Full RPM or high idle? Bush hogging fuel efficiency

[jejeosborne]

I run my engine speed based on the task at hand. Finish mowing it is necessary to run at high rpms to get blade tip speed as quick as possible for a clean cut. My rotary cutter on the other hand will cut at a much lower speed. If the brush is high and thick, I run at pto rated speed. If the brush is thin, I run at much lower speeds to keep dust, vibration, and fuel consumption down. I never lug the engine but full throttle is not necessary. As far as the hammer comparison, I don't drive finish nails with a 10 lb sledge hammer.

 

[Soundguy]

but full throttle is not necessary. .

nor did i say it was.

As far as the hammer comparison, I don't drive finish nails with a 10 lb sledge hammer.

apples to peaches comparison... non sequitur

in my example you are sizing the hammer to the nail. ( correctly, .. in case my example wasn't clear.. here is clarification ). ie a framing hammer to a framing nail.. but in my example, I'm merely stating hitting the nail softly to save the hammer.

your example is a mismatched nail and hammer.

not comparitive argument.

thanks for trying though

 

[JDgreen227]

i am continually amazed at the people afraid to run their tractor at it's rated work rpm?

it's a tool!! use it.

when a wear item wears.. replace it.

if a durable part breaks.. fix it.

keep on going.

this weekend I was out hogging 8 ac of 7' to 8' ragweed, dog fennel and something that looked like goldenrod at the back of my pasture along a causeway strip. stuff was so tall I couldn't see anything but the treeline in the distance to judge my position.. was on my old clapped out 1955 ford 950 trike running at 7/8 throttle the entire time... only stopped when i ran out of gas and the rain set in sideways ( both at about the same time )...

use that tractor.. it's what it was meant for!! you don't swing a framing hammer softer to 'save' it do you?

sheesh

Soundguy...not to knock your tractor but if I had a clapped-out 1955 model I too wouldn't care so much if I blew the engine or damaged the machine in some way. :laughing: Odds are there are quite a number of members here who paid $30,000 for their nearly new tractor and are not anxious to work it hard because they are concerned they will cause a problem, and I can understand that. Would you please define "work rated rpm" for us? I interpret that as about 80%-90% maximum rpm.

 

[scrappy isb67]

that is the problem, these engines were designed to run at their rated rpm ALL DAY LONG at MAX load! you can't hurt it by doing this! you can actually cause more damage by running at too low rpms. if it is too loud, get ear plugs! they were designed to WORK, let them do it!
in most instances, you are using more fuel trying to do the job at low rpm/vs rated.

 

[Soundguy]

rated rpm.. probbaly pto speed.

i like all of my tractors.. the farmall C I paid a few hundred bucks for.. to my NH 7610s that had a price tag of about 27000$ new.

they are TOOLS.

My NH 7610s runs a jd 1517 batwing mower. I don't babyby it along at half rpm and staw in the shallow end.

anything the front axle pushes over gets cut.

again.. it's a tool to be used.

I used the examply of my 1955 950 is it is my roughest tractor.. it's actualy a parts machine I built out of about 8 other tractors. i say clapped out as she only holds 40 psi oil pressure.. when all my other red tigers hold 55 at startup / 50 hot idle.. this 950 has seen lots of hours.. thus runs a few psi lower... starts on the first crank and shifts good. steering is starting to get a lil play.. but single piece front pedistal parts are hard to come by.

here's a picture of the rough working girl... big 14.9-28 rears.. the stuff i cut last weekend was many feet over my head while setting inthe op platform..... rode over a few ant mounds, thru a few gopher holes and found some hidden trease a couple times at the expense of a sher pin or two.. but she's a TOOL... not a parade queen.

i also included 2 pics of my 7610s .. one with a 10' mower on .. and the other with the batwing.

same tractor as in my avatar

 

[jejeosborne]

nor did i say it was.

apples to peaches comparison... non sequitur

in my example you are sizing the hammer to the nail. ( correctly, .. in case my example wasn't clear.. here is clarification ). ie a framing hammer to a framing nail.. but in my example, I'm merely stating hitting the nail softly to save the hammer.

your example is a mismatched nail and hammer.

not comparitive argument.

thanks for trying though

30 HP tractor to power an implement requiring 10 HP to operate is how I see it. I consider it unnecessary to operate at full or 90% throttle all the time if not needed. Some enjoy the taste of dust, buying fuel, and the feel of the vibration but I am not one of those (well maybe the vibration part). You led me to believe that you don't think additional wear is happening but I beg to differ. I agree that the machine is designed to operate at those speeds all day long and I am not afraid to do so. Last week I tilled 4 acres with a 6' tiller behind my b7800. I needed full throttle and 4wd to accomplish the task. I cannot find the logic in running high rpms if the job is getting satisfactorily completed in the same amount of time with less fuel without lugging the engine. Please explain a logical reason other than a framing hammer and I will change my process. Otherwise, I will continue what I feel is logical.

 

[Soundguy]

You led me to believe that you don't think additional wear is happening but I beg to differ. l.

you may have a reading comprehension problem.. or you didn't read my post before replying.

I SPECIFICALLY stated that if a wear item wears.. replace it. ( that's why they call them wear items!!! brakes, tires, clutches, bushings, bearings.. etc. )


you can continue to use your tractor and baby it as much as you want.. it's your tractor.. free world. likewise I'm free to wonder why someone buys a tractor to baby it.


soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

and here i was gonna go home and mow some more today.. but dag nabit.. I am afraid that if i start the tractor.. I will cause some wear to the starter brushes.. and some wear to the bearings shells and cyl walls and rings.. and the drivetrain parts. and the mower blades might start to wear and dulling.. and I might scratch the paint.

oh bother..I'll leave her parked so she won't get any wear.

 

[TripleR]

Well I have well over $30,000 each in my tractors and run then like Soundguy, we don't agree on some things, but on this we do. I don't drive my old Fords anymore as of last year, but we still have a 1955 600 my dad bought new and used hard the years farming and then property maintenance. We also have a couple of other Fords, a Case 995, Massey 375 and the old ones and new ones I run the same.

 

[JDgreen227]

and here i was gonna go home and mow some more today.. but dag nabit.. I am afraid that if i start the tractor.. I will cause some wear to the starter brushes.. and some wear to the bearings shells and cyl walls and rings.. and the drivetrain parts. and the mower blades might start to wear and dulling.. and I might scratch the paint.

oh bother..I'll leave her parked so she won't get any wear.

And be sure to cover it to protect the paint, and disconnect the battery so it doesn't have any parasitic drain, and block up the frame to get the tires off the ground, and.....