An anti-backlash gear was developed to reduce the rattle noise generated from the gearbox of a direct-engine PTO driveline of agricultural tractors under idling. A pair of gears using the anti-backlash gear as driven part was modeled and verified. Using the verified model, a computer simulation was conducted to investigate the effects of design parameters of the anti-backlash gear on the reduction of rattle noise. The optimum values of the design parameters were also determined by the computer simulation. The optimized anti-backlash gear was then manufactured and installed on the experimental PTO driveline for the performance test. Measurement of rattle noise was made to evaluate its performance before and after the driven gear of the PTO gearbox was replaced by the optimized anti-backlash gear. Results of the study were as follows: The optimum values of the design parameters, spring constant and deformation, may be determined by a relationship: $$k{ge}frac{4364.7}{150{delta}-23.564}$$ The optimized anti-backlash gear reduced the rattle noise maximally by 16.9 dBA. This concluded that it would be most effective to use the optimized anti-backlash gear to eliminate the rattle noise in the PTO driveline.