PTO Safety Covers

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Southern Yankee

New member

Equipment
L3301 HST, Front Loader. Land Pride Brush-Hog, Box Blade, and Quick Hitch
May 21, 2016
46
1
0
Wellston, Oklahoma
PTO safety covers. I find the outer plastic safety cover on my brush-hog a royal pain that really hinders changing out equipment as it blocks access to the PTO disconnect slip ring.. It is a three piece cover made in Italy (I spent almost three years in an Italian aircraft plant monitoring a U.S. Navy helicopter overhaul contract. I have a lot of respect for Italian engineering but this is a Rube Goldberg affair) Since the tractor has a metal cover over the PTO shaft I see no need for the front outer plastic cover on the implement drive shaft. Can these covers be removed? What do people who use this machinery daily do?
 
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rwarren324

New member
Nov 2, 2016
6
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66
US
You used the word Safety in your comments, safety is all the cover is good for, if someone or you are between tractor and implement with pto engaged this cover is supposed to protect you from being caught while turning, I think if a person would use a few simple safety precautions, like disengage pto before getting off tractor to do whatever or if any other person, it would be fine to remove the shaft safety cover. I changed oil and greased my tiller that is attached to my tractor last week, I thought the same thing, this guard on pto is aggravating, but I also thought knowing me if I got off tractor to adjust something back there and didn't turn pto off, it would be my luck I would be caught in shaft so I didn't remove

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
1970cs

1970cs

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Apr 26, 2016
1,124
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Grand Ledge
Never remove any PTO cover or guard! Since you did not post any pictures of what you have! And the maker of the shaft, one can only speculate.

You had said something about Italy? I can only think of Bondoli-Pavesi. If the plastic bell is too long to get good access to the release ring then just modify enough to expose the collar.

Pat
 
M

Myb3350

Member

Equipment
B3350 JD430 Moline BG and BF
Jul 4, 2016
89
0
6
meridian ms
I took my PTO plastic off, I know it sounds bad and dangerous, but I think it is more government big brother telling us how to live and what to do, more (PC). I am not telling anyone else to do it was my choice , it don't make sence to get off a tractor and go behind you tractor and stand inside a 3 point hitch turning PTO shaft, I would not get back their even with a cover on it, common sences goes a long ways, anything can be dangerous if you don't use common sence, the federal government has no common sence they go from one extreme to the other , no middle ground. For a long time I thought the plastic cover was to keep vines and grass from wrapping around the shaft when bush hogging in bad terrain, now I find out its the federal government telling me it has to be installed probably the sorry EPA I think they did enoght damage with DPF on tractors, yes I voted Trump.
 
S

Southern Yankee

New member

Equipment
L3301 HST, Front Loader. Land Pride Brush-Hog, Box Blade, and Quick Hitch
May 21, 2016
46
1
0
Wellston, Oklahoma
1970cs said:
Never remove any PTO cover or guard! Since you did not post any pictures of what you have! And the maker of the shaft, one can only speculate.

You had said something about Italy? I can only think of Bondoli-Pavesi. If the plastic bell is too long to get good access to the release ring then just modify enough to expose the collar.

Pat
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Pat

The identity sidebar list it as a Land Pride unit. I do not know if the whole unit is made in Italy or just the PTO covers. I was going to remove the outer cover and leave the rest. I like your idea of trimming the bell or making cutouts. Since the bell cover does not turn, it should not be a hazard. Any other comments about this?

Thanks
Richard
 
S

Southern Yankee

New member

Equipment
L3301 HST, Front Loader. Land Pride Brush-Hog, Box Blade, and Quick Hitch
May 21, 2016
46
1
0
Wellston, Oklahoma
Myb3350 said:
I took my PTO plastic off, I know it sounds bad and dangerous, but I think it is more government big brother telling us how to live and what to do, more (PC). I am not telling anyone else to do it was my choice , it don't make sence to get off a tractor and go behind you tractor and stand inside a 3 point hitch turning PTO shaft, I would not get back their even with a cover on it, common sences goes a long ways, anything can be dangerous if you don't use common sence, the federal government has no common sence they go from one extreme to the other , no middle ground. For a long time I thought the plastic cover was to keep vines and grass from wrapping around the shaft when bush hogging in bad terrain, now I find out its the federal government telling me it has to be installed probably the sorry EPA I think they did enoght damage with DPF on tractors, yes I voted Trump.
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You are 100 percent right about government overkill. After I retired from the Air Force, I worked for the government and it is all overkill. In both the military and the government, they trip across a problem or make a problem and slap an overkill Band-aid fix that makes things difficult and lessen productivity. The object is to protect us from ourselves. Under that premise we should not have motor vehicles or airplanes as they are inherently dangerous.

You, I, and it seems like the rest of rural American, voted for Trump. It will either be a hell of a ride or things will improve. This should be interesting.

Richard
 
R

Ramos

New member

Equipment
1870-1, LA203A, RCK54
Feb 25, 2016
463
3
0
Sherman County, Oregon
I believe each one of us should be personally responsible for our own safety. I have modified many things that have been made so safe as to become almost unusable.

However, PTO shafts have proven themselves to be VERY unforgiving of anything as soft and weak as human flesh. Having an Ag based background, I know first hand accounts of seemingly sensible people who have lost life and/or limbs to PTO shafts. Nobody ever INTENDS to be unsafe or have a brain fart.

Modify it as you see fit but be aware that you are taking on the responsibility of your own well being and that of anyone else that happens to run it.

For myself, I will continue to put up with the inconvenience of driveshaft safety shields.
 
S

Southern Yankee

New member

Equipment
L3301 HST, Front Loader. Land Pride Brush-Hog, Box Blade, and Quick Hitch
May 21, 2016
46
1
0
Wellston, Oklahoma
Southern Yankee said:
PTO safety covers. I find the outer plastic safety cover on my brush-hog a royal pain that really hinders changing out equipment as it blocks access to the PTO disconnect slip ring.. It is a three piece cover made in Italy (I spent almost three years in an Italian aircraft plant monitoring a U.S. Navy helicopter overhaul contract. I have a lot of respect for Italian engineering but this is a Rube Goldberg affair) Since the tractor has a metal cover over the PTO shaft I see no need for the front outer plastic cover on the implement drive shaft. Can these covers be removed? What do people who use this machinery daily do?
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The real surprise here is there is no response from the old-timers, the real farmers that use this machinery every day. You are either using old equipment not burdened by all these "safety" features, or you are laughing at all the want-to-bes. I suspect the truth is you are out there working and it will be a while before I get your inputs. Like veterans, I salute you for keeping me fed and comfortable.

Richard
 
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spacemanspiff

Member

Equipment
M5-111
Dec 4, 2015
99
2
6
Lower ,AL
I hate all those guards. There are only two things I do to be safe.

1. If you are messing with it the toactor is off.

2. If it's spinning, stay the heck away.

If you follow those then you should keep your arms and other parts.
 
R

Ramos

New member

Equipment
1870-1, LA203A, RCK54
Feb 25, 2016
463
3
0
Sherman County, Oregon
Richard, sorry you have not heard from any real farmers. The 'Home Ranch' portion of our family operation became a 'Century Farm' in the mid 1970's. It now consists of over 2,000 irrigated acres specializing in export alfalfa and supports a herd of approximately 350 Angus breeding cows. In the past, I have been employed by John Deere and now part of my income comes from Case IH. As for meeting the requirement of 'Old Timer'.... All I can say is that I am no Spring chicken. Be careful with your assumptions, my friend, especially on the interweb. ;)

For the record, you will find very, very few modified driveline shields on REAL farms. Our insurance agents and OSHA overlords would have a field (see what I did there) day with us.
 
sheepfarmer

sheepfarmer

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Lifetime Member

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Nov 14, 2014
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MidMichigan
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lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,207
1,893
113
Mid, South, USA
Where I live, and where I bush hog, that cover is handy. It's not only a safety cover, it's also to help keep brush from getting wrapped around the shaft.

In my childhood, I grew up in an inner city neighborhood....BUT my dad had a good friend/coworker who had a farm out in western Nebraska. Big farm. When I was 12, we went out there in the summer and stayed about a week, to get out of the city. We did farm stuff. Up before daylight, outside right at the crack of dawn. We usually took a break in the afternoons. Anyway the farmer's daughter and I took off on the 3 wheelers over to a part of the farm where they were cutting a hay pasture. The farm hand seen us and stopped, asked us if one of us wanted to ride while he was cutting. Sure I said. I hopped up and she walked around back of the tractor. PTO still turning (it was off but still turning). Somehow her shirt got tangled up in the shaft and ripped it right off of her back in nothing flat. She was REAL lucky that the shirt was the only thing she lost. Got a little banged up and red but nothing major happened.

She was accident prone.

Next year, we went back out for a few days and one afternoon we were riding, right before dusk. Headed back to the house. We was riding along me in front, her following. I seen the house and kept riding. Turned around to look and she wasn't behind me anymore. Figured she took the other road to try to beat me home like she would do. Nope. I get to the house and she ain't there. Her dad asked where she was, I thought she was home...anyway, we went back out that dirt road to look for her. Found her. She had rode off of the road and ran into a hay spear. The spear went in under her left eye and was sticking partially out of the back right side of her head, no movement, just hanging there.

y'all need to think about why this stuff is the way it is. Good chance someone had a bad day at some point, which led to some kind of safety device. You wouldn't believe how many people bypass safety switches-especially seat switches-on mowers and tractors. Think about it. You're bush hogging, run up on a tree or log or into a hole that you didn't know was there, you get thrown off, and if that machine doesn't stop, it won't. Your body sure won't stop it. But if that safety switch works, you have a better chance of not getting bush hogged, baled, disc'd, plowed, or just run over.
 
S

spacemanspiff

Member

Equipment
M5-111
Dec 4, 2015
99
2
6
Lower ,AL
To me, a cab is worth every penny or at least and 4 post roll cage. I have had a sapling come over the blade of my dozier and break the glass. Had it just been a canopy, that tree would have took my head off.


You can't plan on everything, but you can use common sense.
 
1970cs

1970cs

New member
Apr 26, 2016
1,124
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0
Grand Ledge
Look I work for a Ag dealer. Most of your real farmers always put the guards back on their machinery! It's the weekend warriors that don't want them on! We have a sign off on we warned you about the dangers of no shields.

Case in points here. You know how many old farmers that have missing fingers and hand/hands due to farm accidents. We had a 12 year Amish girl that got caught in a PTO shaft at farm nearby, they had to cut her out of the shaft and she is no longer with us:(:mad:

You do what you want, I will never suggest or condone the use of any un-guarded machinery.

Pat
 
S

spacemanspiff

Member

Equipment
M5-111
Dec 4, 2015
99
2
6
Lower ,AL
1970cs said:
Look I work for a Ag dealer. Most of your real farmers always put the guards back on their machinery! It's the weekend warriors that don't want them on! We have a sign off on we warned you about the dangers of no shields.

Case in points here. You know how many old farmers that have missing fingers and hand/hands due to farm accidents. We had a 12 year Amish girl that got caught in a PTO shaft at farm nearby, they had to cut her out of the shaft and she is no longer with us:(:mad:

You do what you want, I will never suggest or condone the use of any un-guarded machinery.

Pat
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Most real farmers have insurance inspectors and minimum wage employees.

I am in construction, so the safety stuff stays on the company equipment.

At home, only me and my daughters operate the tractor. I got tried of trying to reach the grease fitting on the cv joint on that new $13000 bush hog and cut the guard off. It's easy now. I don't see how that pto shaft can hurt me. I have spent countless hours waiting for the blades to stop turning to adjust something.

The girls are learning to drive so they use the seat belt and will not get off that seat unless its on fire, I am there, or everything quits spinning.

I learned all this on a tractor that had no ROPS and do seat belt over 40 years ago and still have all my fingers and toes.
 
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