Rotary Cutter How to start a rotary cutter?

[dmccarty]

John_Bud,

A really good question. My JD 4700 manual, I've read it the section on starting the PTO driven implement three times now, says to get the engine to PTO speed and then engage the PTO implement. I only have one PTO driven implement, an MX-6, and it has a slip clutch so I don't have to worry about breaking a bolt. BUT I don't like engaging the PTO this way since the engine RPMS drops by a good 1000 RPMs getting the cutter up to speed.

But that is what the book says........ What does your manual say to do?

Later,
Dan

 

[cowboydoc]

John,
Mine does the same thing. Even if I lift up the cutter off the ground it still does it. I had talked to a few mechanics about it and they said it was normal.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The PTO on my Kubota doesn't have a clutch. If i try to engage the PTO with the motor running, it just grinds. So I engage it with the motor off. Doesn't seem to cause a problem. I disengage it before I shut off the motor, though. Takes the thing a minute or so to spin down freely, those cutters have a lot of inertia.

 

[Bird]

Dummy, I gotta ask; what model Kubota do you have?

Bird

 

[hayden]

That's much more complex, and probably less abrupt than mine. Mine's an electrically activated clutch, just like the clutch on and automotive AC compressor. Low tech, abrupt engagement.

 

[john_bud]

Hey Guys!

Thanks for the great replys. My computer has been "goofy" since I added network cards and I just got it seeing the modem again. Whew!

I read the manual, but I guess not real well /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif. I saw the part about bringing the tachometer to the 540 rpm PTO indication and missed the part about reducing the rpms first engaging the PTO, THEN going to the PTO speed! Doh!@! I will give it a whirl at a lower rpm next time I need to cut.

John Miller asked how I like the Woods Brush Bull 600.
AWSOME! is the word I would use. Built like a tank. A buddy of mine said that the pan on mine is about 4x the size of his 72" cutters pan. I was nervous about picking it off of the trailer with the FEL as the listed weight is about 1050 pounds and the loader is rated at 1050. But I guess there is a lot of underestimation in the Kubota literature, as the tractor picked it up easily. I actually had to drop the engine rpms down to be able to move the FEL slow enough to feel warm and fuzzy. (Attached photo of the loader holding the cutter. You can see the size of the gear box compared to the tractor. What you don't see is the thickness of all of the metal sections, the nice welds and the smooth rounded top.) I still don't have chains. The dealer tells me they are still on back order. But the guard in place is metal about 3/16th thick and it has withstood the abuse of my use with no damage to date.

It isn't really all that noisy to operate, but I still wear the head phone type hearing protection. At a guess, it is a tad quiter to operate than my lawn mower, which is an 18 hp cub cadet 2186 with a 48" deck. It has gone ripping through 3" soft wood trees and 2" maples. No probem. Although I did "find" a spruce tree that was down in the weeds with an 8" trunk. That made some clunking! But not as bad as you might imagine. I think the large diameter blade pan allows it to ride over stuff that it too big to cut rather than letting it get batted around in there. The only time it bogs down is when I go over a gopher mound and it is held up by the blades. Cutting tall grass is also pretty good. Quality of cut is ok, but it isn't a lawn mower!
I can't provide operational comparisons to other units, but I do like this one.


Thanks again for the sage advice!
John Bud

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Brad: an L2850DT, shuttle shift 4x4, 30 something hp/27.5 PTO, late 80's I think. Had it for 6 months or so now.

Seems odd that there's no clutch control for the PTO. Kinda spooky, too. If I need to stop the implement in a hurry my first reaction is to go for the clutch, I need to re-learn and go for the lever instead.

The PTO is totally independent of the gearbox, it'll run whether you're in gear or not, or whether the clutch is in or not. Does that make it a "Live" PTO? Whenever I read a definition, neither the live or non-live PTO descriptions seem to match the way mine behaves.

I like the tractor but my old 9N sure felt more safe when sideways on an incline. I've never tipped one but somehow the Kubota seems like it might, in spots where the old Ford never even hinted it could. The Ford had calcium in it's tires, maybe that's the difference. Love the wieght but hate the way that stuff rots everything it touches. The Kubota gets *real* tippy with a full loader, too, where the Ford never did.

 

[patrickg]

The way they 'splained it to me, my Kubota clutch pedal works both the PTO and tranny. I was told to go to idle RPM, then depress clutch, then engage PTO control, then ease clutch out, then throttle up to PTO speed. I can rub my tummy and pat my head at the same time but still disconnected the PTO at full RPM once.
It coasted for a L O O O O O N G time. Safety manual says wait for it to stop before dismounting from tractor.

Patrick

 

[jdrotert]

I'm kinda new to this diesel compact tractor thing, so bear with me. I am using a 5' Farm King finish mower on my B2150DT. I usually never throttle up to PTO speed (540 rpm PTO, 2467 rpm engine) because the engine seems like its racing. I usually run the engine at about 1700 rpm because the engine is not too loud then. Do I need a new muffler or is the engine supposed to sound that loud?

 

[mlmartin]

Compact tractors are designed to run at full PTO speed for days at a time/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Most implements are designed to work best at 540 PTO RPM. At a significantly lower speed, you will suffer with substandard cutting and/or spend more time mowing than you should.

Tractors and implements are generally pretty noisy. If you value your hearing you should be using significant hearing protection. I use AO brand ear muffs. They reduce noise by ~20dB. Hearing protection is something I've always taken seriously and as a result I have far better hearing than most people my age (50).

Matthew