Do skidsteers use a clutch between the diesel engine & hydraulic pumps?

[Gamma]

I'm curious, on the typical skidsteer, is there any kind of clutch between the engine and the hydraulic pumps? Or are the pumps simply directly coupled to the engine through an adaptor of some type for gearing?

What about on the larger machines like a Rayco C130/140 or a Fecon FTX148L?

[Gamma]

Is a pump drive like this used on a skidsteer or larger mulching machine?

TwinDisc - Industrial Pump Drives

[Digdeep]

Most skid steer engines are coupled directly to the hydrostatic pump via some sort of flywheel plate/disk. One exception to this would be the Bobcat which uses a belt due to the transverse mounted engine. I can't say much about the RAYCO or the Fecon machines but if the engine is "inline" with the machine and pumps (not like Bobcat) I would suspect that they are the same.

[Gamma]

Wouldn't direct coupling make it difficult to start the engine? Not only would the starter have to turn over the engine, but it would also have to turn the pumps and therefore all the fluid that's in the system, which would be even more difficult when everything is cold.

[Digdeep]

Wouldn't direct coupling make it difficult to start the engine? Not only would the starter have to turn over the engine, but it would also have to turn the pumps and therefore all the fluid that's in the system, which would be even more difficult when everything is cold.

I'm sure it's a little harder to start the engine but the Bobcat would still have to turn the pump during start up as well even though it would have to do it with a belt. My RC50 has a relief in the system that will redirect oil flow direct bank to the tank instead of forcing it through the cooler and filters when the oil is really cold. Once the oil warms up to operating temperature the resistqance through the coller and the filters is less than the relief valve.