Posted by David, Surrey UK on August 29, 2007 at 14:13:30 from (84.9.75.186):
I'm new to tractors, and today I used the PTO for the first time. The first thing I noticed is that the two ends of the PTO shaft aren't the same but there was no indication which end goes on the tractor and which on the implement. One end has a sort of ring lock; the other end has a single push bolt. After some internet research I decided that the single bolt end should probably go on the tractor. BTW, this is a Cat 1 540 rpm shaft (6 splines). The PTO shaft is a sort of yellowish colour, I don't know the make.
Q1: Does it matter which end of the shaft goes where?
Q2: Why are the two ends different?
Having read a lot of safety warnings and horror stories about injuries and deaths from PTO shafts, I made very sure the shaft ends were securely in place. However, in use the implement end kept coming loose and detaching itself from the implement (a three-blade rotary mower). The tractor end stayed put all the time, no problems there.
The implement end is the end with the ring lock. There are three little balls which protrude into the waist on the splined shaft (not sure what the technical name for this is!) and which are released by pulling back the ring against the force of a spring. However, this lock doesn't seem to do its job properly. When you push the shaft fully home it clicks into place, and pulling it shows that it's locked correctly. But if you give it a sharp outwards tug, it comes loose. I'm not very strong, so my sharp tug doesn't represent much force!
Q3: Is this normal or should the shaft stay firmly in place until the ring lock is released?
(I think it should, for safety's sake.)
I actually have two of these PTO shafts, both the same type, both brand new, and both from different places -- they came with their respective implements. I checked the ring lock on other shaft, with another implement, and it did exactly the same thing. So I don't think it's a problem with the implement or with a single shaft.
Oh, and before I did all this I took the two halves of the telescopic shaft apart and applied some grease so they slid in and out easily. I also greased the universal joint nipples and put a bit of grease on the splined ends. When I reassembled the shaft I made sure the UJs were correctly phased. In use the shaft is only slightly extended, maybe 10-20% of its length.
Q4: Where am I going wrong?!
Please help a newbie in distress! I want to use my mower.
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