Do you run your tiller at pto speed?

[MJPetersen]

We have very sandy soil and few rocks--mostly the occassional chunk of concrete that the truck had left over and just dumped in the yard

I run PTO 540 for the first pass and then up it to 2nd for the second pass--both passes made in low/low gear. The higher tine speed fluffs up the soil nicely.

Mike

 

[nspec]

Thanks everybody!

I think we have a consensus.

 

[Reg]

And you can even use a tiller? Wow. I didn't think those things were usable up here. Just like one of those post-hole auger things. Imagine the comedy while trying to use one of those!

JayC

Oh YEZZ.
They even work down here in equally rock infested Mass - even if you are in EXACTLY the wrong town (-:
I have a 6ft KKII - I wouldn't want to get a baseball sized rock in it at FULL speed, so I go about 1/2 speed in new ground.
Even slip clutches don't LIKE sudden stops at full power, sure they work but why make 'em ?

 

[PLUMMER]

I just picked up a 50" Howard for an 8N Ford 4 speed. I am new to this and so I'm trying to figure out the Ford's PTO speed. I plan on taking it easy at first till we figure out the rocks and roots. I believe the manual says "230 rotor speed rpm. The drive is by PTO shaft a 540 rpm." The Howard manual is worded or translated as such its difficult to understand some statements.

 

[Reg]

I just picked up a 50" Howard for an 8N Ford 4 speed. I am new to this and so I'm trying to figure out the Ford's PTO speed. I plan on taking it easy at first till we figure out the rocks and roots. I believe the manual says "230 rotor speed rpm. The drive is by PTO shaft a 540 rpm." The Howard manual is worded or translated as such its difficult to understand some statements.

Hmm, I thought Howard was a UK manufacturer - is it THAT hard to "translate" ? (-:

I would take that to mean the tines are doing 230 RPM when the input shaft is doing 540 RPM, i.e. there is a gear or chain speed reduction of 540:230

As far as running most things at their rated speed is concerned - I take the 540 to be the MAXIMUM rated speed and as with most things mechanical, they likely wear a little less if run a little slower.
B'sides baseball size rocks are best swallowed slowly.

So, RTFM {Read The Fancy Manual} - 9 times out of 10 they say 540 is MAX speed, with no implication that it will crumble into pieces if run below that (-:

 

[D7E]

Always run pto at 540 or close to it . The howard has changeable sprockets in the gearbox to change blade speed .

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=...page=1&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=33&ty=32

 

[Alan L.]

I would think running the post hole digger at 540rpm would be exciting at times.

I don't lug my engines, because I know better and pay attention to this. You can run below 540 with a tiller but expect to reduce the ground speed accordingly too. If you run a 40 hp tiller with a 60 hp tractor at the proper ground speed that doesn't equate to lugging the engine. A little judgement and experience is required.

If you run the post hole digger on my property or anywhere within 10 miles without using all the rpms, you'll just screw it in the ground. Not much fun getting it out since the digger won't go backwards. Maybe that wouldn't be true with more HP than my tractor has.....

 

[Duffster]

I run mine as fast as I have power for. About 750 RPM at a guess. It breaks up the soil better when run faster.
larry

You got me wondering how you could even get it that high.

 

[D7E]

You got me wondering how you could even get it that high.

On a lot of tractors now just flick the switch for 540/750E/ or 1000 pto !

 

[Don87]

Hmm, I thought Howard was a UK manufacturer - is it THAT hard to "translate" ? (-:

I would take that to mean the tines are doing 230 RPM when the input shaft is doing 540 RPM, i.e. there is a gear or chain speed reduction of 540:230

As far as running most things at their rated speed is concerned - I take the 540 to be the MAXIMUM rated speed and as with most things mechanical, they likely wear a little less if run a little slower.
B'sides baseball size rocks are best swallowed slowly.

So, RTFM {Read The Fancy Manual} - 9 times out of 10 they say 540 is MAX speed, with no implication that it will crumble into pieces if run below that (-:

I don't think anyone implied that the implement would crumble.

But with that said........there are a lot of new people coming in here on an hourly basis, and if they don't understand the ramifications of lugging a diesel engine...........they can do just that by running the attachment at lower than 540 rpm's. Thus blowing the engine up on that expensive tractor they just bought. And not to mention the fact that the tillers that I have used have done a much better job at high rpm's as opposed to low.