Multi-range PTO?

[Glenn9643]

I recently looked at a Branson 6530. One of the features that was appealing to me was the PTO speed selections. Looked to me like you could select from 540, 6XX??, and 1000 PTO RPM for the PTO. I'm uncertain of the "middle" rpm available, but it was in between the 540 and 1000.
Used with care this could save me some fuel when bush-hogging and could possibly uncomplicate some issues with trying to run a PTO generator on less fuel.
If you know of any other manufacturers offering a similar option please post. This would be a biggie for me, and I'm seriously thinking of moving to a cab tractor.
Does JD, NH, MF, Kub, or whoever offer this option or something similar?

 

[Bird]

Glenn, when you get into the bigger tractors you'll find some that have the multi-range (usually only the two ranges; 540 and 1000, I think) and some that have only the 1000 rpm PTO. Now if you're careful, you can probably get away with using a 540 rpm implement and the 1000 rpm range and a lower engine rpm, but that's not the reason for the 1000 rpm PTO. There are some implements that are designed to be used at the 1000. Personally, I'd run my tractor at PTO speed and only use the 1000 rpm PTO selection if I was using an implement designed for it.

 

[Glenn9643]

Whatever the PTO RPM at given engine PRM, you should be able to determine pretty quickly the ratio. Once you do that, you can figure what to run the engine RPM to obtain the desired PTO RPM. If you tractor HP is OK with it you could run the engine slower, but have the PTO turning at 540 and save fuel. I agree you shouldn't run an implement faster than it's designed for. When you get past that, other speeds would be highly desireable!
I've been clipping my pastures with the bushhog at reduced RPM (from 540 on tach) and fuel useage is greatly reduced. Cuts just as good, as long as the blades are sharp. If I had options on the PTO speed (higher) I could keep the blades moving at the 540 PTO PRM speed with lower engine RPM's, get the same cutting effect, and save fuel.
If I was running a PTO powered generator requiring 25-30 PTOHP I could do the same thing. The fuel savings from 2600RPM to 2000 are surprising.

 

[WhyNot]

I know for a fact that on older JD models to chage the pto range you have to change the pto shaft. The 1000 rpm shaft has alot more splines on it then does the 540. Which also means that equipment designed for 540 and 1000 rpm are not interchageable. What I have not figured out after changing them numerous times is what changes the rpm's because exept for the splines they look the same to me.

 

[Glenn9643]

I’m looking for multi-speed PTO options. You’re correct that generally the different PTO RPM requires different shafts.
What changes RPM’s is the ratio in the gearbox between the engine and the PTO output shaft. However, if multiple speeds were available at the PTO you could determine the ratio of the various options and run your engine at a lower RPM if you had HP available and save fuel.

 

[hbaird]

My Jinma 200LE has both 540 and 1000 RPM choice by a gear selection.
Harold

 

[bam747]

The John Deere 5x25 series of tractor offers an optional 540/540E (E for Economy) PTO. It is designed to do specifically what you want to do.

The 540E PTO lets you generate the rated 540 RPM PTO speed at a significantly reduced engine RPM setting. So, instead of running the motor at 2400 RPM to get the rated 540 RPM PTO speed, you run the engine at about 1700 RPM to get the same rated 540 RPM PTO speed. This offers significant fuel savings, but only if your PTO application does not need the fully rated PTO HP at the higher engine RPM.

 

[Glenn9643]

Thanks hbaird and bam747 for the response. That’s what I’ve been looking for. I thought from reading previous posts that JD offered something like this, but didn’t know what to search for. I’ll do a search on the 540/540E PTO to learn more here.
Do other manufactures have similar options?

 

[bam747]

Here's a link to John Deere's 5525 information page. In there you'll find other links to specific info on the 540/540E PTO (and just about everything else on the 5x25!).

The Deere 5x25 (and previous 5x20) series tractors were the first time I heard about an "economy" PTO in a "small" utility Ag tractor. I remember seeing this option on some other brands (MF in particular), but they were on larger Ag utility tractors (another step up from the 5x25 series). I also remember that in the older 5x20 series, the 540/540E PTO was only available with the 9F/3R synchro transmission. On the 5x25 series, you can get the 540/540E PTO with any of the transmissions including the 12/12 and 24/24 Power Reversers.

I would not be surprised at all to see this new economy PTO option make its way into other brands very soon now, especially with the rising cost of fuel. It only makes sense.

 

[Toolguy]

That is really a good idea. Some of the old tractors had that feature. Our 1961 Ford 6000 had two ranges for the 540 rpm PTO. For light work such as baling, you could move a lever so that about 1600 engine rpms achieved 540 pto rpm. For heavy work like a corn chopper, you could set the lever so that the engine could turn about 2200 rpm. Also, the MF 35 and some other MF models had a ground speed setting for turning the pto. The speed of the pto was entirely dependent on ground speed. This worked well for hay mowing and light brush hogging. They had some good ideas years ago that never seemd to catch on enough to be used much today.