Yes, the Power Take Off (PTO) was an option on all Series Land Rovers, and I believe it can still be fitted to the latest Defenders for a (large) price.
The reason for the PTO system stems from the fact that the Land Rover was meant to be a half-tractor, half-car, and so some form of PTO facility was a must have.
The PTO options were never very popular (Land Rovers don't make very good tractors). The two PTO options available were a centre PTO (with a drive pulley mounted on the back of the transfer box) and a rear PTO (with a standard PTO spline mounted on the rear crossmember. That circular cut-out in the rear crossmember that all Series Landys have is where the drive shaft for the PTO ran- look through it, and you've got a straight path to the back of the gearbox.
The PTO was controlled by a small push-pull toggle lever mounted on the seat box near the hand brake (as shown in the Driver's Handbook). Pull out to engage the PTO, push in to disenagage. The transfer box has to be in nuetral to use the PTO without the vehicle moving about, and the main gearbox should be in 3rd or 4th.
If you really want a PTO (they're interesting bits of kit and can be useful (you could buy a PTO generator and have the Landy running your house if you get a power cut), the kits to occasionally turn up, and fitting them isn't difficult. You will also need to buy a engine govenor and hand-throttle (if you've got a diesel, these are fitted as standard).
Most people use the PTO facility now to run pumps for hydraulic winches, so most second-hand PTO kits will come with a hydraulic pump.
The reason for the PTO system stems from the fact that the Land Rover was meant to be a half-tractor, half-car, and so some form of PTO facility was a must have.
The PTO options were never very popular (Land Rovers don't make very good tractors). The two PTO options available were a centre PTO (with a drive pulley mounted on the back of the transfer box) and a rear PTO (with a standard PTO spline mounted on the rear crossmember. That circular cut-out in the rear crossmember that all Series Landys have is where the drive shaft for the PTO ran- look through it, and you've got a straight path to the back of the gearbox.
The PTO was controlled by a small push-pull toggle lever mounted on the seat box near the hand brake (as shown in the Driver's Handbook). Pull out to engage the PTO, push in to disenagage. The transfer box has to be in nuetral to use the PTO without the vehicle moving about, and the main gearbox should be in 3rd or 4th.
If you really want a PTO (they're interesting bits of kit and can be useful (you could buy a PTO generator and have the Landy running your house if you get a power cut), the kits to occasionally turn up, and fitting them isn't difficult. You will also need to buy a engine govenor and hand-throttle (if you've got a diesel, these are fitted as standard).
Most people use the PTO facility now to run pumps for hydraulic winches, so most second-hand PTO kits will come with a hydraulic pump.
