The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts PTO problems 58 viking

Hi fellas, im having an issue with my 1958 chevy viking 60, specifically PTO problems, and even more specifically PTO engagement issues.
On my truck there is a single black knob attached to the column via a plate, the knob is attached to a cable, push in to engage the PTO, pull out to disengage the PTO.
My issue is the engagement, i pulled the cable cleaned and lubed the sheath with some pb blast and wd-40 hooked everything back up and tried it again.
what's happening is the pto is not engaging the knob attached to the cable pushes back on my hand and is binding because the "plunger" (for lack of the correct term) doesnt want to go into the PTO box (again lack of a better term) since the PTO is bolted to the side of the trans.
I cant even try to work it in with a pry bar, engine running with clutch in, completely shut off makes no difference it just doesnt want to go into the transmission to engage.
Is there anyone else that has had this issue and knows What to do?

thanks for the help!

take the PTO off and make sure it is not frozen up. If it moves freely off the transmission, it may be that someone put the wrong one on before you got it. I would assume though that there is a detent ball in it that is frozen up from sitting.

I agree...drain the trans and pull the PTO off the side of the transmission (6 bolts) and bench test it.

Mike B

Before you remove the PTO, read the mounting instructions.

http://www.phtruck.com/download/training/truck_training_online/pto_training/5_pto-installation.pdf

You need to have the proper backlash. It is not a simple matter of reinstalling it. It is very unusual for the PTO to engage by pushing in the cable. It is usually the other way around. You should be able to get to the PTO to pry it in and out of gear. Depending on how it is mounted, you may have to take the center of the floor board out to get to it. Is it a dump bed or what? Do you know if it ever worked>

the pto does work, it drives a hydraulic pump to actuate a dump bed, when i first started testing it the cable was frozen in the sheath to i disconnected the cable and actuated it by hand still wasnt easy but it was do-able. so i know it does engage it just seems that for some reason something is keeping the plunger from going into the pto and engaging it. especially since now the cable is free in the sheath and moves like it should.

the pto has worked, its just the actuation of it. the detend ball seems to me like the most logical but we all know thats usually not the case. the only thing hnging up is the engagement plunger. ( i can email you some photos later today)

on mine, sometimes the gears are lined up just right so it won't go in, I have to let the clutch out just a tad so the gears in the tranny move. I am assuming you have tried that? (does not need to move much at all)

yes sir all i get is an aweful grinding noise, ive even tried it with the engine off and having someone twist the pto shaft.

Do you have enough cable to make it a "pull to engage" setup? I wouldn't waste more than a few minutes on a rusty push/pull cable- - - -brand new ones aren't that expensive, and one that's long enough to route to the other side of the lever to pull it into engagement will solve the flexing cable sheath problem. Bracketing the cable housing to something rigid like the frame or the transmission housing will also help.
Jerry

jerry i emailed you photos of the setup so you could look at it. maybe im in your spam folder?

I've been out of town all day. I just responded to the email. That cable is too small, not rigid enough, and routed backwards. You need a much thicker (new) cable long enough to connect to the lever from the other direction so pulling the knob engages the PTO. First, it's imperative to remove the box, free up the linkage, and use the proper stack of shims and gaskets between the PTO and the transmission case so the slide gear can engage the transmission cluster gear without having to force it. The spacing of the box from the case is a very critical dimension. Most PTO's have a plug or a bolt hole to allow a dial indicator to be used to check the backlash of the driven gear when it's engaged with the transmission. The lever should move easily when engaging the gear, but with a minimum of backlash. If the box is too close to the trans case, the gear teeth will bottom out. If it's too far away, there will be a lot of slack and rapid wear of the gears.
Jerry