Noise in PTO

[Dan England]

I realize that this is a forum for cubs. My question concerns my SA but I usually get more answers, and quicker ones, if I ask on this board. The PTO makes very little noise when traveling in a straight line. But a loud knocking noise occurs with any variation in direction. We have an H which chatters in a sharp turn but the SA does so with just a minor change of direction. Bearings, bad coupler, or other problem? I want to restore it to working condition soon. Thanks, Dan

[Bigdog]

Dan, does it do this with all pto driven implements? That type of noise is usually related to the universal joints on the connecting pto shaft from the implement rather than in the tractor itself. Can you detect any excess slack or movement in the tractor pto shaft?

[Dan England]

BD: I don't know the answer to that and had not considered that the noise might come from the implement rather than from the tractor. The only PTO driven implement which came with it is an old bushhog type cutter which looks like it was manfactured a few years before the arrival of Columbus in America. When I get it up and going, I will see if the problem lies with the cutter. Other suggestions, anyone? Thanks, Dan

[Dan England]

BD: I failed to answer the question on play in the PTO shaft. No movement in an up-down direction. Very little movement and no noise front-back. Some movement, along with metal on metal noise, on left-right. This suggests a problem in the PTO? What would be the likely causes and the fix? Dan

[Bigdog]

Dan, I think it's a little unusual to have side to side wear without vertical wear but nonetheless, I think I'd consider pulling the pto shaft and replacing the rear bearing. That is, if the side to side movement is significant. It could be contributing to the noise issue since you mention the noise is during turns when side thrust would be increased.

[George Willer]

Dan,

That knocking is simply the way universal joints work, and not an indication that anything is wrong.

The short explanation is that common universals don't run at constant velocity. By correctly timing the joints they exactly cancel each other's velocity changes because they are at opposite but equal angles. When you are in a turn they don't cancel, thus the noise you hear. The only way to minimize the noise (and possible damage to the drive line) is to keep the turns as gentle as possible... or install constant velocity joints as front wheel drive cars have so they can go around corners.

[Jim Becker]

I assume that the mower is not hitched way to the left of the drawbar, leaving a misalignment from the mower to tthe PTO. The offset makes the situation George described much worse than when they are in line. Hitching as far left as possible (and using a proper length hitch plate) may help considerably.

[Dan England]

Jim: I think you have identified part (maybe all) of the source of the noise problem. The tractor is at my house, the mower at my son's place, and we haven't had them hooked together in a year or so. But after reading your post, I thought I remembered that the mower shaft and PTO shaft were not in line. I checked the tractor and found that a trailer ball hitch is mounted on the drawbar in line with the PTO shaft. So, the mower would have been mounted to the right of the ball, and so not in line with the PTO. I will move the ball and try hooking the mower in line. I think it will sound much better. Thanks, Dan

[Charles (49) Mo]

Remembering that someone mentioned that if a PTO implement is coupled too close that it can make lots of noise and damage the PTO when movement occurs.

[Patbretagne]

Remembering that someone mentioned that if a PTO implement is coupled too close that it can make lots of noise and damage the PTO when movement occurs.

Yes that rings a bell, PTO shaft too long, lift implement out of ground = loud expensive noises
Pat