My PTO Shaft is Stuck! (and how to hammer it out without inflicting damage)

You're all ready to do work, back the tractor up to the brush hog, the three point lines up easily...but you can't get the darned PTO to extend. What's happened is a little rust has formed in the area between the male and female PTO shaft tubes. Frustrating!!! Today I'll give you some tips that will allow you to get the PTO to extend without breaking your back or damaging the yoke.
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[@michaelperreault5489]

Thanks Mike! My shaft was real stuck, Bush Hog left in the field for two years does that. I used my 40 hp Kubota, in four wheel drive trying to pull it apart with one end of the shaft chained to a tree and no luck, I was just digging holes in the ground. I took it to my shop, cut off the sleeve, pumped in some WD 40 rust breaker , heated the shaft with my oxyacetylene torch and pulled apart with just a couple of hammer blows. I'm greasing her up, putting on a new protective sleeve and get to cutting! Thanks again Mike

[@johnwillis6607]

Mike, once again you have had and effective and useful answer to my specific problem. I got the shaft on my Auger working again in ten minutes after viewing your video.

[@gregzais9248]

Hi Mike. once again I learned some valuable information from you about my tractor and PTO. The shaft got stuck due to the rainfall from the wettest "Bummer Summer" of '23. I used WD 40, a 4 pound sledge hammer and a pry bar, careful of that Zerk. After about 10 alternating taps on the pry bar the PTO shaft was free. I am going to remove the shaft and slip clutch and thoroughly clean both. But I will remember to remove the shaft for the winter and store it in my mechanical room. Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge! Greg in the Adirondacks.

[@zipperhead101]

Tractor Mike, you saved the day! I was about to come to the end of a perfect day and ran into a stuck shaft. The trick with soaking in penetrating oil for a while and using the pipe through the u-joint yoke worked like a charm! Thank you very much! Liked, subscribed and rang the bell. Take care.

[@1amder]

I used a come along and it came and went. I must have had to use about 500lbs of pulling pressure to separate the PTO shaft. The advice about not leaving it outside is good advice.

[@shealdedmon7027]

Well Mike that's good advice. Want to hear an easier way? I have a winch on the front of my tractor so I simply ran the cable back under the tractor and hooked onto the yoke and pulled in out. If you don't have a winch just pull up to an immovable object wrap your chain around it run it under the tractor to the yoke hook it up then back up. Presto!

[@markchoate9021]

Very helpful, Mike. Nothing is more frustrating than a contrary PTO shaft.

[@sycordr2821]

Heck yeah them SOB's will try to make you lose your temper.

[@joelhenderson3951]

Mike I spray WD 40 every time when I get done with it and I don't have that problem. Good show!

[@curtiscrunch1059]

Cheers Mike, good information. PTO shaft was stuck on my MF165/Gyromass combo. I fixed it by connecting the PTO to the MF without hooking up, then creeping it forwards on the clutch which pulled out the shaft the 15cm I needed to get hooked up. Greetings from English expat in France.....

[@peterbarnes7851]

Thanks Mike, I'm a newbe to tractors and I have purchased a 58 massey ferg so appreciate your advice with this and other things

[@ya472]

Just hammered, pulled, banged, pushed, sprayed, etc and finally was able to pull the shafts apart. Yes, grease and dirt were the main culprits, so I washed it all out with a bit of diesel on a rag, and she works nice and smooth with a fresh coat of oil... on my Xmas list to re-oil frequently. It is especially easy on my post hole auger, as the upper end of the shaft is hollow. April 2020

[@rccolacc]

Been there before! Just went and borrowed a friend’s posthole digger. It was sitting outside and hadn’t been used in over a year. Yeah the shaft was froze up on it. Ended up using a ratchet strap to pull it apart and it worked fairly well. Good advice- enjoy your videos.

[@MrBruce0777]

Good video and how to. I've had my PTO shaft stuck before extremely bad and I put a come along on the front of the tractors axle and attached with a small chain to the PTO shaft and pulled it apart easy. Thanks for sharing

[@larrymoore6640]

A good informative video. I like the fact that you took the time to show how mud dopplers made a nest in the PTO shaft and a close up of how you inserted the pipe.

[@coypatton3160]

Mike one caution that if you mentioned I missed and it is worth repeating. The u-joint has needle bearings under the cap, heavy/ hard hammering can damage them. Light taps will get the job done. Also a little movement will often break loose any surface rust. I use grease personally. I)try to 1 only do a light layer, this is not a place where more is better, 2) clean and re-coat each fall when putting away the implement.

[@HamiltonvilleFarm]

Great tips Mike. As always, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@jwbeaton]

uh man, good video, just had to break a couple of these loose on the old farm we took over. more than 1 seized pto shaft tube!

[@rocksandoil2241]

Sometimes a burr on the end going into the larger sleeve can be filed off with a hand file … takes a few minutes. And a long bit extension and a small wire brush on the end of a drill will clean that gunk out.

[@herbiebackhoe5593]

Grease sure has been the thing of the past for pto shafts it seems, now it's time to start using WD on my new equipment pto's… Thanks Mike

[@Timandlisa123]

Thanks for this information Mike. I had to hook up my finish mower up to a tree. Did the job very well.

[@GrayManPrepping]

I didn't know about the flat part on the PTO shaft, Thanks for the info and keep up the great work.

[@tracer0017]

Tried this then attached the PTO shaft from a tree to my tractor and no good. I eventually gave up and took it to my local implement store and in 2 days got it back freed. The previous owner left it out for a few years before I came along, but this showed me to do maintenance on it so that it doesn't freeze again

[@ThePlowGuys]

Mike can you do a video on "Fluid injection" I fear not enough people know about the dangers of this and you are the person to help get this info out there.

[@cspfitch]

Thanks Mike. After seeing your video I went out back and sprayed all the implements just Incase

[@regbowes1127]

Another gem, Mike!

[@TheProCut17]

Just had a really stuck one. I strapped one side to a tree and chained the other side to my tractor. It took 4 to 5 good snatches to break it free.

[@MarcOppelt]

Thanks Mike! You saved my ass again

[@geremychubbuck3730]

I've used a ratchet strap before to ratchet it apart. Good idea with the pipe and hammer shock.

[@Drew6709]

I have used oil (5w30) to loosen up stuck shafts. Messy, yes. But after a little cleaning of the shaft (both sides) I didn't have much problem afterwards.

[@TroianusEquus]

As always, good advice from tractor Mike! Keep up the good work!

[@kevinshane9079]

I always store my shafts separated. Not going through that ordeal again.

[@vincegordon3394]

Nice one Mike! Funny, I literally just had my PTO off yesterday to service it. Grease etc. Question: do you ever use the WD-40 that drys and doesn’t attract dirt? I’ve been using it lately and it seems like another excellent WD-40 product. Thanks for the great videos! Vince

[@willdonahue3208]

great tips. thx Mike

[@boydmiles9916]

That worked, had to hammer it the whole way but it worked.

[@markchoate9021]

I also didn't realize that the WD 40 would be better than the grease.

[@kayakwesty]

Thank you for teaching

[@mohamedbensaida1483]

Thanks

[@shawnmontgomery1088]

I just pull mine apart when finished and they always go back in easy with a little wd. Then I don't have to fight to get apart ever. Oh to scramble all the safety sallys I take all the pto guards off so you don't need 3 hands to put back together when it's 90+ out and your sweating cause you just finished hooking implement up

[@Matt10Lawrence]

I had to chain one end too a tree and the other end to the tractor and get a running start to break my PHD shaft loose. PITA.

[@MLJenkins]

Matt Lawrence wow, I’ve had to do that once but no running start. Bought a post auger and the shaft wasn’t greased by the previous owner. I grease them now if they start to feel stuck when I connect things up.

[@Larry342516]

Good info. Thanks Mike

[@gerardobringer9907]

Mike just had that problem, I just took a rope through the u joint then to the 3 point and pulled it out with the tractor.

[@johnkummer7578]

Agreed, thanks for sharing your experience. Can you discuss the stays for the guard, or is there a problem in letting the guard spin with the shaft?? My ties pull off even though the shaft and the guard are free of one another. I was thinking about a zip tie combination to try to keep it in place but if it pulled off the plastic of the guard would it not pull off of the zip ties? Any suggestions?? Thanks again Mike!

[@thephotographicauditor6715]

You need PB Blaster as a sponsor.

[@artgoat]

Good as a last resort, but I can't imagine that hammering on the cross bearings is too great for their longevity.

[@mikehornsby599]

Great job enjoyed that!!!!

[@comlbbeau]

You stole my thunder at the end of the video. As I watched I was thinking that step 1 should be to ensure that the shaft wasn't bent. In my case I removed the shaft completely and tied one end securely to a tree and hooked a come-along to the other end and cranked away.

[@mikedellinger4046]

I used I Chain and ran it under my tractor and hooked it to the loader when I lifted the loader it pulled shaft out

[@jamesb.armstrong5433]

It's nearly impossible to grease the shaft with those shields in place. I don't hook, unhook my PTO with the tractor running. I also don't work on it while it is running.

[@janskoropinski10]

That penetrating oil also penetrates through your skin. Maybe some rubber gloves would be a wise choice.

[@jeremiahmacialek9207]

He's an old farmer he's 75% penetrating oil lol

[@enricopallazzo3244]

Now you tell me

[@joewbowen]

To lubricate a PTO shaft - grease, WD-40 or some combination?

[@allanfarr]

THANK YOU !!! I got i unstuck.

[@tractorsold1]

I've seen lots of different shapes for PTO shafts, some of them will go together at every 180 deg, or every 90. If it's just a little bit stuck, you can anchor the impliment, attach the PTO to the tractor (but not the 3 pt or tounge), an drive off a bit. But if it's more than a lillte bit stuck, that can snap the retaining pin, and how do you know it's only a little bit stuck?

[@360nightrider]

Hey Mike, we recently purchased a brand new(in crate) flail mower. And it comes with a slip clutch pto shaft. I'm having trouble getting it apart so I can cut the shaft down to fit behind our tractor. Do you think a brand new shaft could have been damaged and there for stuck fully compressed...or more likely it is corroded in place. Thanks in advance. Great videos!

[@chuckr8683]

Try attaching a pto with the shield onto a subcompact tractor that has a backhoe mount. Talk about an exercise in frustration. I cringe when I change implements. (MF GC1720)

[@jakejake708]

Wish I'd watched this first, i used grease. Lucky i don't use shields. Back hurts lol

[@AccountantByDay553]

Mine is stuck to the tractor

[@Katana622]

Anyone have good instructions how to replace the pto tubing in the shaft??

[@kensayre3880]

My equipment is stored outside. I lube the shaft , remove it, and store it inside.

[@AccountantByDay553]

Dealing with this BS right now

[@leejamestheliar2085]

Mike, how do I get it to STOP raining??????? Bought my 1rst tractor 2years ago and haven't been able to really use it since. HELP ME!!!!!! And most of the FARMERS in this country. Give us a vdja on that, reverse rain dancing!!! I have found that by the time that I have dropped the pto shaft on my foot a few times that a hammer isn't necessary! An x ray may be......

[@georgesimpson3113]

Got one for you... rented a 3 pt tiller. couldn't get the shaft on at first... then it went on real easy. Did the WD40 Rust stuff and it helped. Then when I was done, the thing would NOT come off. Ended up taking my PTO part off my tractor and taking it back with the tiller and having them get it off. They had a time... rule #1. Buy what I want, don't rent. I must have beat the piss out of that thing, up, down, on, off, everything. Spray, spray, spray. And yes, I greased it B4. I don't think anyone else had ever done it, ever.

[@freedomforall5071]

fertilizer buggy pto shaft is the worst of getting stuck!!!

[@Mark-qq9cd]

My metal sleeve is “frozen”. Any ideas on to get it off?

[@oswaltedmund6257]

Not a fan of PTO shields. I know there is that safety thing, but those darn shields are not fun. I use a ratchet strap to pull them apart. then once apart. I oil and sand all the surfaces clean. Then Oil.

[@lawrencestevens7445]

Have you ever had your PTO shaft frozen to your tractor?

[@awd3264]

Uh shinny.

[@jh-lp7cg]

never get rust in between your male-to-female parts

[@Homesteadyshow]

Hey Tractor Mike! I mentioned you in today’s video on my channel, your video helped me get my PTO Shaft unstuck and get mowing! I asked my audience if they would like an interview done with you on our channel and lots said yes! Would you be interested in doing a Tractor 101 interview on Homesteady? Email me [e-mail] to follow up!

[@TractorMike]

Absolutely! I'm sending you an e-mail now.

[@wildbill23c]

After 30 years on my property I have never had any issues with PTO shafts. Why? I have never owned a tractor LOL....easiest way to never have tractor, implement, and PTO issues, never own a tractor LOL. Cheaper that way.

[@canadian_wolf8395]

I wish I was sponsored by wd40 I use it everyday and a couple of free cans wouldn’t hurt my feelings