Attaching Implements to the Rear PTO. What am I doing wrong?

[RalphVa]

Replace the collar with a push button. I complained to my JD sale person. He got me a push button one. Had one for the MacKissic chipper. Now have one for both the WM chipper and the Frontier bush hog.

Those collars are just plain bad ergonomics. With the push buttons, you can even use a pair of vice grips to hold the button down if you have to.

 

[NHSleddog]

I used to have a PITA on my old tractor without the Quick Hitch.

I have 6 PTO driven implements that get used regularly, with the QH it is much much easier.

Reasons?

QH - back up and pick the implement off the ground. I no longer care about the tractor PTO side because the implement "free-wheels" when off the ground. This is how I line up the splines. I never do anything on the tractor side.

By picking first and lifting you can line up the shaft straight vs the hard angle of the shaft when the implement is sitting on the ground making sliding the shaft in and out much easier.

Some of my implement shafts are tighter or looser (shorter/longer) depending on the attachment. Again, by having it hooked and off the ground, I can get the length to the sweet spot to hook up by raising/lowering the 3 point.

It blows my mind when I hear someone bought a QH and then doesn't use it, or takes it on and off. I took the time to make all my old attachments fit my QH. No moving hooks, no getting off the tractor. Every attachment (11) can be backed up to and picked. I'll never go back.

 

[B737]

I used to fight with attachments too. I held out. I was stubborn, I stomped my feet and cursed.... Then I got a quick hitch and realized what a dumbass I was for not getting one years ago

 

[Chaldaean]

if snow blower pto +/or pto stub new or little used a good scrub with a wire brush on the spline mating faces (male and female) then clean well with rags, and a good coat of thin spray lube often helps.

when new often very tight.
when dirty or rusty it can cause this as well.

doesn't take much dirt or rust to make it difficult on especially new or pretty new stuff that's not broke in.

took me over an hour first time to get my new logging winch on but now after a years use and 1/2 dozen mounting can do it in a few minutes.

when you pull the pto collar back the little balls that hold it in place when the collar released sometimes need more care than you can easily first see. A lot of liquid cleaning spray and lube can blow out small sand that you can hardly see.

Thank you! I had used a rag, brass brush and then a tooth brush to clean the splines on both the tractor and implement side, but perhaps I didn't spend enough time on this step, though! I also squirted some thin spray lube in the bore that the ball detent sits within and also lubricated the collar slide. Thanks for the quick reply!

 

[Chaldaean]

When are you hooking up the shaft?

Yes, I am also hooking up the shaft to the tractor as the last step. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Chaldaean]

Sometime it helps if you bump the 3PT arms up or down just a ever slight amount. Sort of depends on how you are holding the fitting vs the alignment of splines. Sometimes if you can get just a slightly better angle makes a huge difference.

I did not try this and will do!

 

[Chaldaean]

I find if I engage the PTO (engine off, of course!) so it won't turn as I rotate the shaft then I can feel when the splines are lined up. Once they are started, I push the release button or pull the collar and shove the shaft home.

Good tip. I haven't tried this. This would allow me to "wiggle" the implement side a bit without moving the tractor side. Thanks!

 

[Chaldaean]

When mounting the rototiller on my big tractor, I install the right lower link, then the top link, THEN the PTO shaft, finally the left lower link.
By leaving the left link last, I have more 'elbow room' to line up the PTO shaft.

More elbow room would certainly reduce frustration. Good tip! Thank you.

 

[Chaldaean]

I don't use attachments that use the PTO very much, but it's finesse not force that makes a difference. I find the connection to be counterintuitive. It was useful for me to watch YouTube videos from Ask Tractor Mike and Messicks. Good luck.

I'm not familiar with "Ask Tractor Mike", but will check it out. Thanks!

 

[Chaldaean]

I ran through options with my Dad a month or so ago on his M7060. He was having a hard time getting the PTO shaft engaged with the tractor, and hooking up links.

1. You may need to grease the inner tube and sheath so they slide easier. Take that apart and check for anything that might catch (ie metal burrs, etc). YOu can add a bit of grease to help them slide before you put back together.

2. A quickhitch makes it easier to hook up the top and lower links to implements. Make sure you have appropriate bushings if you arent all CAT1. If you are, then a QH10 should do it.

3. We went with a PTOlink. https://tractorptolink.com/. Here is how I made it easier. I used a tie down strap that you wrap around the top link shaft and the PTO shaft. This will suspend the PTO shaft in the air so you dont have to hold it up yourself. Then you merry the male/female pto link pieces, rotate to lock into place, then add the 2nd pin. Honestly I dont think for me (im in 50s) the ptolink is easier. But for my 80+ year old Dad it is a game changer.

Hope this helps.

This is great info. I have never heard of PTOlink. I especially like this review on their website. I can relate! Thank you!

 

[Chaldaean]

I use WD40 Dry Lube on the PTO shaft and connector. I keep both lubed well and it keeps things from rusting up and sticking.

I could do a better job protecting the PTO shaft when not in use. Maybe I could grease it and wrap it in a protective cover. Thank you!

 

[Chaldaean]

Next time it is off learn the proper way to disconnect the plastic shield so it can be slid back out of the way. Then always slide it out of the way to connect the PTO to the tractor.

Yeah, that plastic shield definitely wasn't my friend. Good tip.

Leave the top link off until you have the PTO shaft connected so you can step into the area and get the shaft onto the tractor. Assuming the implement is stable without the top link)

If you have enough overlap on the pto shaft, extend it and connect to tractor first then gently roll tractor back to the implement by hand.

When you say "by hand", do you mean grab a wheel and rotate?

 

[Chaldaean]

I would NOT recommend my way, I don't have PTO shields. Gives you plenty of room to hook things up. The very first thing I did to my tractor was to remove the PTO shield (even though it does flip up).

I always treat the PTO like it is out to kill me or others that I never let anyone to get close to it while it runs!

I also like living on the edge if it makes life easier. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Chaldaean]

I cut the coupling shield cone back to the mold line.

It still keeps the safety sleeve on the shaft, just a bit more of the coupling shows.
Greatly increases the working room to handle the coupling.

Good compromise. It's certainly difficult to get fingers around the plastic "cone" and grip the PTO collar. Thank you!

 

[Chaldaean]

...took one of my portable (1 gal) sprayers and put some diesel in it. sprayed into shaft and slid it in/out a few times. The easier it slides, the easier to connect. Also used sprayer to wash/clean pto shaft & coupler. You can start coupler on shaft without using release collar. You then have to use release to slide coupler fully on pto shaft.

I'll definitely concentrate on getting the splines as clean as possible and lubricating well. Thanks!

 

[Chaldaean]

#1 is to NEVER let the implement side of the PTO coupler hit the ground or lay on the ground. Mine is a oily mess but I no longer have connectivity issues.

Good tip. I use grease, which is a magnet for everything. I'll go the oil route.

#2 is to always leave plenty of time to hook up implements. My history has shown that if you aren’t in a rush you can watch the implements almost jump on the tractor by themselves.

I can totally relate. During my "saga", my 5 year old daughter kept calling "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" because she found a slippery spot underneath the newly fallen snow and wanted me to pretend to ice skate with her. I felt rushed/conflicted and that didn't help. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Chaldaean]

I used to have a PITA on my old tractor without the Quick Hitch.

I have 6 PTO driven implements that get used regularly, with the QH it is much much easier.

Now I'm jealous and will seriously consider going with the Quick Hitch.

I see you are in Southern NH. I'm in Newfields. Enjoy the snow today!

 

[Chaldaean]

Replace the collar with a push button. I complained to my JD sale person. He got me a push button one. Had one for the MacKissic chipper. Now have one for both the WM chipper and the Frontier bush hog.

Those collars are just plain bad ergonomics. With the push buttons, you can even use a pair of vice grips to hold the button down if you have to.

Good tip. I will look into this!

 

[Chaldaean]

I used to fight with attachments too. I held out. I was stubborn, I stomped my feet and cursed.... Then I got a quick hitch and realized what a dumbass I was for not getting one years ago

The Quick Hitch sounds like the best route. I'll watch some videos to further understand how they work. Thank you for the reply!

 

[RalphVa]

The Quick Hitch sounds like the best route. I'll watch some videos to further understand how they work. Thank you for the reply!

The nice thing about QHs is that you don't have to monkey with the lift arms nor their levelling.

On HF QH, one of the lowest cost ones, you'll need 3 mods:

1. Replace top hook with one from Amazon that spaces it out about 1/2 inch.
2. Replace top hook bolts with pins.
3. Buy 2 pairs of bushings at TSC to move from implement to implement easily that convert from Cat. 1 to Cat 3.

Still, you'll be less than $200.