Bush Hog U-joint won’t go on PTO

[LeeMajors]

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.

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.

If you are afraid of a chain breaking pulling a small tree. You need rethink the size of your chain.

Breakout force of your loader is likely around 2k pounds. Iirc 1/4 grade 43 chain is 2600 lbs working

 

[noway2]

I’d use a chain any day over a ratchet strap. Those straps stretch, loading them with energy and a good chain will hold a lot more load than that ratchet mechanism.

Might want to reverse that thinking. Lots of PE in a strap or cable. If you need to use them put a old rug over them when in use to help reduce whip back.

Do they make straps specifically for lifting loads? The idea of one or a chain breaking isn’t a fun thought.

Also want to get a gantry for around the workshop. We’re all getting older and lifting and moving heavy objects isn’t fun. They’re expensive, though. I thought about it after lifting and putting back in place the lower septic tank lid after putting copper sulfate in it. It was a decent sized piece of concrete 18” below grade which was hard on the back. I suggested using the tractor bucket but parents (mother especially, who is good at running her mouth but little else), wouldn’t hear of it. A few months ago, they put more in. What did they do? Use the “gosh darn” tractor bucket.

I once got the mower stuck and tried using a strap to pull it out, but the cheap strap just broke, no whipping around. I got a bigger 3000# one and it was fine.

If you are afraid of a chain breaking pulling a small tree. You need rethink the size of your chain.

Let’s just say I don’t trust some rusty old chain my dad pulls out of the storage compartment in the bed of his truck.

 

[LeeMajors]

Do they make straps specifically for lifting loads? The idea of one or a chain breaking isn’t a fun thought.

Also want to get a gantry for around the workshop. We’re all getting older and lifting and moving heavy objects isn’t fun. They’re expensive, though. I thought about it after lifting and putting back in place the lower septic tank lid after putting copper sulfate in it. It was a decent sized piece of concrete 18” below grade which was hard on the back. I suggested using the tractor bucket but patents (mother especially, who is hood at running her mouth but little else), wouldn’t hear of it. A few months ago, they put more in. What did they do? Use the “gosh darn” tractor bucket.

I once got the mower stuck and tried using a strap to pull it out, but the cheap strap just broke, no whipping around. I got a bigger 3000# one and it was fine.


Let’s just say I don’t trust some rusty old chain my dad pulls out of the storage compartment in the bed of his truck.

They do. They are called lifting slings. Even the good ones are pretty inexpensive

 

[rdinatal]

Do they make straps specifically for lifting loads?

I'm sure they do. I have no experience with them.

 

[GoWolfpack]

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.

Keep dangly stuff away from the spinny bits. Tips for life.

Farm injuries can get pretty horrific. I'm glad I escaped my childhood without being run over as many times as I risked it.

 

[GoWolfpack]

They do. They are called lifting slings. Even the good ones are pretty inexpensive

2 X 10' 2-Ply Polyester Web Sling-Imported

Agri Supply carries over 26,000 products for your farm, shop, or home, including this 2 in. x 10 ft. web sling.

www.agrisupply.com

I prefer using ratchet straps instead of chain since chain can break and go flying, but it worked.

Ratchet straps are for holding things still, not for pulling. Any pulling tool could break if it's damaged or worn out. Straps degrade in the sun, chain links elongate and weaken, a small rip can suddenly tear through. Big chain is more solid than small whimpy chain, solid tow straps are stronger than ratchet straps.

 

[Scsmith42]

Before I bought a hydraulic auger for my skid steer, I used a 3 point hitch auger. They SUCK in our hard clay soil. I improved mine by welding on some tabs that allowed me to add around 450 lbs of counterweight on top of the auger. That helped significantly.

 

[beamernc]

Last company I worked at, we used synthetic slings to lift the injection molds. Some of the molds weighed over 100K lbs and we were forbidden from using any kind of chain for lifting.