Do you need a Cadillac or a Chevrolet for a PTO?The original power take-off was a single gear unit with a gear that slid into mesh with a transmission gear, resulting in output shaft rotation. Single gear PTOs are still marketed today although their popularity is greatly diminished. Single gear PTOs are inexpensive and simple to service. However, they lack many of the features, such as the ability to accept direct-coupled hydraulic pumps that are popular with today’s truck equipment installers. Single gear PTOs also are limited by their torque and horsepower capabilities. You will find them used primarily on single axle dump trucks and agricultural hoists.
Multi-gear power take-offs, like the Muncie TG series, are the most common type of PTO because of their versatility. This type of PTO offers the user many features, such as direct pump mounting, shifter choice, and numerous speed ratios and horsepower capabilities that make it an ideal choice for almost any type of truck mounted equipment. This common PTO is found on dump trucks, roll-off hoists, wreckers, aerial bucket trucks, tank trucks, and truck mounted cranes. The Muncie TG Series is the most popular. Other Muncie models of this type are SH, SG, RG, RL, 82, and 83. The newest design power take-offs are the clutch type. Commonly called “Clutch Shift”, “Power Shift ”, or “Hot Shift” PTOs, these models engage by means of friction disks rather than sliding gears. Used for many years on Allison automatic transmissions, this type of PTO can also be fitted to many popular manual transmissions. Clutch type PTOs offer many advantages over traditional multiple gear models, not the least of which is their ability to be engaged and disengaged with the vehicle in motion. This feature also does much to prevent accidental PTO and transmission damage from improper shifting practices. While clutch type power take-offs cost more than multiple gear models initially, their increased torque and horsepower ratings, along with the added safety benefits, make them worthy of consideration, particularly on expensive automatic transmissions. Clutch type PTOs are commonly used on refuse, utility, and emergency equipment. Muncie clutch-type PTO models include the CS6/8, CS20/21, CS10/11, CS41, FR, GA, and GM models. |