PTO shaft dilemma

OK, here's the deal. I want to make a permanent mount for my PTO generator that I can bolt to the back of my WF. The problem is I don't want it hanging out the back 5 feet with a PTO shaft, I want it coupled right off the end of the PTO which means I need a sleeve to slide over both male ends on the shafts, similar to a lovejoy connector. I think the sleeve should be about 6 inches long? Where can I find a sleeve like that or should I make a different shaft that connects right from the PTO gear box to the generator or should forget the whole idea because it won't work? Give me your theories.

Baum hydraulics www.baumhydraulics.com has that long splined sleeve. The compliication using it is that you need a rigid generator mount that will hold the shafts in line. If you were to use two short sleeves with a flexible coupling like a Lovejoy coupling. For a little longer assembly, but more tolerance of angular offset, take two splined female yokes with a standard u-joint cross assembly. Parts available from most every farm store as well as Baum in more than a dozen sizes of universal joints.

Gerald J.

Alignment and vibration were my big concerns also which is why the lovejoy idea sounds good. The belt and pulley theory crossed my mind but I don't have that much extra horsepower (30 HP peak) so I'm not sure it could run it. I can get ends to fit the PTO gearbox and the generator so maybe I'll take the stock shaft off and make a custom shaft that way??

Lonnie- I'll second Gerald's statements, and add one idea to the situation...

On MerCruiser marine drives, there's a double-cardan joint inside the gimbal housing.  If you know anyone who works on marine inboard-outboard drives, they probably have a few spare close-couple joint pieces laying in the junk box, and I believe a PTO yoke will match... if that's the case, your coupling problem is solved...  just make a stout bracket that'll hold the generator in position without much deflection under transport or operation.

OK, I can get 2 yokes and a joint in town for around $60, I'm going to try that and see what happens. Hopefully do it this weekend and I'll update when it's together, thanks for the input.

DaveKamp wrote: Lonnie- I'll second Gerald's statements, and add one idea to the situation... On MerCruiser marine drives, there's a double-cardan joint inside the gimbal housing.  If you know anyone who works on marine inboard-outboard drives, they probably have a few spare close-couple joint pieces laying in the junk box, and I believe a PTO yoke will match... if that's the case, your coupling problem is solved...  just make a stout bracket that'll hold the generator in position without much deflection under transport or operation.

Gosh Dave, you may be right but I was thinking the double cardan in the mercruisers were different size not the same as 540.  Its been several months since I had mine apart for yearly maintenance.  I can remember for sure that the shafts where fine splined but the joints size?

I was going to recommend what steveill said, pretty smart for an Illinois boy;) but he beat me to it. 

The reason that PTO generators are run at full speed is because people are generally stupid.  Most post 55' tractors have a tach with a position that states 540 pto rpm speed.  The generator must be run at proper rpm to get the proper Hertz out(60hz) otherwise bad things happen, especially with electronics.  Brush type motors dont really care but about anything in you house will.  Does your generator have a tach on it Lonnie?  I wouldn't think your WF does, if no to either how are you going to ensure proper speed. 


Edited by firebrick43 - 05 Nov 2010 at 11:24am