Farmtrac 300 DTC PTO Operation

[Eric_Phillips]

NewToy,
How is your 270 holding up? I just aquired a 5' JD brush hog and a ford 101 plow. I was mowing a three year old field and my 270 bearly felt that mower back there. On start up I agree use a low engine speed until the mower starts spining. I then dragged that three bottom plow in high 1 with little problems. I am lucky to have mostly sandy loam but that little tractor pulled that plow like a champ. Don't let anyone tell you what that tractor can't do!.

Eric

 

[Steve_B]

Definitely start your PTO with the engine idling. I haven't broken anything with my 360 yet. The 6' BH & 6' finish mowers will shake a little bit when starting up but not real bad. Hard to believe you could break shear bolts with the engine idling. Mine idles at about 1000 rpm. Seems a little high. Is that what you guys are seeing with your Farmtracs? Oh, and it doesn't seem to matter whether I use the independant or manual setting. No matter how slow I let the clutch out in manual, the PTO still starts the same way as it does in the independant mode. Someone stated in an earlier post that the manual mode just uses a switch on the clutch pedal shaft to engage the electro/hydraulic mechanism. That seems to make sense as far as what I've seen with my tractor.
Put about 30 hours on that tractor in the first month. I am very happy with my 360. Wish I had a bigger mower! FEL has been working great too!

 

[FarmTracRay]

rangerric, what did you end up doing to rectify this problem? I just got my first pto driven implement (5 ft bush hog from Rural king) and all I have got done is replace shear pins (4). Haven't cut the first weed yet. Always engaged at idle, with switch in both positions. Just wonderin what worked for you. Ray FarmTrac 300 DTC

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

rangerric, what did you end up doing to rectify this problem? I just got my first pto driven implement (5 ft bush hog from Rural king) and all I have got done is replace shear pins (4). Haven't cut the first weed yet. Always engaged at idle, with switch in both positions. Just wonderin what worked for you. Ray FarmTrac 300 DTC

There is another thread running on the Montana forum and it suggests what I do. I curl the bucket all the way up and load the hydraulics and then engage the pto. I have not broken a shear bolt by engaging the pto since.

 

[FarmTracRay]

PTO light came on and I thought I was in business, let off of curl and broke another one. Tried again and VERY SLOWLY let off of curl . Your help plus a grade 5 bolt did the trick. Thanks. I looked for that thread on Montana but couldn't find it. Sure I would learn something else.

 

[beaner68]

best way to engage brush hog is pto in manual,low idle and ease out on clutch only sheard pin once in 2 years

 

[rangerric]

rangerric, what did you end up doing to rectify this problem? I just got my first pto driven implement (5 ft bush hog from Rural king) and all I have got done is replace shear pins (4). Haven't cut the first weed yet. Always engaged at idle, with switch in both positions. Just wonderin what worked for you. Ray FarmTrac 300 DTC

Sorry to be so late with reply,but have not looked at postings in a long time. I had to get a PTO clutch which hooked on to the bush hog drive shaft at the bush hog end of the shaft. That solved the problem. No more sheared pins. The clutch uses a harder pin and comes factory adjusted, but can be loosened if necessary. I paid about $125 for it. You should be able to purchase this at any tractor implement dealer. Hope this helps!
Ranger Ric

 

[SESS]

The RPM idle should be around 725-750rpm at hot idle. This can be adjusted by the injector pump throttle linkage-takes (2) 10mm wrenches. 1000rpm is too high.

Another suggestion to soften the engagement is easing out on clutch-with in gear-and engaging PTO to independent position, once running then switch to manual. After you have 200 or so hours on it, they clutch has a tendency to soften on engagement. We have not found a good adjustment like you have on the E-class tractors on the sequence valve.

Maybe these suggestions will help out.