Bush Hog U-joint won’t go on PTO

noway2

noway2

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Bush Hog BH-6. A couple of weeks ago, I hit some unseen rocks and snapped the sheer bolt. Replaced it. Started it up and it quickly cut out. I thought I snapped the bolt again, but the PTO shaft came off the tractor. Turns out the pin and spring that locks it on the shaft were gone. Got that replaced.

Cant see anything wrong, no burrs, anything with either the tractor PTO or the u-joint. Depress the spring/button and bar retracts and the spline should be clear. However, it only goes to the point where the pin is supposed to clear / lock in the shaft. It used to be that you push the button and it cleanly slides on the tractor pro and then locks in. I press the button and can’t press it more at all.

Any suggestions?

Oh and a rant. A decent engineer could design the damned safety guards so they can be removed and replaced. They do more to prevent you from seeing what’s going on or getting leverage on the parts. No wonder they tend to go in the direction of the nearest trash can.
 
Sounds like the pin is not fully depressing. Did it get some debris behind it when you replaced it? Mine would not fully depress one time, so I soaked it with some penetrating oil and then tapped it with a hammer and it worked fine then.
 
LeeMajors said:
Also look in the end and see if the pin is clearing the splines when depressed
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As far as I can see, it looks like it is depressed fully to where it should clear.
heavydoc said:
Did the splines get burred preventing it from sliding all the way on?
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not that I can see or feel, but it won’t take much steel being in the way to keep me from pushing it on.
 
NCLivingBrit said:
you'll get some third world half ass work they can pay peanuts and like it.
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It’s a Mahindra. Made in India. We tried to take the guard off the tractor that covers the PTO. Its metric, which drove my dad nuts, tried using a 20mm wrench. Couldn’t budge the bolts. Thinking it may be time to get out the impact wrench.
 
noway2 said:
It’s a Mahindra. Made in India. We tried to take the guard off the tractor that covers the PTO. Its metric, which drove my dad nuts, tried using a 20mm wrench. Couldn’t budge the bolts. Thinking it may be time to get out the impact wrench.
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That's the first thing to go on mine. I now have a collection of 5.
 
noway2 said:
As far as I can see, it looks like it is depressed fully to where it should clear.

not that I can see or feel, but it won’t take much steel being in the way to keep me from pushing it on.
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Almost sounds like there is a burr on a spline at the depression where the pin seats in on the shaft.
 
More possibilities,

Maybe the yoke pin is too long or too short causing misalignment or the relief cut in the pin could be the wrong dimension. Or the spring could be too long preventing full depression of the pin.
 
noway2 said:
A decent engineer could design the damned safety guards so they can be removed and replaced. They do more to prevent you from seeing what’s going on or getting leverage on the parts. No wonder they tend to go in the direction of the nearest trash can
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I'm not sure I've ever seen a privately owned tractor that still had them on.
 
Take the lock pin out and see if the coupling will slide on fully. If it does, your problem is with the replacement pin. If the coupling doesn't fully slide on, the inspect the coupling and pto.
 
Can you personally remove the pin lock? If so then try slide fit. You’ll soon know the culprit.
Oops looks like cold1 beat me to that one.
 
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Put the coupler next to the pto and see ifr you can extend the shaft far enuff to lock in place. If not then the shaft may not be sliding out far enuff to lock in.
 
You could Try another implement pto to narrow down if it is the tractor side or bush hog side giving you the issues. Like others mentioned its usually a bur somewhere or the pin that will agrevate you and not let it go on. Rust or a dry shaft can make it difficult as well.
 
Schattenreiter said:
Put the coupler next to the pto and see ifr you can extend the shaft far enuff to lock in place. If not then the shaft may not be sliding out far enuff to lock in.
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Shaft is sliding. To make things easier to work on and have to contort less, we unhooked the mower and pulled the shaft piece off. Still couldn’t hurt it on. Thankfully the shaft is a bell style, so it’s not terrible to put back together.

cold1 said:
Take the lock pin out and see if the coupling will slide on fully. If it does, your problem is with the replacement pin. If the coupling doesn't fully slide on, the inspect the coupling and pto.
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I’ll have to see if I can get it out. Not sure how that works exactly. My dad took it into the shop and let them do it because he needed the part anyway.
 
So, today my dad took the bush hog shaft piece to the tractor dealer. They tried putting it on a new Mahindra and couldn’t get it to go on. They then tried a Kubota and it did go on. Looks like @LeeMajors called it. Clean the tractor PTO and file it down. Irritating because the thing used to go on easily.
 
How would this happen?

What grade are your shear bolts?
 
Shady Grady said:
What grade are your shear bolts?
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Grade 2, as per the spec.

Edit to add. Now, it wouldn’t surprise me to find a grade 2 bolt that is out of spec by being too hard. Probably made in China out of old ship steel or something.
 
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Follow up to this thread. Tried putting the post hole digger on and still had trouble getting the PTO coupler on the tractor shaft. Thought I heard it click and couldn't pull it off or push it on harder. Did a test start, worked fine. Did the first hole and the shaft fell off.

I have had, had enough, with that stupid shield / guard that keeps you from being able to see, and forces you to bend at an odd angle with the guard biting into your arms.

Ordered a breaker bar and wrench extender. Might have to take the bigger bolt out first to get s socket on the one holding the guard in place.

IMG_20230917_124847131_BURST000_COVER.jpg

A downward force kit for the auger would be nice, but I don't want to mess with the hydraulics which operate the bucket on the front.
 
We keep a variety of different wacking devices in the tractor tool box just for the pto driveshafts. Almost always requires persuasion via violence ti get the thing hooked up.
 
noway2 said:
Follow up to this thread. Tried putting the post hole digger on and still had trouble getting the PTO coupler on the tractor shaft. Thought I heard it click and couldn't pull it off or push it on harder. Did a test start, worked fine. Did the first hole and the shaft fell off.

I have had, had enough, with that stupid shield / guard that keeps you from being able to see, and forces you to bend at an odd angle with the guard biting into your arms.

Ordered a breaker bar and wrench extender. Might have to take the bigger bolt out first to get s socket on the one holding the guard in place.

View attachment 672144

A downward force kit for the auger would be nice, but I don't want to mess with the hydraulics which operate the bucket on the front.
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My tractor had.0.1 hours on it when I made it a hazard. That guard is hanging on the wall for future reinstall if I decide to sell my tractor
 
LeeMajors said:
My tractor had.0.1 hours on it when I made it a hazard. That guard is hanging on the wall for future reinstall if I decide to sell my tractor
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The tractors we had when I was a kid all had exposed shafts. Seriously, how much of a risk is it. Anyone with the sense god gave a goat knows not to get near it while it’s operating and don’t wear long clothe, jewelry, etc. It’s still exposed underneath where weeds or grass or a piece of rope can catch.

I think we’ll do the same, hang it up, or maybe with tools that get it on and off … nah.
 
noway2 said:
The tractors we had when I was a kid all had exposed shafts. Seriously, how much of a risk is it. Anyone with the sense god gave a goat knows not to get near it while it’s operating and don’t wear long clothe, jewelry, etc. It’s still exposed underneath where weeds or grass or a piece of rope can catch.

I think we’ll do the same, hang it up, or maybe with tools that get it on and off … nah.
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In theory, you would think so. Years ago, when I was taking an EMT class, we reviewed farm injuries. The textbook had several pictures of mangled limbs from an exposed PTO shaft. It showed one poor, dead soul whose whole body was wrapped around a shaft and mangled. Wasn't pretty. Farm/tractor injuries can be gruesome.
Hammer12b said:
My Kubota does. But it swivels out of the way.
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Very late reply but my Kioti swivels out of the way as well. When I bought it the farmer had it off. I put it back on but that was because I have a touch of OCD.
 
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easternnc4me said:
Very late reply but my Kioti swivels out of the way as well. When I bought it the farmer had it off. I put it back on but that was because I have a touch of OCD.
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This goes back to my earlier comment. If the thing were designed so that it could be removed and put back, it would be a lot better.

Forcing you to work blind, at an odd angle, with no leverage is a recipe to get people to bypass our remove it.

I am a believer in safety and have a respect for machinery and energy sources, but jeez, this nanny crap is absurd.
 
Ok, the saga continues. The post hole digger works, to a point. Being on a tractor hitch, there is little to no downward pressure as the down motion is a pressure relief on the hydraulics. So, it will dig, until we hit the thin layer of volcanic rock that blankets the area. I ran into it putting up a temp power pole when we started construction and we hit it when digging a basement but they were able to smash through it and keep going.

So today, we wanted to build a stand for the post hole digger. It requires placing some 4x4 posts in concrete about 3’ deep. Damn if the auger didn’t hit rock at about a foot. It’s a lower area and in the higher areas you hit it about 3’ down, so this seems reasonable. Tried to manually dig it to no effect.

Broke down and ordered a demolition hammer and a spade bit. Going to bust the stuff up and then see if we can keep digging.

Always something.
 
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Find the biggest guy in your group and have him sit on it while running. You havent lived till you ride the post hole digger like a bull 😁 or 3pt arms for weight. Fyi not ohsa approved or recommended but might of happened. Just glad i was a skinny fellow at the time and got to drive lol one on skid steer works much better and safer for this reason.
 
I have a big piece of pipe I can slip into a cast hole on mine to apply downward pressure. You could easily have someone weld a reciever pipe to it to do the same if it doesn't already have one.
 
noway2 said:
Ok, the saga continues. The post hole digger works, to a point. Being on a tractor hitch, there is little to no downward pressure as the down motion is a pressure relief on the hydraulics. So, it will dig, until we hit the thin layer of volcanic rock that blankets the area. I ran into it putting up a temp power pole when we started construction and we hit it when digging a basement but they were able to smash through it and keep going.

So today, we wanted to build a stand for the post hole digger. It requires placing some 4x4 posts in concrete about 3’ deep. Damn if the auger didn’t hit rock at about a foot. It’s a lower area and in the higher areas you hit it about 3’ down, so this seems reasonable. Tried to manually dig it to no effect.

Broke down and ordered a demolition hammer and a spade bit. Going to bust the stuff up and then see if we can keep digging.

Always something.
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Has that tractor got a front end loader? If so lift the front of the tractor up with it while digging to punch through. I do this all the time planting trees if the auger acts like it’s not biting.
 
noway2 said:
Yes. I thought about that briefly, but wasn’t sure if it was a wise or safe thing to do.
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I haven’t had an issue but I wouldn’t let anyone stand near it. For me it doesn’t take a lot on an 85hp tractor, maybe just taking the weight off the front wheels. This auger we use is pretty heavy duty though.
 
Jimbob78 said:
I haven’t had an issue but I wouldn’t let anyone stand near it.
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I suggest standing back around the auger anyway, but it seems like my parents want to stand there and watch and I have to tell them to back up. It isn’t a forgiving piece of machinery.
Jimbob78 said:
For me it doesn’t take a lot on an 85hp tractor, maybe just taking the weight off the front wheels. This auger we use is pretty heavy duty though.
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Yours is a bit bigger than ours, which is a 45 HP. I’d say its a medium sized one. It does have a front loader that will lift the tires. Might try that this afternoon as it’ll only take a few minutes. Yesterday we also used it to dig a hole to replace a dead shrub in the flower bed of the house. No rock there and the thing dug nicely.

We also used it to pull an unwanted tree out of another flower bed. It was one of those trees that grow those spiky burrs that’s not good for anything, taking up residence behind a crepe myrtle. Wrapped a chain around it, attached it to the bucket, lifted it up and went backwards. Tires spun for a couple of seconds and the tree came out, roots and all. I prefer using ratchet straps instead of chain since chain can break and go flying, but it worked.
 
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