PTO safety shield?

[Dave Wave]

I am pretty new to tractors and PTOs. It is pretty clear the PTO shaft deserves some respect.

The PTO shaft I have has a plastic guard that covers the shaft itself and a little bit more than half of each u joint.

The guard spins with the shaft.

Is this normal?

It seems like it would be better to have something that did not spin, protecting the spinning shaft.

Any pointers as to where to go to read up on setting one of these up safely?


Thanks,

-Dave

 

[BushogPapa]

Under-statement of the year..( PTO deserves "some" respect)...!!!

You had BETTER respect that PTO and be VERY careful around it..
The outer sleeve does rotate as the PTO is running but should turn freely on the shaft, so it will protect you from some of the potential hazards of the turning PTO..
That PTO cover is NOT to be taken as any total protection from a turning PTO..
You MUST ALWAYS Stop the PTO before leaving the tractor and also never get near the PTO with loose-fitting or frayed clothing..
Many people have been maimed and/or Killed by a PTO...
BE CAREFUL around any moving shafts..!!

Ron.

 

[retired farmer]

If it is working properly, the plastic covering stops spinning if you grab it. It uses plastic slip bearings between it and the actual shaft to protect you if you happen to touch it. See if you can turn it by hand with the PTO and engine off. It should turn easily but not the inner metal shaft. If it doesn't, it should be taken off and the inner surfaces cleaned of dirt and rust.

 

[Dave Wave]

The plastic shield has some psudo-zerk type moulding on it (looks kinda like a zerk anyhow, but no ball/spring, just a hollow tube). Is this to grease the shield?

-Dave

 

[showcrop]

Many plastic shields are supposed to be stationary even while the shaft is turning. They have renewable bearings between the cover and the part of the shaft that they ride on. They are held by a small chain fastened to one end that has a clip to attach to an adjacent part of the implement.

 

[Anonymous-0]

yes

 

[Leroy]

To add, even if the part of shield covering shaft hits your pants leg it should not grab the pants leg and leave you standing naked if you are managing to still be standing those half coverings over the universals will still catch that pants leg and rip the pants off you and hope you are still able to be standing there naked and not waiting for the ambulance to take you to the funeral home for your final ride. Sounds harsh but that has happened to a lot of people and we don't want to loose any of the readers of this site.

 

[DeltaRed]

Turn the PTO OFF! before your @$$ leaves the seat!

 

[old]

NO SAFETY should be depended on to work as it should. That is how people get shot and how people get hurt. Yes on some like you have found out the shield spins with the PTO that is because of friction and no matter what it is there and will cause the shield to spin. Yes in theory you should be able to stop it with your hand or foot etc but DO NOT try that because if something is wrong with it you could get hurt. So what I am saying is the best safety is between your ears so when you do things look and think before you act and shut things off before you move

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 10:05:15 08/18/11) Turn the PTO OFF! before your @$$ leaves the seat!

I totally agree. Pto shields were invented to protect the ignorant. Government has come up with another insane program called automobile TIRE Monitors brought on by SUV rollovers. A sensor in my PU tire had the battery go down. $80 later it's repaired.

 

[Jerry/MT]

The guard will spin with the shaft due to the bearing friction (there are nylon bearings between the guard and the shaft). If you touch the guard it will stop spinning and allow the shaft to spin inside of it.

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Local guy got his arms mangled by a tiller a couple of weeks ago.
PTO had stationary type cover on it with chain, tiller jammed, he
didn't see the pto was still engaged and the slip clutch slipping
and reached in to clear the rock.

The operator did not get the pto shut off in time. Removed the
guys left arm at the elbow and smashed the right one to
smithereens destroying his hand.

NEVER TOUCH A PTO SHAFT WHILE ITS RUNNING AND STAY THE
TRUCK AWAY FROM IMPLEMENTS WHILE OTHERS ARE OPERATING
THEM!

 

[BushogPapa]

I have neighbors that have lost children in a PTO and one Farmer was lucky enough to still be alive, when a pass-by saw him going around and around between the PTO and the Drawbar..took him several years to get back..
My Ex-brother-in-lew who thought he was always careful, got a surprise once...he got out of his combine with it running and suddenly found himself standing in his underwear...!!
End of a rotating shaft caught his Carharts...
Can't be too careful around these things...

Ron..

 

[Anonymous-0]

My simple mantra

1) Never..never,,,get off a tractor when the PTO is turning... even from inertia...let it dead stop.

2) Never,,,never ...hook up or unhook a PTO when the tractor is running.

 

[okierob]

If you will look at that zerk shaped molding, you will see a red plastic insert close by. Take that red plastic insert out and the coller will twist and now you can slide it back so you can get to the real grease zerk.

You cannot grese the u-joint with the plactic molded zerk.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 18:26:22 08/18/11) My simple mantra

1) Never..never,,,get off a tractor when the PTO is turning... even from inertia...let it dead stop.

2) Never,,,never ...hook up or unhook a PTO when the tractor is running.

'll be that 95% of those hurt by PTO believed in that simple mantra and almost never failed to observe it.

 

[David G]

My plastic PTO guards have a chain, to attach to tractor, that keeps
them from spinning. I have grown up around PTO's and still are afraid
of them, that fear has kept me alive.

Number one rule, never stand over, lean over or get near while moving.

 

[GaryinKs]

If the plastic shield didnt spin with the shaft,heat from the friction would melt it,

 

[Fritz Maurer]

As long as the guard is in place and not all busted up, and spins freely on the shaft, you're in good shape. My 276 Bush Hog has a piece of dog chain on one of the bells to keep it from turning, But I don't think that's really necessary. What IS necessary is grabbing your children by the lapels and growling at them, nose-to-nose: "You will not EVER get off that tractor with the PTO turning!" In the case of an elevator, walk around the front of the tractor. The best safety device is a careful operator... and teacher