B7500 PTO "rackety clackety" on disengagement?

[drewzee87t]

I just picked up this tractor a couple months ago. I was brush hogging with it and when I try to disengage the PTO, I push in the clutch, and would expect that I put the PTO lever in neutral, then release the clutch and the implement should spin down and stop. When I do this, if I release the clutch with PTO in neutral, I get a very loud and disconcerting clickety clackety, almost like grinding gears sound.

I don't want to damage it, so I am currently disengaging the PTO with the clutch held in, wait until the implement stops, and then release the clutch. I do not think this is how it's supposed to work.

I searched on here and found a couple of threads about some "cam" thingies that can cause similar issue in the PTO but that was on a different model (I think an L series and much newer than mine).

Can anyone explain to me what this could be and if there is a way to fix it? The clutch seems to be adjusted correctly and I don't understand how the clutch actually works. I am familiar with two-stage clutch where one pushes half way for PTO and the all the way for drivetrain, but this tractor has a single plate clutch per the manual. I can't seem to make out how it actually works from reviewing the WSM.

Any help appreciated. I can use it, but it seems to me that I should be able to take the PTO out of gear into neutral without getting all this noise and grinding.

Thanks

 

[bucktail]

According to tractor data, if the B7500 is gear and not hydro, you don't have live PTO. If that's the case, you should be running an over running clutch. When you step on the clutch, the drive line and PTO stop together applying reverse torque to your PTO shaft, stopping the stump jumper. The blades are swinging forward and clanking against the stump jumper, each other or whatever else there is to hit. Make sure that the PTO shaft isn't too long with the over running clutch added.

 

[drewzee87t]

Hi - it's hydro. What is an over running clutch? I don't think it's the blades making the noise. You can feel the grinding/clacking through the PTO shift lever and the only thing that will stop the noise is to keep the clutch in until it spins down to a stop.

 

[bucktail]

An over running clutch will allow things with a lot of momentum to keep turning after the PTO shaft stops so that they can come to a stop on their own. I'll have to defer to someone who knows these tractors better.
An over running clutch will probably solve the noise that it makes, because it will probably allow the PTO shaft to stop turning, but I'm not sure that the noise is indicative of a problem, or if the hydro version should really be running an over running clutch as well.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...adapter-male-spline-1-1-8-in-x-6?cm_vc=-10005

 

[D2Cat]

Go to this link and jump through all the hoops until you get to "transmission". then look for the "propeller shaft". You'll see items # 20 and #50, inner and outer coupler. They are probably worn out.

http://www.kubota.com/part/partsList.aspx

They'll rattle like a jar 1/2 full of steel balls.

If they need replaced you need to split the tractor....they are on the end of that propeller shaft which has the pilot bushing on the other end.

 

[alansz400]

Mine does the same thing and my rear PTO has had very little use so I don't think anything is worn out. That mower is just a big heavy flywheel. I try to slow the blades down with tall grass after pushing the clutch in. My 3 pt. finish mower stops just fine but it doesn't have the flywheel effect like a brush hog.

 

[drewzee87t]

Thanks for the responses, folks. I have just been using it and my new standard procedure is just push in the clutch, let the brush hog come to a stop, then shift into neutral PTO and release the clutch. I have a tiller that I just got that I can hook up and see if it has the same problem. That's the only PTO stuff I have. I am not sure what the PO used the tractor for, but I think it was mostly construction/landscape and would have been light on PTO use.

D2Cat - I looked up those part numbers on my parts diagram. Is there no over-riding cams on this one? That was what I was suspecting. I think I am going to just let it ride for now. If I do ever split it, I will definitely look into that - or if it becomes a more serious problem. Sounds like you have seen this before.

Alan - Your tractor and all the stuff you have done with it is really cool. I have been through your threads in fabricating and very impressive. I basically couldn't afford to buy even a good used so I got this as a parts tractor and have been going through it. Mostly it's been little stupid things that needed done - glow plugs wiring, brakes and clutch adjust and some new rods with that, fuel filter, air filter, all fluids, rear wheels were floating loose and pinned with barn nails (really!), some hydro lines on the loader and etc. The hood was squashed and missing the front grill and headlight plastics were destroyed when I got it. It didn't have a brush guard. Pic of how it is now, still more stuff to do but at 1700 hours and runs great, I am just going to use the heck out of it.

Thanks

 

[alansz400]

Wow your tractor looks great in the pictures.
I am loving the quick attach on my loader. So nice swapping buckets and the pallet fork thing has came in so handy this summer. Still need to get my snow blade mount built before winter.
Mowed the guy next doors yard all summer with the used finish mower that I bought last fall to resell this spring.

 

[drewzee87t]

hijacking my own thread here.

Alan, I see you have a post hole digger. Are you able to use one on the b7500 and what kind/size/weight are you using. My neighbors that run "bigger" tractors on a lot of land tell me the b7500 won't handle "any" post hole digger.

Thanks again.

 

[mendonsy]

Sorry about being a few days late on this response ....
My B7500HST doesn't make any strange noises when disengaging the PTO with my bush hog on the back, but it does take quite a while for it to spin down to a stop.
I normally don't use the clutch to shift the PTO out of gear, only to engage it. I just slide the PTO lever into neutral and let the attachment spin down on it's own.

 

[alansz400]

hijacking my own thread here.

Alan, I see you have a post hole digger. Are you able to use one on the b7500 and what kind/size/weight are you using. My neighbors that run "bigger" tractors on a lot of land tell me the b7500 won't handle "any" post hole digger.

Thanks again.

I think its a 8 inch auger. Works great.

 

[drewzee87t]

Sorry about being a few days late on this response ....
My B7500HST doesn't make any strange noises when disengaging the PTO with my bush hog on the back, but it does take quite a while for it to spin down to a stop.
I normally don't use the clutch to shift the PTO out of gear, only to engage it. I just slide the PTO lever into neutral and let the attachment spin down on it's own.

Hi Mendonsny - thanks for another helpful response. I tried that today and it made the same noise. I am thinking D2Cat has it correct that I have internal issues that will need to be addressed at some point. For now, clutch in, let it stop, put it in neutral, clutch out.

Got a bunch of other issues I am trying to fix with this tractor. I overheated it yesterday when hogging and gave it a pretty thorough radiator blowout and waterhose cleaning - there was a lot more dirt in there than I would have expected. Doesn't appear to have damaged the head gasket or anything and after cleaning up the rad and the screen I ran it and checked for bubbles, noting that it flows immediately even when cold (there's no thermostat or it's stuck open). Also ordered a bunch of parts (including a new thermostat) and steering drag link and various new pins. I have a ton of play at the steering knuckle in that link and it doesn't appear to be serviceable so off it goes. It seems every time I look the thing over I find another nail jammed in where there should be a cotter pin or spring clip. Also decided to bite the bullet on changing out the hydro juice. If the maintenance on the rest of the tractor is any indication, the hydro fluid is really needing to be changed. UDT2 is some crazy expensive stuff. My Messicks order topped $300 w/ shipping. It's getting to be an expensive toy just to catch up on maintenance that hasn't been done.

Now my biggest issue is just not "knowing" what the limits are in terms of hills and grades. I am scared poopless to run this thing at any angle and constantly feels like I am going to tip over, but it never does. I don't know how much seat time it takes to get a feel for that but the pucker factor is ever present. It seems like even small holes just swallow up the tractor. Hopefully once I have gone through the property once I will get to know where the little springs and wet cricks are so I can avoid dumping into them.

 

[mendonsy]

Some things you could do to help with the stability ....
I moved my rear wheels out wider to get more footprint on the ground. My B7500 has clamps that hold the rear wheels to the axles with a pin through the center. As I recall there are 3 different holes in the rear axle that the pin can go in. I have mine in the second hole which makes the rear stance about 6" wider than the factory setting.
For really steep areas I always mow up and down the grade rather than across it. If you have a loader keep the bucket as low as you can on grades also. The loader actually helps going up and down steep grades but is worse going across them.
I also made a set of rear wheel weights for my B7500. They each weigh about 175 lbs. They help stability and also help with loader capacity when there is nothing on the hitch.
And of course the obvious .... always use 4wd!