Mower drive shaft to mid pto issue

[MuttCat]

Yesterday the wife and I tried to mount our mmm to the BX2380. All new equipment. On the face of it, this is a pretty easy thing to do, but we struggled for nearly two hours and could not get the drive shaft to mount to the pto. There's very little room under the machine to begin with, and arthritis doesn't help.

Anyway, The lock collar on the shaft can not be moved rearward. This thing should able to move back at least a half inch. Youtube videos show guys simply pushing the coupler onto the pto, and only draw the collar back when removing the shaft.

So, does the lock collar have to held to the rear to install? Does the fact that the collar can't be retracted indicate a defect? This is making me crazy. The drive shaft for the snowblower...the lock collar on that thing can be drawn back a full inch.

Any ideas appreciated, many thanks.

 

[dirtydeed]

You should be able to slip the pto shaft on about 3/4" before you have to pull the collar back.

If I recall correctly, the shafts need to be aligned properly (there is one additional slot/key on the shaft). It will only slip on in one position. I used to mark it with a grease pencil beforehand to make sure the shaft was aligned correctly.

Try pulling the collar back a few times before you attempt the install. Maybe its really tight because it new. But, I agree, there is very little room to maneuver.

One additional comment if my memory serves. I used to connect the pto shaft BEFORE making the deck linkage connections. That allowed me to roll the deck forward slightly making room to connect the PTO shaft. Try it, and see if it helps you.

 

[MuttCat]

You should be able to slip the pto shaft on about 3/4" before you have to pull the collar back.

If I recall correctly, the shafts need to be aligned properly (there is one additional slot/key on the shaft). It will only slip on in one position. I used to mark it with a grease pencil beforehand to make sure the shaft was aligned correctly.

Try pulling the collar back a few times before you attempt the install. Maybe its really tight because it new. But, I agree, there is very little room to maneuver.

One additional comment if my memory serves. I used to connect the pto shaft BEFORE making the deck linkage connections. That allowed me to roll the deck forward slightly making room to connect the PTO shaft. Try it, and see if it helps you.

I know that the slip joint goes together only one way...I did not know that the pto end is the same deal. But if the collar does not pull back at all, I guess all bets are off.

 

[dirtydeed]

I know that the slip joint goes together only one way...I did not know that the pto end is the same deal. But if the collar does not pull back at all, I guess all bets are off.

No. the PTO end doesn't have a key way. its like any other PTO connection. try slipping it in a half inch or so before pulling the collar back.

 

[xrocketengineer]

On my BX1880, the collar is pulled back until it clicks in the unlocked position and it stays there. Then the collar is installed on the PTO shaft (one hand) and as it slides on the shaft and reaches home, the collar clicks again by itself and locks on to the PTO shaft. I used to do it wrong and it was a lot a harder .

 

[MuttCat]

The dealer is sending a tech over, maybe today, they are of course busy. The mower was tested before it was delivered; no problems. But earlier this year I had an issue with a flow diverter on the snowblower which also worked fine until I tried using it. I still think the coupler on the shaft is messed up. The collar certainly does not lock back, it hardly moves at all.

 

[DustyRusty]

Spray some penetrating oil on the collar and then tap it with the wooden handle of a hammer. It probably is just stuck. The collar doesn't need to be indexed to anything on the machine. I don't remember mine, but is it possible that you have the shaft backward, and that you have the wrong end on the mower deck? The deck end of the driveshaft has a grease fitting on it, and the collar end doesn't. The mower end of the driveshaft moves in and out as the deck travels across the land and that is why it is greased.

 

[TheOldHokie]

On my BX880, the collar is pulled back until it clicks in the unlocked position and it stays there. Then the collar is installed on the PTO shaft (one hand) and as it slides on the shaft and reaches home, the collar clicks again by itself and locks on to the PTO shaft. I used to do it wrong and it was a lot a harder .

That's the way its supposed to work. The ones on my two G's don't lock real securely in the retracted position so I have to be careful how I handle them when slipping them on. Very tight quarters so trying to lock/hold them back after you start them on is very difficult.

Dan

 

[shelkol]

Before you try to connect it, does the collar move back and forth maybe 3/4"? If not that is the first thing to fix maybe with oil. If it does and you can get it on the shaft all the way, maybe it is too far on and you just have to pull it off a little to get it to lock, mine does that.

 

[MuttCat]

I removed the PTO end of the mower deck shaft and cleaned and lubed the heck out of it thinking yeah, maybe it was just gunked up. That's when I found out the collar doesn't really even pull back, yet alone stay back on its own.

 

[MuttCat]

I removed the PTO end of the mower deck shaft and cleaned and lubed the heck out of it thinking yeah, maybe it was just gunked up. That's when I found out the collar doesn't really even pull back, yet alone stay back on its own.

And now the end of the story....
The tech shows up, pulls the shaft off, gives the collar a couple of twists, and pops the damn thing right on the pto. He says, new stuff, paint etc., just needs to break in.

What I think is that my cleaning, lubing, and sitting over night must have loosened that collar up. While he was here he set-up my anti-scalp wheels to match the height adjustment.

Argh!

I fiddled with the collar a bit. Sure enough, it pulls back a good half inch, and stays there. The tech says its not suppose to work that way, but don't look a gift horse in the mouth.