Posthole Digger What PTO shaft do I need?

[Clint A]

Hey everyone,

I borrowed a 3 pt post hole digger from a friend and it would seem the shaft is too short. I've had the tractor for a year but its the first time I've used the PTO and really have no idea how to handle this. Its about a foot away from the Stub.

Do I need to buy a longer one and if so how do I figure the length? Maybe the shaft can be adjusted, but If so I can't see how.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Clint

 

[jlsmith]

Hey everyone,

I borrowed a 3 pt post hole digger from a friend and it would seem the shaft is too short. I've had the tractor for a year but its the first time I've used the PTO and really have no idea how to handle this. Its about a foot away from the Stub.

Do I need to buy a longer one and if so how do I figure the length? Maybe the shaft can be adjusted, but If so I can't see how.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Clint

Sorry but u won't b able to use that driveline and u will have to get a new one. Measure from the PHD shaft to ur tractor shaft and that will give u ur overall length. Now devide that by two and add 8 inches and that will give u a length for each half of the drivline. Hope that helped and I wasn't conffusing.

 

[sweettractors]

Hey everyone,

I borrowed a 3 pt post hole digger from a friend and it would seem the shaft is too short. I've had the tractor for a year but its the first time I've used the PTO and really have no idea how to handle this. Its about a foot away from the Stub.

Do I need to buy a longer one and if so how do I figure the length? Maybe the shaft can be adjusted, but If so I can't see how.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Clint

We should have that shaft, if it it 1 1/4 inch diameter at the digger input shaft with 5/16 inch shearpin hole. Need the closed length you need from end to end. Ken Sweet

 

[easygo]

All that they said above. I have to say however that the attachment point for the top link on your tractor does seem kind of low. I mean rather close in height to the lower link arm attachment points on the tractor side. A foot in length is a lot of difference. Are the lower link arms on your tractor about 10-12" longer then on your friend's tractor? Is your tractor catII and your friend's tractor is catI?

 

[Chilly807]

What happens when you try to extend the drive shaft further out? From what you've posted, you haven't used the PTO before, so I'm going to make a guess that you don't realize the implement drive shaft extends to suit the particular tractor.

Going on that assumption, the driveshaft is in two pieces, an inner and outer element that telescope together for adjustment. Sometimes these get "frozen" together if it hasn't been used for a while.

Each manufacturer has different specs on how much of the overall length needs to overlap for safe operation, but I'll try to give you a guideline.

Once you get the two halves moving inside one another, lower the PHD until the driveshaft would come straight out from the PTO stub shaft if it were coupled up, the gearbox should almost touch the ground. You may have to extend the digger out over a deep ditch or into a hole to get this. The idea is to establish the shortest possible driveshaft length you can expect under normal conditions.

With the shaft fully pushed TOGETHER, as short as possible, there should still be clearance between the end of the PTO stub shaft on the tractor and the end of the driveshaft coupler. This means you can't damage anything because the shaft line is too long. A good thing.

Next pull the two shaft halves apart. Begin to put them back together. As soon as the male end is just started inside the female end, take a paint marker or something similar and make a mark on the inner plastic driveshaft guard 12 inches from the point where it overlaps the outer plastic guard.

When you push the shaft further together, once it has 12 inches of engagement the mark you made will disappear inside the outer plastic driveshaft guard. This is the minimum safe amount of "mesh" you can run the digger with. The numbers vary depending on opinion, but I consider 12 inches to be safe.

Now couple the driveshaft to the PTO stub, and fully raise the 3ph. This should be the longest driveshaft position you'll encounter, and the mark you made on the inner shield should NOT be visible, in other words, you have at least 12 inches of engagement.

If you already know this, I've been mistaken and I apologize. In that case, you DO need a longer PTO shaft..

Sean

 

[skipmarcy]

From your picture it looks like that shaft is closer to it's collapsed length - it should extend out quite a bit more unless someone has cut it off at some time. If the shaft is stuck together at that point, it needs to be seperated and lubed good anyway and that will give you the chance to see exactly how long it really is - whether or not it's the right length for your tractor. Sometimes the plastic guard alone will be slightly stuck and make it hard to adjust, other times the metal shaft itself is what's stuck - this is what needs to be seperated and lubed good with grease. For the plastic tubes a little silicone spray lube will help it slide a little better in itself.