Mowing Best RPM

[smokeys427]

I live in Texas and have been brush hogging (5' hogger) in some pretty deep grass/weeds and wonder what is the best RPM to keep the tractor at. I have a 2014 DS3510 and right now I'm running it at right where the little triangle thingy is or a little below. Is this the correct RPM or too much. I searched the forums because I remembered a thread on this but now I can't find it anywhere.
I just love this little tractor and just keeps surprising me how powerful it is for it's compact size too. Now this is coming from a guy that used to use my trusty '49 Ford 8N. :laughing:

 

[VictorW]

That triangle marker is the engine rpm that will give you 540rpm at the pto shaft. It will be @200rpm less than the max suggested engine rpm of 2600. I couldn't find an rpm vs torque and hp output graph for your engine but generally, that marker is the best rpm for overall output of the engine for tougher work. You could slow the rpm down but may not be able to take a full 5ft cut. If you tried a full cut at a lower rpm, it would labor the engine to much which isn't good. If the tractor is running through the grass with little effort, you can slow down the engine at little but I wouldn't go below 2,000rpm or just travel faster putting more load on the cutter.
My 48 Ford 8N flat head did pretty good though.

 

[buickanddeere]

Operate a 540 rpm implement at 540rpm.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Operate a 540 rpm implement at 540rpm.

agreed, increase your speed to cut a lil more if you have the horsepower, If its really light cutting you can slow the rpm down a little bit, but you need the blade tip speed to cut effectively which is at 540 pto rpm where the mower was designed to work.

 

[smokeys427]

Thanks! Sorry I'm just new to all the diesel stuff and this coming from ole guy as an old school "gas engine" builder and race car builder.
This was exactly the info I was looking for. I do try to keep it balanced between the 2000 engine RPM and the triangle most all of the time. Again,thanks for all the help you have given me in the past also.

 

[Sysop]

In a nutshell, tractors are made to work. They do most of their ratings and testing at high RPMs. Most testing is done at whatever RPM gives you 540RPM at the PTO as that is what is most commonly required of many implements. If you look at the "speed chart" for your unit, it was likely rated at an even higher RPM. If you want the proper amount of oil and coolant and other needed fluids flowing during heavy workloads, you are best to operate at the RPMs they tested when designing and rating the machine.

Some folk say "you should be able to run at any RPM without doing damage as long as it is not bogging or over-revving". Maybe you "should" be able to run at whatever RPMs "feel right" for a given workload, but that isn't the reality. The units get much hotter and wear much faster when you don't have the fluid flowing as fast as it should be.

 

[Billrog]

My Kioti likes to 2000 RPM minium unless dead flat,small incline or going down hill.More when it gets to a hill or working then I run it 22 to 2,600 RPM.

 

[buickanddeere]

Some people are bored . They try to imagine a crisis and then imagine a solution .

 

[smokeys427]

Some people are bored . They try to imagine a crisis and then imagine a solution .

Thanks again guys for the info y'all been very helpful with the questions I asked.

buickanddeere, "Some people are bored . They try to imagine a crisis and then imagine a solution."

I'm not quite sure what you meant with that one.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I run my engine at 2,000 rpm when using my Woods BB720X which is slower than the 2500 rpm 540 PTO speed. The increased blade tip speed of running the PTO at 540 doesn't seem to effect the result and the engine in my tractor makes good power at 2,000 rpm.