Mid PTO 2500 RPM with 540 RPM Implements ...

[DAP]

I own an Orange tractor with a mid PTO shaft that spins at 2500 rpms, usually but not always used for belly mowers.

I did not pay extra for the mid PTO, but so far, I doubt I will ever have rise to actually use it.

Pondering that last statement, I have 2 questions:

1. What else can be or usually is, driven from the mid PTO? (are front mounted snow throwers using this PTO?)
2. Can a 540 RPM implement with an extended shaft be used on the 2500 PTO shaft being run at a lower engine RPM? (This assumes proper clearances obviously)

If 2 is true, I may start thinking about some custom applications or custom implements that I can spool up to 540 that use this mid PTO. (I'm fantasizing about a front mounted stump grinder powered by the mid PTO, or something along those lines, etc.).

Getting curious here .... the shaft is there, the mechanics are there, if I can find a purpose for its existence, I would like to put it to work (besides the belly mower application) perhaps.

 

[daTeacha]

2 is going to generally not true unless you use some kind of reduction gearbox in front of your 540 rpm implement. If nothing else, the higher RPM will cause you to throw oil from the gearbox, eventually causing it to fail. Rotating things will tend to be running so fast that the bearings or other pieces will be torn off, especially blades not intended to move that fast.

You will also find the torque is reduced in favor of the higher speed, which may interfere with your desired use.

It's just not generally a good idea to spin implements faster than their designed speed, especially by a factor of 4 times or more.

 

[oscer]

You indicated you would be runing at reduced engine rpm, on my jd 4110 540 pto speed is achieved at 2650 rpm of the engine,it idles at 1000.If the ratio is similar on your orange tractor you will be at almost double the 540 rpm even at idle. I doubt you would have enough power to acomplish anything.

They do run snow blowers off of the mid shaft also I've seen power brooms that run off of them.

 

[keeney]

You may notice that the spin direction is reversed from the rear PTO (when taking into account that the implement is flipped around to the front of the tractor) Also, the splines on the PTO shaft are typically different (20 splines instead of 6-splines).

You could add a hydraulic pump driven by the mid PTO and run all kinds of high-flow hydraulic attachments on your loader arms like a skid-steer.

You could possibly run an electric generator designed for 1800 RPM if you reduce speed appropriately.

- Rick

 

[john_bud]

I like the idea of adding an additional hydraulic pump from the mid PTO, but wouldn't it hang down quite low and be in danger all the time?

jb