Pto Quit

[Gunfixr]

So, I purchased a bx25 about 5yrs ago, came with the loader and backhoe. Didn't use it much the first couple years, we had just bought the property, and were renovating. A friend found it on cl, and I grabbed it.
Picked up a 48" tiller late '19, new, with a slip clutch shaft. Used it several times through last year. The last time we used it, in the fall, it just stopped turning. I wasn't on the tractor, a friend was, he described it as just stopping.
I have checked the selection lever, and if the rear is selected, the rear output cannot be turned by hand, but the front can. If I select both, neither will turn. If I select front, it will not turn, but the rear will.
The engagement lever does not engage the pto, no matter which selection it's set to. Kind of wiggling it around, pushing harder forward, nothing works. I even adjusted the lever a bit so it bottomed out in the tractor just before hitting the end of the fender slot, nothing. There are no odd sounds, like grinding.
Where should I start?
Did I overload it with the tiller? I did some research before buying to hopefully not do that. Does the shaft slip clutch need adjustment, or come pre-adjusted?
Can't seem to find anything online, i've downloaded several manuals, found nothing. Hoping I can fix it, I don't yet have a sufficient trailer to take it to a shop. Hated to just show up and start asking questions, but kind of at wits end.

 

[forky]

The slip clutch needs to be run in when bought new and should be backed off for storage and run in again every season. Is the clutch slipping? If so tighten all the bolts to the proper length. For my Land Pride tiller they need to be 1 1/8 " to run the tiller, but free enough to slip if you hit a rock etc..... Mine has 8 bolts.

 

[Gunfixr]

It wasn't slipping before.
The problem is that neither of the tractor pto output shafts turn when the pto is engaged.

 

[Henro]

It wasn't slipping before.
The problem is that neither of the tractor pto output shafts turn when the pto is engaged.

So you are saying, when you try to engage the PTO with the engine running, nothing happens.

But if you with the engine off, select the front, rear, or both PTO selections, and try to turn the shafts by hand, that what you describe happens?

If so, it sounds like the hydraulic clutch is not engaging.

Your initial post is a bit confusing, or at least it was to me, perhaps you can confirm what I think you said is what you intended to say. On the other hand, I could be a bit dense and you description could be perfect for normal people to understand...LOL...but true...

 

[Gunfixr]

Well, i'm new to the tractor thing, but yes, I think you have it right. Moving the selection lever locks up the appropriate pto output shafts, but, engine running, engaging the pto gets nothing. Does not matter what has been selected, it does not turn when engaged.

 

[KUBOTA902]

Most likely something is blocking the oil passage to the PTO clutch. Bits of RTV, ect get in there and plug them up

 

[wgator]

To add to what KUBOTA902 said above, there have been a couple of threads on OTT about this problem on BX's. Most of the times cleaning the oil passages on the PTO clutch valve fixed it. See attachment below for it. If you don't already have the workshop manual (WSM) for your tractor download it at the following link: BX25 WSM . The attachment I posted is from pdf page 177 of that WSM.

 

[Gunfixr]

I have downloaded a few manuals, but don't think I had the workshop manual. I do now, thank you.
I will check this out.

 

[Gunfixr]

So, it was awhile before I got back to this.
I was going to pm and go over the tractor through the winter, but didn't get to it until recenty. Anyway, the valve pictured above appears to be at the lower end of the engagement lever. It's behind the frame rail. I'll have to pull the transmission to get to it.
On another note, i replaced the transmission oil filter. I don't think it had ever been replaced. The engine oil filter had the date and hours written on it, this had nothing. The old one with the oil poured out was considerably heavier than the new one filled with oil. It needed topping off, as i had a couple of leaking lines, which i had replaced. I ended up adding too much. When i drained some, it seemed dark, so I saved it. I need to go look at it.

 

[Russell King]

If the slip clutch on the pto shaft was never adjusted the tractor may have been damaged by the tiller hitting a rock or root.

 

[Gunfixr]

I didn't see any instructions on adjusting the pto shaft slip, is there a general rule of thumb?

 

[forky]

You need to slip the clutch (clutch run-in) on the tiller every season before use. You loosen the eight bolts two turns and mark the friction plates with a pencil or chalk to make sure they slipped. Engage the pto for 2 to 3 seconds for slippage, disengage and then repeat a second time. Shut off pto and make sure the disks have slipped, then retighten the eight bolts two turns and you are good to go. Failure to run-in the clutch could harm the gear box. Rust accumulates on the friction plates and is the reason for this procedure.

 

[Russell King]

I didn't see any instructions on adjusting the pto shaft slip, is there a general rule of thumb?

Get the manual for the implement or slip clutch and read the directions. I think the process above assumes the tension has been set up properly and has been in operation and storage.

 

[Gunfixr]

OK, i'll look for it, I don't remember anything coming with it.
It'll be Monday prob, before I can get to it