PTO Basics

Anyone that has ever carried a Swiss army knife can appreciate why some people truly love their tractors. Just like a Swiss knife, a tractor can be much more than just a cutting blade. With the versatility of power take off transmissions and shafts, a tractor owner has the ability to connect to a variety of tools and attachments, making a standard farm tractor into a rolling power tool. Since the advent of PTO in the 1930s, people have invented a variety of PTO implements that allow you to harness the power of your tractor's engine to operate a wide variety of equipment like rotary cutters, pumps, log splitters, drills and cement mixers.

The most common form of PTO involves a splined drive shaft driven by a truck or tractor that can easily connected to a driven implement. The drive shaft on a tractor has traditionally been provided at 540 revolution per minute (rpm), but is now available in higher rpm ratings of 1100 rpm, which has especially helped in providing power to agriculture pumps in high head applications.  Additionally, various types of pto contols are available that can allow you to operate your equipment directly or through a completely separate clutch.  Separate clutches allow for independent control of your tractor speed as well as you equipment, but with added function comes added complexity and added price.  Be sure to weigh your options to find the best fit for your needs.

When buying a PTO Implement, you need to make sure that not only the speed is correct for your current transmission, but you must also verify that the shaft size and number of splines of the PTO shaft corresponds to your equipment. Additionally, verify that the amount of power generated by your tractor or truck is sufficient to supply the tool you are driving. Most equipment comes in various sizes based on power requirements, and has different corresponding shaft and spline sizes.

With whatever PTO equipment that you choose, you must be extremely careful and be sure to follow all manufacture operation guidelines and instructions. PTO related accidents are a leading cause of death in tractor related deaths, and are mostly preventable through care and proper operation. From people getting pulled into rotating PTO shafts and losing limbs, to death from unguarded PTO shafts, there have been numerous preventable accidents.