Mowing ENGINE RPM's on BX2660 for Running Woods Rotary Cutter

[Lumberdink]

I checked the manuals for both my BX2660 and Woods rotary cutter for the best ENGINE RPM setting for hogging but both manuals suggest checking "the other guy's" recommendation. I know the rear PTO runs at 540RPMs but how fast should the engine be running?

 

[TripleR]

I don't have my manual handy, but the engine RPM for the mid and rear PTO is very close. I run "about" 3000 RPM, but often don't even look at the tach relying on feel rather than bothering to put my glasses on; been running a BX since 2008.

 

[jesseb3@att.net]

A quick search for specs show that you'll get 540 at the PTO with 3120 RPMs at the motor - double check your manual though. That being said, I don't run my BX2350 at its rated RPM. I tend to run around 2800 to 2900 rpm when hogging a light field. When I start to hit thicker grass, I'll crank it up to around 3000. That's just my method... I'm typically in no hurry to finish, as I enjoy cutting my small field.

I'll echo TripleR... It's a "feel" thing for me really.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Doesnt your tach have a contrasting colored line on it, marked PTO? That would be the speed that the PTO turns 540 and mid PTO would turn faster but use the same mark. My B 26 is 2900 RPM

 

[TripleR]

Doesnt your tach have a contrasting colored line on it, marked PTO? That would be the speed that the PTO turns 540 and mid PTO would turn faster but use the same mark. My B 26 is 2900 RPM

Not on the BX, you just get numbers that are small and hard to read.

 

[radioman]

Not on the BX, you just get numbers that are small and hard to read.

Yeah, its a digital readout and its not made for the sun glaring hiding , above/behind the steering wheel at the wrong angle when sitting in seat. you have to lean forward side a bit just to read it.

I'll echo the other posters again... when running pto's on the BX, doesn't matter if it mid or rear- kubota says to run at rated engine speed which is over 3100 rpms.

That said- ask your self is there a problem running at lower rpm's at rear pto when running your woods cutter? do you notice a difference in the quality of cut when running at 2800-2900 rpms instead of 3100-3200? does the BX engine seem to struggle? I am going to bet its fine at less then 3100 rpms engine speed for mowing. I do notice on BX anything less then 2200-2500 is not all the great when pto is used.

Use this as a guideline to tweak what really fits you and your situation.

 

[art]

I like to run about 3/4s throttle when doing PTO work unless I'm pressed for time. Most engines we've had on the dyno performed well there as well as had great fuel economy for the little gained by running at full throttle.

 

[case245]

i had a 21hp case i use to till with it ran a 5 foot tiller my rpm was 2400-2700 i got use to not looking at the tach use the sound of the motor

 

[Lumberdink]

I do notice on BX anything less then 2200-2500 is not all the great when pto is used.

Yeah, that's about where I had been running it. Same with doing FEL work. I did my hogging yesterday in the 2800-2900 range and it chewed up 3' of Japanese stilt grass pretty nice.
Thanks for the replies! :thumbsup:

 

[94BULLITT]

I have a bx2360 and I thought pto speed was at full throttle.