PTO U-joint cross bearing installation (Final Upda

Make sure the open end of the socket is AWAY from the cross bearing end cap when you apply vise pressure. I had two end caps crack and fall apart on their tops. I believe the cross bearing spindle pushed up from below and cracked them. With the "flat" side of the socket against the end cap this didn't happen.

Repacking needle bearings is no fun. I took all the typical precautions. But trying to align the end caps while balancing some sockets AND tightening the vise, I ended up dropping a couple. Plus, I had to recycle some old end caps since I cracked the two new ones.

My new PTO shaft now has all the necessary yokes. But, I fear it will be a little long. I'll take it out to the tractor (at our land) and measure. I didn't take into account the added length of the yokes. I have a feeling I'll have to have it cut down. The square tube will be easy to cut. The other end is a tube with the yoke welded to one end and the square 'recepticle' on the other. This portion will have to be cut in the center and welded back together....one step forward, two steps back!

At any rate, thanks to all for the advise.

Paul.

No the bearings were all in place. I could see them when the entire end cap surface (the top) disintegrated into little fragments and fell off.

What clearly happened is that the end caps were pushed down onto the cross bearing spindles by the sockets. Since the sockets were placed with the open end against the end cap this led to the pressure being applied at the perimeter of the end caps. As the vise squeezed everything together the "skirt" of the end caps were pressed down while the "top" of the end cap was halted from further movement by the spindle on the underside. Kinda like the old Laurel and Hardy movies where they pull the top hat on too tight and the top pops off!

"On cutting the shaft, Do Not cut the female end, all ways cut the male end if it needs to be cut. The female end of the shaft is a sliding guide and the tube is of thin metal, difficult to weld unless the plateu on the slider is cleared and clean. BTDT many times."

On my PTO shaft at the receptacle end there is a special adapter that is welded to the end of the tube. This is round and the same diameter. But, it is solid and has a square hole down the center. The entire assembly is rigid. I like the suggestion below to try to cut it off right at the adapter so there is the potential to re-use the adapter's recessed lip that aligns the tube with the adapter.

Paul.

The square is usually not square, but rectangular to maintain phasing of the u-joints. It has to be put back the same way relative to the yoke.

It may be easier to unweld the yoke, move it down the tube and reweld after cutting the tube to the correct length.

Roger in Iowa

Paul.

Rod

I still haven't been out to the tractor but I'm certain the darn PTO shaft is too long...this old rotary cutter WILL NOT get the best of me!!

Paul.

Anyone that's never had to cut a tube simply hasn't had the need to shorten a shaft. Cutting the bar will do nothing for you if the shaft is so long that it won't go on the tractor.... all it will do is limit the extended length.

Rod