Power Takeoff (PTO) Maintenance Guide: Keep Your Vehicle Running Smoothly
Proper maintenance of your Power Takeoff (PTO) is crucial to ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your vehicle. Follow these tips to maintain your PTO:
- Safety First: Do not go under or near PTO when the engine is running. Shut off the engine and disconnect batteries on electric motor-driven PTOs (i.e., hybrid vehicles) before checking or servicing.
- Service Intervals: The PTO, being an integral part of the transmission, should be serviced at the same intervals as the transmission. Transmission fluid changes should follow the interval recommended by the vehicle manufac-turer for severe service.
- Check for Leaks: Checking for PTO leaks and checking the transmission oil level should be done regularly. Loss of oil can significantly affect or damage the transmission. Check for leaks upon delivery of the vehicle and after ini-tial operation of equipment.
- Maintenance Checks: The PTO requires periodic checks. Typically, the inter-val for maintenance checks of the PTO depends on the application of the vehicle. For severe-duty PTO applications, it is recommended that the PTO be checked for service every 100 hours of use (this guideline can be adjust-ed based on past service history once you have it established). Service should include checking and lubricating direct-mount pump shaft connec-tions on a regular basis.
- Recheck the Installation: Within the first week of use, recheck the installation of the PTO. Check for leaks in air lines or hydraulic connections with air shift or hot shift PTO’s and loose mounting hardware (studs, cap screws, nuts). Recheck the cables or lever connections for proper adjustments and lubri-cate moving parts, tighten and repair ALL connections, hoses, mounting hardware, cable, and lever connections.
- Visual Inspection: It is recommended that the operator/owner do a visual in-spection for leaks under and around the vehicle and equipment before en-tering or starting the equipment on at least a weekly basis. Any leaks should be corrected immediately.
- Anti-Seize or High-Temperature Grease: Pumps that are directly mounted to the PTO output require the application of anti-seize or a high-temperature, high-pressure grease (unless the PTO is a wet spline option). The purpose of this grease is to help make the PTO easier to service and to reduce the ef-fects of fretting corrosion on the mating PTO and pump shafts. PTO’s under severe duty cycles and/or high torque requirements may require servicing of this pump shaft connection by periodically regreasing the shafts. Vehicles with low-speed engines are also considered severe duty applications due to the inherent vibrations of the vehicles. Fretting corrosion cannot be stopped by greasing the shafts; it is only a deterrent. Wet spline PTO’s do not requi-re servicing this connection.
Remember, failure to comply entirely with the provisions set forth in the appropri-ate Owner’s Manual will result in voiding of ALL Warranty consideration.
For any queries, contact your equipment installer.
