Trials and Tribulations!!

[Oleozz]

I'm farming on a relatively small scale but I still have to go throught the same motions as the 1,000 acre fellas.
Yesterday I was getting ready to spread my second 300 lb load of wheat, I was on the side of the ridge, went about 10 yds and heard something crack. I immediately disengaged the pto, hopped out of the tractor and ran to the back to see what had happened. My pto shaft had snapped, the spinners were bent and the shaft going into the hopper was also bent. All the wheat was spilling out onto the freshly disced ground and I had no way to stop it. I had to walk back to the house and get feed bags to gather up the wheat then haul it back to the shed.
The spreader is a Sitrex, almost new, the pto shaft never seemed to fit right.
At noon when I went into the house for lunch I said to my wife, "Why am I doing this farming?" She just looked at me and smiled because she knows it's in my blood.

 

[RobJ]

bummer, did you cut the new shaft short enough? Only need about 6-8 inches of overlap in the sliding part. Not much load on the spreader shaft. I borrowed my BIL's spreader earlier this year and the shaft was stuck. I took a 4" angle grinder with a cutting wheel on it and cut a slit in the shaft...long ways...this took the pressure off and freed it up. Used that cut shaft to spread a full load. No problems.

Looks like it may have been in a bind.

Rob

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Imagine the aggravation that goes with that same identical problem while you're depending on the farm income for a LIVING! The dang equipment NEVER breaks while it's sitting idle in the shed. Always when you NEED it.

How late in the year can you plant wheat where you're at?

 

[zzvyb6]

I suspect your "pto shaft never seemed right" was due to it being misphased. That can be done if you try hard enough to put it together wrong. When laid out flat, the trunion planes of the input and output yokes must be lined up equal (co-linear), If they are off because the yoke is on at the wrong angle, it will wobble and eventually break the shaft at it's weakest point. Looks like that would be right there at the tractor end. Keeping the yokes lined up (when straight) results in a relatively constant velocity shaft transmission. This also requires the input and output shafts to be parallel in 2 planes. The tractor end is horizontal in azimuth and elevation. The same Must be true for the implement, too. If not, then pop goes the weasle. You can overtravel the shaft angles, too. This also looks like a possibility, based on your pix..

 

[AKfish]

Well... that'd put a bad word or two in the air!

And from the extent of the damages - you might be time and money ahead to just go ahead buy a new spreader.

I don't know if you're "mission critical" for needing that wheat in the ground but you're likely gettin' down to the wire...

Yup, this is one of those times when you're just darn glad that you're right there -- next to those colorful, rolling hills. And not workin' on Wall Street!

AKfish

 

[Oleozz]

Thanks for the replies and advice. My neighbor down the road is going to loan me his grain drill to get finished with the wheat. Everyone should have a neighbor like this fella. Always willing to lend a hand no matter how busy he is, hauls in pig manure for me, always gives good, sound, farming advice.
I have a week or two to get the wheat in the ground and then it will probably be to late.
I agree Fish, it's much better than sitting in an office or classroom.

 

[kthompson]

Did the spreader come with that PTO shaft? How about warranty? If right new and if they matched the shaft with the spreader both should be covered. Even if not package together was the pto shaft new? If so and it was not too long for the spreader (which would be your responsibility if not package together and may still be if they were) there may still be coverage.

Do be glad it as not the other end that broke.

 

[Oleozz]

Yes, the pto shaft came with the spreader. It sat in my shed for a year or two before I used it so am sure the warranty has expired.
I used a neigbor's spreader yesterday, looked like the last person to use it had been Abe Lincoln but it did a great job. The spinners were very long and it really threw the seed out there for good coverage. I can't remember the name but it was ancient, he had bought two from the state and paid $100 a piece for them. All heavy duty metal construction.

 

[kthompson]

Yes, the pto shaft came with the spreader. It sat in my shed for a year or two before I used it so am sure the warranty has expired.
I used a neigbor's spreader yesterday, looked like the last person to use it had been Abe Lincoln but it did a great job. The spinners were very long and it really threw the seed out there for good coverage. I can't remember the name but it was ancient, he had bought two from the state and paid $100 a piece for them. All heavy duty metal construction.

You don't know until you ask. The worst will be where you already are. Just tell your story. They may not pay for all but may help some.