# pto disengages



## KurtDeMeaner

Hi, I just found this forum and am looking for some advice. I just bought an old Gravely 2 wheel tractor with the plow and 30" brush hog. I'd never heard of Gravly before last week so please bear with me.

The machine in a little rough but runs and drives well. the PTO engages nicely but after a few seconds when I try driving it pops out. I think the machine is about 1964ish.

I took the aattachment off and everything looks clean and leak free, the linkage is a little sloppy.


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## js5020

The most common cause with pto problems is due to a worn shipper shaft, the "pin" wears and gives clearance for it to not fully engage and it "pops" out.


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## KurtDeMeaner

Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it. I've just removed the brush hog and have started trying to decypher what I'm looking at. Could you please describe the shipper shaft so I can I.D. it? I'm also wondering where I could get a new shaft from as I'm in a very remote town in British Columbia. I'm starting to think I may be the only guy up here with a Gravely as I had to special order the spark plug and it took 3 days to come in! No one I talk to seems to know what the heck it is.


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## KurtDeMeaner

Ok I know have figured out what the shipper shaft is. Now I just need to find one. another thing I have noticed is that the previous owner installed a washer under 1 of the mounting bolts and the round piece that spins to engage sits on a bit of an angle due to this washer. I#m assuming he was trying to compensate for something. I'll post pics shortly


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## js5020

Heres a great site for any Gravely owner,,,,, http://www.oldgravelys.net/docs/ . Give these guys a try, being in Canada it gets tough to find places that will ship to you,,, http://www.gravelyparts.com/ ,,, no clue if they ship to Canada but worth a try.


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## KurtDeMeaner

Thanks. I'm going through these sites now. I looked up the # and it's a 1974. I thought it was a lot older.


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## Richard-tx

Give Richard's (gravelyparts.com) a call.


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## KurtDeMeaner

So I thought before I took the pto apart I would grease and lube everything. I sprayed the pto linkage with WD 40 then tried out the brush hog. Well I spent 5 hours cutting 3-4 foot wet thick grass and brush and the pto stayed where it was supposed to. After 3 hours I sprayed it again as it did pop out once but it performed very well.

I never heard of Gravely a few weeks ago. Now I can't wipe the smile of my face. My back is killing me, the handle bar kicked me in the nuts til I just about fell over and my right knee took a shot when a wheel got lodged in a rut. It was all worth it. I got the electric start going and now just need a bit more tweaking.


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## KurtDeMeaner

Oh yeah I got ahold of Richards. $40 for the shipper shaft if it turns out I need it. Thanks for the info.


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## KurtDeMeaner

here's picks of the gravely


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## js5020

LOL sounds like a day of Gravely fun for you then.


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## js5020

Oh I see what looks like a rotary plow in one of the pics, if the 30 deck was a workout and involved some injury wait till you use that and hit a secure rock in the ground,,,, when using that make sure the slip clutch is adjusted properly and stay clear of the handlebars,,, many of us have been slapped hard by those handlebars, it will leave a mark LOL.


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## Richard-tx

My advice on the rotary plow is to take it slow, low rpm, and take multiple passes starting shallow and then working deeper.. That will keep the tractor from jerking when hitting an obstacle. When I do new ground, I go clockwise, the CCW and finish up with CW again.


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## lwarren46

For Kurt DeMeaner re PTO drop out.

I also have a '74 Super Convertible and have experienced the same problem. When you replace the shipper shaft, there is a torquing procedure on the assembly's 2 top hex nuts. Pick yourself up a copy of the Gravely Shop Manual (avail. from Richard's, I'm sure) where this is explained. Manual is a great overall info source. Watch them handle bars - in the 20+ yrs I've owned my tractor, have taken many "warning shots" and thus far survived in tact!


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## KurtDeMeaner

*problem found??*

I ended up removing the long shaft that runs up the handle bar to the PTO lever. That's been the end of the problem, after many uses the pto engages and disengages just like it should. It hasn't popped out once. Kind of a pain with the short lever but easier than taking the pto apart.


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## Richard-tx

Two common failures are the ball detent in the shipper shaft mechanism and a worn or missing rubber grommet for the handle. 

To be honest that whole PTO shift rod is fundamentally flawed on the SC and is one of the reasons I will not have a L or SC around here. I have two 5665s and 2 Pros. I had an SC for a couple of months but gave it away.


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## vkfenn

I am a very new (2days ago) Gravely 2wheel tractor owner. I have the same problem with the PTO disengaging. I have solved it, I think. When I engage the PTO, I clamp on a small pair of vice grip pliers to the rod that you pull to engage thus keeping it from slipping back through the hole in dash. It's been working. Are there any problems with this that I am not seeing?


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## Richard-tx

I see all manner of problems with that. If Gravely had intended that vice grips be used, they would have supplied them.

Based on your description, you have either a C10, C12, 500, or 5000 series tractor. What keeps the rod from falling back is the bend in the rod and a small bit of angle iron.

Here are a couple of pictures that should help to get it fixed right. 









Rod pushed in









Rod pulled out.


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## KurtDeMeaner

I say no vice grips and remove the long shaft for now. I don't think forcing the pto to stay in with vise grips is wise. it may end up causing more damage. I haven't had any issies since I removed the shaft and just use the short pto handle to engage\disengage the pto.


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## KurtDeMeaner

oh yeah and can we see a pic of the machine? would appreciate seeing it.


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## vkfenn

Thanks for the advice guys. It might be a day or so before I can get back to my Gravely. Actual work does get in the way of fun and we are in for thunder storms for tomorrow. I am in South Georgia by the way. I will try to post a pic.


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## manisandhu

In india we have the worst of tractors and face these kind of problems everyday...still manage by Getting hold of them by force with a rope or a piece of cloth... Funny it is!


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## vkfenn

Here is my Gravely.


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## Richard-tx

You have the 4 bolt wheels. That is highly desirable in my book. Take the bolts out, install trailer studs and then tire changes are a breeze. You have the fat turf wheels and tires too. Another plus.

If you need new wheels, rec-stuff.com has wheels cheap.

Richards has new PTO control rod handles. They aren't expensive and will make operation a lot easier.

You have the long input shaft 30" mower. Another plus.

Change the trans oil, engine oil, grease the mower, and install some new blades and you will be ready for almost anything.


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## vkfenn

I had already checked the engine oil. Level is good and it looks clean like it had recently been changed. 
The transmission fluid is low and looks dirty. I had downloaded a manual and it says to use a 10w40 oil, didn't specify transmission fluid. I have on hand a generic tractor transmission/hydraulic fluid the specs on it state that it is 10w20. I didn't think that it is a good idea to use a lighter wt. 
What transmission fluid/oil do I need to use?


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## Richard-tx

The transmission isn't fussy. I personally use 20-50 Castrol because I am in Texas and it gets hot here. 10-30 engine oil is what Gravely calls for.

You will need 5 quarts.


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## vkfenn

Thanks, gets hot here too. South Georgia. Extreme cold is not an issue.


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