Woods RM990 Finish Mower, How fast should I mow

[FL_Cracker]

I just got my new Woods RM990 finish mower and tried it this afternoon. It did a great job on the grass and most of the weeds. It left a few weed stems every now and then. I wondering if I'm pulling it to fast. I was using a L5030 with the PTO set at 520rpm and HST in "M". most of the time I was going slower then full "M". I checked the speed a few times and it seem to be around 4 mph.

How does this compare to others.

Don't get me wrong the cut looks good but I wonder if I slowed down would it look better and get those weed stems better....

Thanks,

Charles

 

[KennyV]

Charles
Charles, why are you running your PTO at 95 percent? It is blade tip speed that makes for a nice finish cut. Also at full PTO speed it is a lighter load on the drive line, both tractor and mower. KennyV.

 

[Egon]

Don't think there is a proper mowing speed. It all depends on finish expectations and the type of vegetation being cut.

Try different things to find out which suits your needs at the time.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> I was using a L5030 with the PTO set at 520rpm </font>
Crank it up to 540 RPM -- that's the optimum setting.

<font color="blue">It left a few weed stems every now and then. </font>
Were these weeds long? It could be they were pushed down and unabe to pop back up to get cut because of their length, dampness of the ground, etc.

 

[LittleBear]

Three MPH gives a nice finish unless the grass is well above "lawn" status. Two MPH for heavy or wet grass is good. Four MPH for light cutting or normal frequent cutting.

 

[BrettW]

I cut at warp factor 7. I don't let the grass get too high between cuts. And I don't run at 540. It still cuts well. Don't want to use so much diesel as to run at 540. Don't think I'm hurting the tractor since it is not bogging down at all. Mostly flat ground.

 

[PineRidge]

Adjust your engine RPM and ground speed so that you get a good cut for the conditions. Those conditions will change depending on how flat the ground is and the height of the grass that you intend to mow. With the HST we are always making speed corrections. You should never move so fast that the deck bounces.

Also keep the deck blades sharp as dulled blades will tear rather than cut the grass.

 

[rbargeron]

Hi Charles - speed is important - but the height & charcter of the weeds is important too. If they bend and break as you drive over them, they may not spring back or get lifted by the blade vacuum - so they don't take as many hits and are not cut as uniformly as the grasses. If grass gets tall, a simlar thing happens. The front edge of the deck pushes the grass over and it doesn't really start to stand back up untill the tips are inside the deck area - by that time the lower part of the stem may be behind the blade so it gets cut long. Sometimes it takes 2 passes to level tall stuff.

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Don't get me wrong the cut looks good but I wonder if I slowed down would it look better and get those weed stems better....Thanks, Charles )</font>

Hi Charles,

The only objectives for mowing is to do a job you are satisfied with, as quickly as possible. The objective is also to stress the equipment as little as possible, and get good fuel efficiency.

There are no magic settings. Every time you mow, the grass is a little different. It can be very moist, or dry as cracker juice. It can be tough and stringy, or tender and succulent. Tractor speed is dictated by how rough your ground is. Blade RPM is dictated by the grass height and condition. Start mowing at a comfortable tractor speed and low blade RPM, and ramp up the blade RPM just until you are happy with the result.

Reason for the lowest blade RPM is important. If you are lucky enough to get a good cut with a low blade RPM, the blades can stay sharp 2x or 3x longer. I would guess blade wear quadruples when the blade RPM is doubled.

Reason for the highest tractor speed possible (Without rattling your bones) is, there's something cold to drink waiting for you when you finish.

 

[MODiesel]

Quick question for you RM990 owners...

I just bought one today that I'll be picking up on Friday. Question is -- what are the dimensions of the fully assembled unit?

Reason I ask is that I have my 6' x 12' trailer at home, but it has rails around the deck, which means it can't hang off a side of the trailer. If the assembled mower with casters is less than 6ft deep, I know I can use this smaller trailer to bring it home. However, if the unit is deeper than 6ft, I'll need to go and jockey some stuff around at the back of the field to get at my gooseneck trailer.

So, if someone could give me some rough dimensions, I would appreciate it. I tried looking at all the Woods materials, but they don't provide dimensions.

Thanks,
Jay