Snowblowing RPM

[rScotty]

How fast do you have to run your Kubota's engine to blow snow? From videos it seems like some of them are really cranked up! Does that wear the engine? Any problems? Noise?

Spinning a tractor motor at high revs for hours on end would be a big difference for me. Mostly I'm not running the PTO, so we just run with enough throttle so that it will get up to speed and temperature and fast enough that a sudden load won't lug it. With HST and autothrottle the tractor sets that automatically at somewhat more than a fast idle......probably more revs than it needs, but the autothrottle is being conservative and at least is nowhere near wide open. Even so, the autothrottle sometimes revs it more than is needful for conditions.....ike blading or pushing a little snow on the level. In that case I run quite a bit of the time with the autothrottle off.

Of course that's just for loader and backhoe work. Anytime I load the PTO up then I'll go ahead and crank it up closer to full rated RPM. Snowblowing looks like one of those times, but I don't have a blower yet and thought I'd ask how others are running theirs.
rScotty

 

[Looking4new]

I run mine at the pto speed according to the little triangle (2550 rpm) on the tack. For loader work and running down the road I go with 2200rpm.

 

[pmsmechanic]

For front end loader work I run at a speed which lets me spin all four tires if I need to. Usually around 3/4 throttle. Any pto equipment gets run at full throttle. There are times I don't need all the power but I like to keep equipment like a rough cut mower running at top speed. Rototilling I need all the power I can get so It gets full throttle. I can control engine speed by how fast I go using a hydrostatic transmission. Snow blowing I don't need the power but I sure like the fact that if run at full throttle the snow blows further away. Full throttle on my tractor is about two hundred rpm over pto speed.

 

[muskoka kubota guy]

I live in a snow belt. A foot of snow is a fairly common occurrence. When blowing snow, I run the engine between 1800 to 2000 rpm's. If the snow is a couple of feet, which doesn't happen very often, I might bump the rpm's up a bit to 2200.

 

[sandyc]

On my B2620 I run the rpms at 2,000 or higher. Lugging the engine at low rpms is bad and will clog it up the blower as well.

 

[PHILIP8N]

I run engine speed to get rated pto speed. That is where engine and equipment are designed to run for ideal performance. You cannot over rev these little engines, they are controlled by their governor to keep speed in safe operating range. Most of us do not use theses tractors enough to wear out the engine. Philip.

 

[DHD]

I'll occasionally run the full 540 pto (eng 2600 rpm) if needed, for deep snow, heavy wet snow or I need to throw the snow an increased distance.
Normally I'm run at 2000 eng. rpm.

 

[Mendonsy]

It depends on the snow. I have a 3 point mounted blower so I usually use the 900 rpm gearing on my PTO and set the engine at 1750 to get 540 rpm at the blower. If the snow is really deep and/or wet I use the 540 rpm gearing and run the engine up to 2550 for more power.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

I have the 2750 front blower, I run it like I do when I am cutting grass, wide open at all times.

 

[ScottyChip]

For me I run the engine to get the rated 540 rpm from the 3 pointed mounted blower, being do it now for 5 years and in that time we have had a lot of snow, no problems yet. (knock on wood) I make sure that I do the regular maintenance, engine oil and filter. I agree with Philip8N its what the engine was designed to do. I think its better than lugging your engine.