Power Take-off - Commercial Vehicle PTOs

Commercial Vehicle PTOs

Truck transmissions have one or more locations which allow for a PTO to be mounted. The PTO must be purchased separately and care is required to match the physical interface of the transmission with a compatible PTO. PTO suppliers will usually require details of the make, model and even serial number of the transmission. Care is also needed to ensure that the physical space around the transmission allows for installation of the PTO. The PTO is engaged/disengaged using the main transmission clutch and a remote control mechanism which operates on the PTO itself. Typically an air valve is used to engage the PTO, but a mechanical linkage, electric or hydraulic mechanism are also options.

Units will be rated according to the continuous and intermittent torque that can be applied through them and different models will offer different "PTO shaft rotation to engine RPM" ratios.

In the majority of cases, the PTO will connect directly to a hydraulic pump. This allows for transmission of mechanical force through the hydraulic fluid system to any location around the vehicle where a hydraulic motor will convert it back into rotary or linear mechanical force. Typical applications include:

• Running a water pump on a fire engine or water truck
• Running a truck mounted hot water extraction machine for carpet cleaning (driving vacuum blower and high-pressure solution pumps)
• Powering a blower system used to move dry materials such as cement
• Raising a dump truck bed
• Operating the mechanical arm on a bucket truck used by electrical maintenance personnel or Cable TV maintenance crews
• Operating a winch on a tow truck
• Operating the compactor on a garbage truck
• Operating a Hiab/Grapple truck

It is also possible but less common to connect something other than a hydraulic pump directly to the PTO.