Best lube for PTO shafts

[Anonymous-0]

What is the best lube to use on PTO shafts to keep them from sticking. Thanks

 

[Jerry/MT]

Just regular chasis grease is all that is normally called for. the U-joints shlould be greased every 8 hrs and the sliding part every 40 hrs.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Looking for something that wont dry out if you let it sit for a year. Does the graphite never seize kind of stuff work well on PTO shafts?

 

[BCnT]

yeah,it works,but alot of folks balk at the cost..i drill my outer tube for zerks...couple pumps of grease every 6 months or so and youre good to go.
i tried white lithium assembly lube once...middle of August when sun's hoverin about 5 miles over my ranch,it just ran out of shaft like water.

 

[showcrop]

Usually if it's going to sit outside for any length of time you bring the end that attaches to the tractor in under cover to keep it from dropping down in the dirt.

 

[GordoSD]

I spray them down real good with the chain lube IH Dealers see. They slide real easy. They don't need a lubricant because the only time there is any movement is when you install or remove them.
U-joints get corn head lube.

 

[RodinNS]

A #2 Lithium complex is generally sufficient for most things farm use, PTO shafts included. I assume you're talking about square shafts. If you're talking about the teardrop or three sided metric shafts then a very light coat of grease on the tube is adequate. Sometimes I don't even use that. Sometimes just a spray like Fluid Film. If those are over greased then they get very tacky and don't always scope properly... and that can lead to other problems.

Rod

 

[Sid]

"They don't need a lubricant because the only time there is any movement is when you install or remove them."

What??

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

I guess Gordo ain't usin' trailin' equipment! Even in SD ya gonna hafta turn[i:3292067377] sometime[/i:3292067377]! LOL

 

[Roy in UK]

I remember when I went on a training course with Howards (i.e. The rotovator people ) They recommended Molybdenum Disulphide Grease for P.T.O. shafts.

 

[GordoSD]

Mea Culpa. Yes, on trailed implements you may have several inches of fore and aft movement when making a 180, at about 1/10,000th mph. Not enough friction and heat to keep grease from hardening.

 

[Shetland Sheepdog]

Personal experience with "Dry" PTO shaft on a Kuhn FC250 disc mower/conditioner. It had enough resistance to telescoping when under load to break the retainer on the PTO shaft on my 5610! 2 valuable lessons learned; #1 lube telescoping shafts! #2 be cautious about who you let borrow your tractor!

 

[RodinNS]

Hhhhh? Not enough friction? Have you even seen a shaft gaul and spall from lack of lube? I've seen the metric shafts flake off and the bars on ball slip shafts actually shed chunks. At the top end of their torque rating any thing is possible...

Rod

 

[Oldmax]

I drill my shafts too. are a lot easer to lube. Brother-n-law came over and we changed his u-jonts in one while we were working on it I drilled & tapped his also.

 

[gmcinnes]

yeah,it works,but alot of folks balk at the cost..i drill my outer tube for zerks...couple pumps of grease every 6 months or so and youre good to go.
i tried white lithium assembly lube once...middle of August when sun's hoverin about 5 miles over my ranch,it just ran out of shaft like water.

Do you ever get angry that ag equipment manufacturers don't do the most cheap and obvious things in the world to make your life easier? I do. But then again I didn't think of this either @Oldmax

 

[caterpillar guy]

For the square we just oil them with used oil if they don't have a grease zerk. On the spline at the tractor we do the same occasionally as needed to slide well just splash a bit of oil on the tractor shaft and slide the end on it will loosen up if used frequently. Don't have any of those fancy metric junk shaft to deal with yet.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Looking for something that wont dry out if you let it sit for a year. Does the graphite never seize kind of stuff work well on PTO shafts?

Stuck from sitting many years, sure. Never seen one stuck from sitting for just one year if it started out cleaned, greased, and moving freely.

 

[504]

I just take them apart and hang them on the wall in my shop

 

[E.B. Haymakin']

What is the best lube to use on PTO shafts to keep them from sticking. Thanks

I spray them down with pb blaster which is a penetrating oil I believe. I've had too many shafts get caked up with any of the grease types and seize. If I haven't used an implement in a while I walk out with a can and spray it. Spray when attaching it, and again when finished. Been having fewer shaft problems this way than with grease.

 

[T in NE]

"They don't need a lubricant because the only time there is any movement is when you install or remove them."

What??

I think he means the part that slides onto the tractor shaft.
A touch of some sort of oil makes a big difference there, though.