pto shaft

[ipwanab]

Should you grease the splined shaft (such as a PTO)?, or WD40 it or dry slide or dry? Someone please explain which and the reasons why. I usually grease the shaft but it ends up attracting dust and making a mess.

 

[Rch]

I just went through this while putting on my snowblower. In the past years I had greased the sliding part of the PTO. Sitting out in the summer heat and weather ( the 2 parts were assembled and 'compressed') turned the grease to a gum-like consistency to the point I couldn't extended it to get the shaft on the PTO. I took it apart and cleaned it up with WD 40. That's not easy with the plastic safety guard hugging the shaft . From now on I'll use a little WD 40 and a rag like I do to clean up the splines and forget the grease. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Soundguy]

I keep my pto shafts greased.. but then as soon as I remove the pto yoke, out comes a clean napkin that I rub any debri from the shaft, re-grease lightly, and then replace the pto screw in cover. When i need to use the pto, the screw on cover comes off, and I have a nice shiny clean shaft.... I do this every time.. has worked great. I find that the dirt and debri do stick to the grease.. but that a good napkin or towlette gripped firmly around the shaft at the base, and pulled forward removes it all...then ya just re-grease.

Spray brake cleaner cleans the female yoke just fine..

Soundguy

 

[BRUSHTAMERS]

Had to replace a lemon shaped, telescoping driveshaft on my MX6 rotary to the tune of $110. My tractor guy said that he has used S.A.E. 80-90 on all of his slide shafts for years, and also on the P.T.O. splines. Seems that 90 wt. attracts less dust than grease, gets into crevices that grease won't, and doesn't abrade the metal with dust sticking to it like grease does. Since I've started using 90 wt. I have noticed less wear on friction parts, including P.T.O. shaft. Tractor man has been putting up hay commercially for about 45 years that I can attest to, and he learned it from his Dad and father in law. I'm not sure that there were tractors before that /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gifAnyway it's worked for me pretty well so far.

 

[fractal]

I use wheel bearing grease myself, but your recommendation of using gear oil instead has merrit. The wheel bearing grease is sure messy to work with and picks up every bit of crap it gets near.

 

[HayDR]

Another solution is to use a good chain lube on the profile tubes. Most of these have a graphite based lubricant, but you must use grease in the CV Joints.