Twisted PTO Shaft

[Jimmyb33]

I was doing some brush hogging today. All of a sudden I got a bad vibration from the back end. I turned around to see my PTO shaft twisted and about to come apart. I didn't think I was working in very heavy stuff. I don't think the slip clutch is working too good.... Time to go shopping
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[greg_g]

I don't doubt you're right about the slip clutch, that's why at least annual maintenance is recommended. But I also see two other things: (a) the PTO shaft is too short. I don't consider what's left inside to be sufficient overlap, and (b) the rust pattern suggests pretty strongly that it's been bent in that same spot at least once before. Don't be tempted to get a replacement that's too short. It's always better to have to cut a new shaft down - than it is to have that same thing happen again.

//greg//

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree with Greg, and suspect this short socket of the shaft is what caused the problem. Just make sure you have enough play to allow for fully raising and lowering the implement without binding the pto. Most of the time if you allow an inch of clearnce between the tractor pto end and the edge of the pto shaft coupler to uncouple you wind up with about four inches of play when hooked up.

 

[Jimmyb33]

Thank you both for the feedback. I'm still new at all of this tractoring stuff, but am learning allot from the fine folks here. I bought the brush hog a couple of years ago and have just used it as I got it. I'll be sure to get a long enough PTO shaft next time. I saw someone on this site who sell's PTO shafts on their web site. Anyone know who that was?

Also, I have no idea how to remove that slip clutch from the gear box. Anyone have any pointers from a newbie???

Thansk!
jb

 

[IslandTractor]

I'm not so sure that PTO shaft is too short. It presumably twisted right at the junction of inner and outer shaft parts and that seems to be right at 50% mark of the outer shaft.

 

[jinman]

You can buy complete PTO shafts at Tractor Supply. If you want to save that clutch, you'll have to do some modification because the new shaft will come ready to slide onto the input shaft to the cutter and use a shear bolt. That's if the gearbox has a round shaft and it's the correct diameter. Also, most/all shearpin shafts will have a groove for a "C-clip" on the end of the shaft so that when you pop a shearbolt, the PTO shaft doesn't jump off the cutter and start flopping around (very dangerous). You might be better off to get a replacement for the shaft that is twisted and then clean and adjust your clutch. That's what I think I'd try to do.

Also, I've had several instances where I raised my cutter too high and the top/front of the cutter came up hard against the PTO shaft. I bent one PTO shaft so badly it looked like a playground jumprope. If you accidentally raised your cutter too high, you could have bent the tractor side shaft and got the twisting started due to weakening of the shaft at the bend point.

 

[Jimmyb33]

I got the twisted PTO shaft off the brush hog this weekend. Here's a pic of the input shaft.

The large diameter end is 1 3/8". Does anyone know whereI can get a replacement Slip clutch & PTO shaft for this type of shaft?

Thanks!
jb

 

[greg_g]

I Does anyone know whereI can get a replacement Slip clutch & PTO shaft for this type of shaft?

Others may have info to which I'm not privy. But to me, finding something compatible with that input shaft would be problematic. Are you sure you can't simply clean up and re-use the original slip clutch? Then you'd only be looking at replacing the PTO shaft.

//greg//

 

[Jimmyb33]

I've taken that slip clutch down as far as I can and the plates are just frozen/rusted together. i've beat on it and beat on it and am getting nowhere with it. I'm considering, for a last resort, cutting off the end of the shaft and drilling a hole in the 1 3/8" section to take a shear pin. But I'd rather get a slip clucth back on there.

Thanks for the input here!!
JB

 

[Transit]

I don't doubt you're right about the slip clutch, that's why at least annual maintenance is recommended. But I also see two other things: (a) the PTO shaft is too short. I don't consider what's left inside to be sufficient overlap, and (b) the rust pattern suggests pretty strongly that it's been bent in that same spot at least once before. Don't be tempted to get a replacement that's too short. It's always better to have to cut a new shaft down - than it is to have that same thing happen again.

//greg//

There is a minimum of overlap of the two half's of the shafts when extended to the max. For my KK it is 6 inches. You will need to know what is required for your shaft.