Posted by Clint Dixon [172.69.58.128] on Saturday, November 04, 2023 at 19:31:53 :
In Reply to: Re: Rear PTO posted by Todd [162.158.186.26] on Saturday, November 04, 2023 at 18:48:57 :
The biggest expense would be to make the rear pillow block. The image here is a cross section view of it. As Marty eluded to, if you don't have this part, you are out of luck as it is key to the whole system working. Now one could make something cheap with off-the-shelf items found at a farm store, but it will not appear even close to resembling an original and the functionality will be questionable unless you have (or are willing to pay for) a lot of ability to design something from nothing.
I would just guess, from knowing what we charge at the machine shop for reverse engineering, farming out parts to be cast, and all the machining required to make that assembly, that one piece would cost at least half of what Vaughn mentioned that current Rear PTO Assemblies are selling for - if you can find one. And no, the shop I work for would not be interested in making a rear pillow block unless we got an order for at least 100, all of the design and tooling costs were paid for up front, and one were willing to wait for a few years until a time came up when we were not working 55 hours a week trying to keep up with customers who spend millions of dollars a year for us to make parts for them.
The best thing to do, especially if you think you will probably never get any use out of an original, is to buy it all piece by piece as individual parts appear over time. This is how I had to do it and it took 20 years. But that was the best part. I spent 20 years searching out the parts and what I have I now feel that I earned, that the patience, persistence, patience, and willing to do research (did I mention patience), were all worth the effort.
I know it can be a hard pill to swallow. But now it becomes clear why these things command what is really an unreasonable price in the grand scheme of things. But I have to admit, I sure would not sell a complete setup for $4000.00. I would be crazy to do so. I may as well use $100.00 bills as kindling in my fireplace.
Junior