Rotary Cutter pto shaft cover chains??

[rongrzywacz]

Just bought a used king kutter rotary mower. There is a plastic cover on the PTO Shaft with a couple of small chains on it. Are the chains supposed to be connected when running it? Or does the cover spin with the shaft.
I didn't see any reference to these chains on the manual that i downloaded.

Thanks for any info

 

[TripleR]

Yes, they are used to keep the plastic cover from spinning, there is a pretty long thread on it somewhere.

 

[wrooster]

Just bought a used king kutter rotary mower. There is a plastic cover on the PTO Shaft with a couple of small chains on it. Are the chains supposed to be connected when running it? Or does the cover spin with the shaft.
I didn't see any reference to these chains on the manual that i downloaded.

Thanks for any info

Secure the chains to some stationary part, such as the toplink. Just be sure that they are not pulled too tight as the TPH is raised and lowered.

Since it sounds like you may be new to the PTO in general, be aware of two things:
1) The PTO shaft, as you already have figured out, is extensible.

1a) If the shaft is too short (i.e., there is insufficient overlap), the two sections can separate under load and the end connected to the tractor will swing around and beat the crap out of everything within it's reach, often breaking internal PTO parts in the process. There is almost no way that this situation ends without significant expense.

1b) If the shaft is too long (i.e, there is too much overlap), the compressed length may be too long when the TPH is in certain positions (generally at the highest raised position). If this occurs, PTO housing and bearing damage is almost a certainty, since the TPH will be putting a huge axial (end) load on the PTO shaft carrier bearing. In other words, you'll be be in effect trying to push the PTO shaft into the back of the tractor transmission housing -- with enormous force due to the geometry involved. If you are lucky, you will break the housing/gearset on the attached implement, which is the "cheaper" end. If you are not lucky, you are going to have write a huge check to your tractor dealer.

The summary of part 1a and 1b is that the shaft length must be optimized for the application -- not too short, and not too long. Either extreme can get really expensive, really quickly. Note that there are several "how-to's" on Youtube for correctly determining PTO shaft length.

2) The PTO on a tractor and the attached shaft/equipment should be treated with utmost respect and caution. Many, many serious tractor-related injuries are a direct result of contact with the PTO shaft and attached equipment. Exposed rotating PTO elements can grab loose shirts, gloves, and so forth; the result being dismemberment or death. For this reason, keep all safety equipment (like the PTO shaft shield you asked about) in place, and keep children/pets well away from operating equipment.

Wrooster

 

[schoolsout]

Interesting...I've noticed the chains, but have never hooked them up.

 

[bellweather]

Sage advice indeed...

 

[DwightD123]

Ok so my cover chains broke the plastic loop on the cover where they attach. Is this common? What do you guys do if/when this happens?

 

[Chilly807]

The sleeve over the PTO shaft should have a couple of plastic grease nipples on it. If the sleeve can't rotate freely, the little plastic loops will break, as you noticed. If it were me, I'd try greasing the sleeve "bearings" so it can turn a bit more freely, then clean up one section of the sleeve and duct tape the chains to it.

They are only meant to keep the sleeve from spinning, so if you brush up against it accidentally you don't get wound up in the PTO. My rotary cutter has them, my post hole digger doesn't.

Like Wrooster said, at length, the PTO is a dangerous piece of gear. Your safest bet is to stay well away from it when it's turning. In general, if you're on the seat it can't get at you. The plastic shields are the manufacturer's way of telling us that some of us ARE idiots and they try to save us from ourselves, and them from lawsuits.

A neighbour of ours got wound up in the PHD driveshaft years ago. It killed him, so we're pretty cautious just by remembering that.

Sean

 

[indianaEPH]

Secure the chains to some stationary part, such as the toplink. Just be sure that they are not pulled too tight as the TPH is raised and lowered.

Since it sounds like you may be new to the PTO in general, be aware of two things:
1) The PTO shaft, as you already have figured out, is extensible.

1a) If the shaft is too short (i.e., there is insufficient overlap), the two sections can separate under load and the end connected to the tractor will swing around and beat the crap out of everything within it's reach, often breaking internal PTO parts in the process. There is almost no way that this situation ends without significant expense.

1b) If the shaft is too long (i.e, there is too much overlap), the compressed length may be too long when the TPH is in certain positions (generally at the highest raised position). If this occurs, PTO housing and bearing damage is almost a certainty, since the TPH will be putting a huge axial (end) load on the PTO shaft carrier bearing. In other words, you'll be be in effect trying to push the PTO shaft into the back of the tractor transmission housing -- with enormous force due to the geometry involved. If you are lucky, you will break the housing/gearset on the attached implement, which is the "cheaper" end. If you are not lucky, you are going to have write a huge check to your tractor dealer.

The summary of part 1a and 1b is that the shaft length must be optimized for the application -- not too short, and not too long. Either extreme can get really expensive, really quickly. Note that there are several "how-to's" on Youtube for correctly determining PTO shaft length.

2) The PTO on a tractor and the attached shaft/equipment should be treated with utmost respect and caution. Many, many serious tractor-related injuries are a direct result of contact with the PTO shaft and attached equipment. Exposed rotating PTO elements can grab loose shirts, gloves, and so forth; the result being dismemberment or death. For this reason, keep all safety equipment (like the PTO shaft shield you asked about) in place, and keep children/pets well away from operating equipment.

Wrooster



Very nice summary of this really important topic!:thumbsup:

 

[chopped]

Chilly great info. I for one think they are a good safety measure.. Although mine sometimes arent chained stationary. But they do spin freely ..For me this shaft cover is money well invested..I saw a chipper commercial video the other day and the chains werent hooked. they were spinning around just looking for something to grab onto. I wonder if the small plastic ring on the shafts are purposly made cheap so that they would shear off also if the chain should come loose or not be hooked.
Example. If the sleeve became stick to the shaft. and the chains loop didnt bend? Something has to give..(the chain atachment spot seems so fragile)

 

[Chilly807]

I wonder if the small plastic ring on the shafts are purposly made cheap so that they would shear off also if the chain should come loose or not be hooked.
Example. If the sleeve became stick to the shaft. and the chains loop didnt bend? Something has to give..(the chain atachment spot seems so fragile)

Now that is the answer I've been looking for. I wondered why they were so chintzy, and you're exactly right. They're meant to break before the spinning chain sucks you into the shaft.

Sean