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Terry - You problem is most likely in two areas on a mechanical engagement PTO and neither requires the split of the tractor. The mechanical PTO uses a sliding splined coupler to engage the rear PTO shaft to the front one. Over time, some grinding on the coupler on the rear PTO shaft creates burrs on the the rear shaft which and does not allow full engagement of the coupler on the shaft. Once that happens the reaction is to push hard on the engagement lever on the left side of the dash which can bend the linkage arm on the engagement linkage arm on the shaft coming out of the left side of the torque tube behind the battery box and near the clutch pedal linkage. First the rear PTO shaft burrs. Drain both the torque tube AND the transmission of fluid. If you haven't done the transmission in a while expect to find a milky goo. You'll be glad you changed it when you see what comes out of it. After you have drained both compartments remove the 3 bolts holding in the rear PTO seal/bearing/shield. Give the PTO shaft a good yank STRAIGHT out the back and pull it all the way out. Be careful to do it straight as those front splines are being pulled out through two seals up between the torque tube and the transmission cases and you don't want to damage them (that WOULD require a split to fix). Once you get the PTO shaft out it will most likely look something like this with burrs on the end (sorry for the large picture but you need to see the detail): 
Take a dremel tool with a fine grinding stone and go over all the splines on the end to eliminate all the burrs/rough edges and dress it up to more smoothly engage the internal coupler on the front PTO shaft. It can look much worse than this picture and you can still clean it up with the dremel and it will be fine. Before reinstalling the shaft at least replace the large sealing O-ring and the rear seal. Check the bearing and replace it too if it seems worn. Remember to put the PTO shaft back in easy and straight/level when going thru those two front seals. Next area is the engagement shaft. You have to remove the battery box to get at it. Once the battery box is off it looks like this before the clutch pedal comes off: 
After the clutch pedal is off it looks like this: 
Mine was bent. I think I used a big crow/pry bar and a little heat to bend it back (bent up on the left side). My One-Eighty was doing the same thing as yours and after fixing both items mine works perfectly smooth now and stays engaged. Good luck! Mike
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