can engage the PTO and you would know whether the noise is coming from the tractor or the mower.

 

[K5lwq]

Right now I am suspecting a shear bolt or slip clutch but don’t know which it has.

 

[jeff9366]

He said the noise was coming from where the PTO drive shaft connects to the tractor.

I then went to Google and YouTube looking for answers but couldn't find any. I can't seem to see how that finish mower drive shaft connects to the tractor. According to what I found on youtube, it should 'snap' in place. Some videos show some sort of 'button' which mine doesn't have.

I am a new member and a woman. Please bear that in mind if my questions sound uneducated. I started using our 7 foot finishing mower in 2020 when my husband died.



You probably have a pull-back collar latch. Research below.

T-B-N ARCHIVE:
PTO SHAFT, BUTTON OR COLLAR LATCH site:tractorbynet.com



If the Finish Mower has been attached to the tractor for three years or more the PTO SHAFT and TRACTOR SPLINES may be pretty much glued into one piece with grass residue. "Blaster" is a spray solvent available at almost any hardware or farm supply store. Soak the connection with spray Blaster, applying twice per day, for two days.

(Tapping the connection lightly with a mallet or hammer will improve penetration and distribution of the solvent.)





I have tried to connect an implement to the tractor PTO for the first time.

I could not get the attachment to slide onto the PTO. I think it is a subtle alignment issue between the female splines of the implement and the male splines of the tractor PTO.


New PTO powered implements, connecting to new tractor PTO splines are always difficult. Once implement and tractor PTO parts are somewhat worn in, mating becomes easier.

Clean mating parts, lubrication and technique are the keys.

Most here like Eureka Fluid Film as PTO lube. I prefer wax chain lube in an aerosol can.

Grease is too thick.

WD-40 burns off. Shaft goes on "OK" cold but can be difficult to disconnect when hot. WD-40 leaves a sticky fish-oil residue which accumulates.



Connect the implement to the tractor via two Lower Link pins and one Top Link pin. Lift implement hydraulically until implement PTO shaft and tractor PTO spines are perfectly level, one with the other.

Turn tractor engine off, disengage PTO so tractor PTO splines can be turned by hand.

Turn male splines by hand until they align with female shaft indents. Slide shaft onto tractor splines. Retract whatever type of detent you have, button or pull-back collar, then push the implement shaft the final two inches onto the tractor PTO stub. You will hear a 'click' when shaft fully mates with tractor splines.

If the PTO shaft and tractor splines are NOT perfectly level it is almost impossible to shove implement shaft on to tractor PTO splines.

I am 74 years old. I can mount implement and connect the PTO on my heavier tractor without too much difficulty in five minutes


Hi folks...took a bit of time and fussing but wanted to update you. PTO connection problem was resolved by leveling the implement to the PTO.

 

[ruffdog]

Does it have an overrunning clutch that has failed? Has the pto shaft failed or even been maintained over the years? Does it have a clutch or shear pin? Gearbox self destructed? PTO on tractor could have failed because pto shaft rusted solid and won't slip. Time to look at everything and maybe do some maintenance.

 

[allenport]

Yes a photo of the PTO shaft and both connecting ends will help a lot.

ok, photo on the way. I'm going out to take one. Hope it comes out ok because my cell phone needs replacing and the camera lens is scratched.

 

[allenport]

Based on what you've told us it could be a bad U-joint or Gear Box. So you have never removed the finish mower from your tractor to know how the PTO shaft attaches? There are a couple different retention methods if you post a picture it should be easy to tell you how to remove it. Once you can remove the PTO shaft you can engage the PTO and you would know whether the noise is coming from the tractor or the mower.

No I have never removed or hooked up the mower. Up until 2019 I was a serious horseperson. I had a big harrow attached to the tractor and, according to my husband, it was a pain in the butt to remove and hook up the finish mower. We left the harrow on until my husband died and I wanted to use the mower.

First my handyman hooked up the mower and couldn't keep it attached and from swaying, etc. So we stopped using it. I think is was 2021 (I'd have to check) that I had the Kubota guy hook up the mower for me. Since then it has stayed hooked up.

 

[allenport]

Does it have an overrunning clutch that has failed? Has the pto shaft failed or even been maintained over the years? Does it have a clutch or shear pin? Gearbox self destructed? PTO on tractor could have failed because pto shaft rusted solid and won't slip. Time to look at everything and maybe do some maintenance.

Boy are your questions confusing and over my head. I get the tractor serviced each year in May by a Kubota service person. I assume he looks at everything. It usually runs about $800.

Where I'm confused is your asking about clutches.....clutches on a finish mower??? The finish mower has not been maintained but has been rarely used until the last couple years. It was purchased used, I think.

 

[jeff9366]

ok, photo on the way. I'm going out to take one.

There are only two types of PTO latch.

1) Button 2) pull-back collar.

If you do not have the button, you have the pull-back collar type.


VIDEOS:

 

[jeff9366]

First my handyman hooked up the mower and couldn't keep it attached and from swaying, etc. So we stopped using it. I think is was 2021 (I'd have to check) that I had the Kubota guy hook up the mower for me. Since then it has stayed hooked up.

You are a pretty clear writer.

If you tell us your difficulties one at a time, as you identify them, we can probably resolve each one for you.

 

[ruffdog]

Boy are your questions confusing and over my head. I get the tractor serviced each year in May by a Kubota service person. I assume he looks at everything. It usually runs about $800.

Where I'm confused is your asking about clutches.....clutches on a finish mower??? The finish mower has not been maintained but has been rarely used until the last couple years. It was purchased used, I think.

True, finish mowers normally don't have the clutch on the mower. We don't know if there is a overrunning clutch installed between the pto shaft and tractor without pictures.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Boy are your questions confusing and over my head. I get the tractor serviced each year in May by a Kubota service person. I assume he looks at everything. It usually runs about $800.

Where I'm confused is your asking about clutches.....clutches on a finish mower??? The finish mower has not been maintained but has been rarely used until the last couple years. It was purchased used, I think.

Some have a slip clutch on the drive shaft right before the gear box. Some do not and just have a bolt, and male shaft and female shaft are round. Bolt is supposed to break if load gets too heavy. So, you do have one or the other. Have you checked oil in the gear box on mower?

 

[allenport]

Here are three photos. It's hard to take pictures in this location. From here, tell me what angles you want. Note that there is no 'cover' on the tractor pto.

Also, can someone tell me what that chain on the shaft is for?

 

[tfuller]

That helps. Where the shaft attaches to the tractor you have to pull back on the plate with the spring behind it closest to the tractor which will disengage the lock and then you can slid the coupler off. This may be difficult since it has been attached for so long.
The chain is to keep the plastic shield from spinning.

 

[CobyRupert]

On your 3rd picture look at the flat plate/collar that is on the pto shaft that is closest to the tractor. That should pull back and allow the shaft to be able to be pulled back off the tractor’s spline

 

[K5lwq]

Here are three photos. It's hard to take pictures in this location. From here, tell me what angles you want. Note that there is no 'cover' on the tractor pto.

Also, can someone tell me what that chain on the shaft is for?

So that shaft should have a shear bolt located under the plastic shield where it connects to the mower. Is this where the handy man thought the noise was coming from?

If so, I would think it has sheared and the shear bolt needs to be replaced.

 

[allenport]

So that shaft should have a shear bolt located under the plastic shield where it connects to the mower. Is this where the handy man thought the noise was coming from?

If so, I would think it has sheared and the shear bolt needs to be replaced.

I'm not sure. He wasn't specific. I only let it run for a split second so that we could trying and identify the location.

The sheared bolt thing....I hope that's it. In any case, this is going to be another call to Kubota.

To the posters that gave instruction for how to pull off the shaft, thanks but I am not going to do that at this time. I was just wondering how.

You all ought to know that farm life takes its' toll on the body. For me, it's the wrists and years of slinging a pitch fork and hay. My wrists are shot, and right now I'm wearing a brace for tendenitis in my left wrist and I'm left handed. So turning and pulling anything is out of the question currently.

I will say as some of you pointed out, everything is a learning experience. In the last 4 years, I have learned a lot about plumbing, electrical, septic, etc. etc.

I will report back when and if I get a solution. Thankfully, I have a Ferris Zero turn to keep on mowing. We have had a lot of rain followed by sun and the grass is growing literally overnight.

 

[jeff9366]

Shear bolts are intentionally weak/soft Grade 2 bolts.

Shear bolts for compact tractor implements, such as a Kubota L3400, are usually 7/16" in diameter. Length depends on the implement.

This is a common bolt-Grade and bolt-diameter readily available at hardware and farm supply stores for <$2.00 each.

 

[K5lwq]

I'm not sure. He wasn't specific. I only let it run for a split second so that we could trying and identify the location.

The sheared bolt thing....I hope that's it. In any case, this is going to be another call to Kubota.

To the posters that gave instruction for how to pull off the shaft, thanks but I am not going to do that at this time. I was just wondering how.

You all ought to know that farm life takes its' toll on the body. For me, it's the wrists and years of slinging a pitch fork and hay. My wrists are shot, and right now I'm wearing a brace for tendenitis in my left wrist and I'm left handed. So turning and pulling anything is out of the question currently.

I will say as some of you pointed out, everything is a learning experience. In the last 4 years, I have learned a lot about plumbing, electrical, septic, etc. etc.

I will report back when and if I get a solution. Thankfully, I have a Ferris Zero turn to keep on mowing. We have had a lot of rain followed by sun and the grass is growing literally overnight.

Glad you are letting the dealer handle this. Ask them to service the PTO and check oil in gear box while they have it. They can grease it up for you and make sure it is ready for use. This should be done every season.

Hang in there and rely on others to help you with this kind of stuff.