pto engine engage speed

[oosik]

I bring the engine above idle - 1000 to 1200 - and slowly engage the pto. No engine lugging with this procedure.

 

[dgraves49]

The manual for my BX2350 witch should be similar recommends 1/2 throttle and engaging the PTO clutch slowly. Mine starts to engage after moving about 3/4 of the way. once the blades start moving fully engage it.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The manual for my BX2350 witch should be similar recommends 1/2 throttle and engaging the PTO clutch slowly. Mine starts to engage after moving about 3/4 of the way. once the blades start moving fully engage it.

If you can slowly engage the PTO, it makes no difference what engine speed is. By slowly moving the lever to slowly engage the clutch, it starts everything smoothly. Excessive engine speed would only cause a bit more slipping of the clutch (or belts in some cases). HOWEVER for those of us with the one button to push or pull to engage the PTO, slower engine speed is a must. My BIL has a shear pin on his bush hog and if you are above idle more than 200 RPM then you will be replacing the shear pin. Even after going to a grade 5 bolt, it will shear the pin if you are above 1000 rpm.

I really hate the electronic PTO switches on tractors without a clutch that you cant slowing engage the PTO. I sure seems like they put a lot of stress on everything from the motor to the piece of equipment. MY LS has the button, but by fully engaging the clutch, I can still slowly start the PTO turning by slipping the clutch a bit.

 

[allthumbs23]

Idle with no load on the mower, IOW, on the pavement.

Thanks everyone. What is IOW?
I a used to have a JD GT235 and you had to engage the deck at max throttle or it would kill the engine every time. It did have the larger deck, but still....

 

[5030]

IOW...In other words....

Never start any pto drive with the motor cranked up. Puts way too much shock load on the shafting and U joints.

 

[ruffdog]

It depends on how freewheeling the deck is. If you have a bunch of v-belts in the deck drive, it will take more rpm to get it moving.

 

[ruffdog]

If you can slowly engage the PTO, it makes no difference what engine speed is.

Well, it does. It depends on how much clutch slipping you want to do. Do you want to slip it to only 100 pto rpm or do you want to slip it to 600? Every tractor is different and may need some throttle input to engage the pto. The higher the rpm, the more heat generated in the clutch. Just find the best rpm for your equipment.

 

[RoyJackson]

I always kick my PTO in AND OUT at a dead idle; however when my brother bought his little john Deere (a 7xx something or other) the salesman told him that john Deere says to engage and disengage at full pto rpm. This just seems bull to me. It's like revving your truck up and dumping the clutch every time.

I don't think the salesman knew what he was talking about!

I have a Deere Z920 zero turn with the Kawasaki gas engine. The manual states (IIRC) half throttle...and that's what I use. Any tractor PTO driven implement is engaged at low idle RPM. The only implement that I've had that needed a bit more RPM was a rotary cutter...and I used the foot throttle if necessary.

 

[ruffdog]

The Deere x7** garden tractors have the electronic pto switch. When you are mowing and start to back up, the pto shuts off. Then when you start forward again, you have to engage it again. This is all done at full throttle and they seem to last a long time. I'm not a fan of the pto clutch going through that much on/off switching either.

 

[DK35vince]

My tractor implements are turned on at idle.