Need advice-Too much HP?

[slmartz]

Hey everyone,

I could use some advice. Our smaller tractor is down, and I need to finish mowing our church property. The only tractor I have available right now is our Ford 8000 (about 100 HP). The mower we use is a Frontier FM1015 batwing, which is rated for 35–80 HP.

My concern is that the 8000 might have too much horsepower and could damage the mower’s gearbox or driveline, especially since we’ve got some hilly ground. I don’t want to tear up equipment just to get the job done.

Has anyone run an FM1015 (or similar light batwing) behind a higher-HP tractor? If so, what precautions should I take — like running at lower RPMs, moving slow, JUST DON'T DO IT, etc.? Again, just don't wanna tear up equipment and figured I'd turn to some more seasoned vets for advice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I would play it safe and just have the church find someone else to mow it or have the church pay to get it mowed.

 

[LouNY]

The mower should have shear pins or a slip clutch. Check them and get the job done. Drop down a gear and don't crowd the mower and it should be fine.
You are not that far over the recommended hp, just bring the throttle up to close to pto speed and get mowed.

 

[CliffordK]

Whew, those mowers are expensive.

I'm not sure if I'd want a mower that couldn't be over-powered by 20%.

Does it have a slip clutch or a sheer pin? Are those in good shape? Pull the sheer pin, and does the shaft spin freely?

That looks like a generally a finish mower. What is the terrain you're mowing like? Have you hit any hazards that might eat up a mower?

Is the weight of the tractor and tire tread acceptable to the client? Will the bigger tractor cause damage to the turf?

 

[HayFarmer]

Unless you load the mower enough to require more hp than it was designed for, you're good. I'm guessing it isn't a lawn, so 12,000 pound tractor isn't a problem? (Guessing your 8000 weighs about what my 9600 does)

 

[LouNY]

Unless you load the mower enough to require more hp than it was designed for, you're good. I'm guessing it isn't a lawn, so 12,000 pound tractor isn't a problem? (Guessing your 8000 weighs about what my 9600 does)

With no weights and no loaded tires she should be able to just barely make the 10,000 pound class for pulls.

 

[WinterDeere]

Driving over old buried caskets and vaults in a 10,000 lb. (before ballast) tractor? What could go wrong?!?

I'd not worry about the HP, like LouNY already said, just make sure shear pin or slip clutch setup is correct and functional. That will protect the mower deck from anything unforseen.

But my goodness, that's a big tractor to be doing lawn duty with! Hopefully you don't need to mow over any septic systems?

<-- Whose mower weighs like 1200 lb.

 

[AntiqueIron]

Hey everyone,

I could use some advice. Our smaller tractor is down, and I need to finish mowing our church property. The only tractor I have available right now is our Ford 8000 (about 100 HP). The mower we use is a Frontier FM1015 batwing, which is rated for 35–80 HP.

My concern is that the 8000 might have too much horsepower and could damage the mower’s gearbox or driveline, especially since we’ve got some hilly ground. I don’t want to tear up equipment just to get the job done.

Has anyone run an FM1015 (or similar light batwing) behind a higher-HP tractor? If so, what precautions should I take — like running at lower RPMs, moving slow, JUST DON'T DO IT, etc.? Again, just don't wanna tear up equipment and figured I'd turn to some more seasoned vets for advice.

Thanks in advance.

Horsepower is torque x speed.

Torque is only generated when there is a load/force to push against.

You can hook up a 9R to a 48 inch finish mower, and it wouldn’t destroy the gearbox, because the work being done doesn’t exceed the torque the gearbox and the like is rated for.

Now if you tried to hook that 9R to a 48 inch brush hog and mow trees, you’re gonna wreck something because more force is being applied than the driveline is rated for.

I could slap a 350 Chevy in my riding mower and it wouldn’t cut the grass any better- because at the rated speed, you only generate so much resistance on a generic lawn.

TL;DR: Don’t go in there like ham on rye and you’ll be ok.

Old Ferds need love too

 

[LouNY]

Got a soft spot in my heart for the older Ford 8000's we got ours in 1968 brand spanking new, full rack of front weight and a large stack of rear wheel weights along with a 5 bottom 18" moldboard plows with the hydraulic side hill hitch (2 point) semi-mounted.
And she's still on the farm and even gets used a bit.

 

[WinterDeere]

Torque is only generated when there is a load/force to push against.

I believe that was the OP's concern, i.e. what's gonna break if the mower encounters resistance, such as a rock or ground contact.

 

[chim]

If it were me, I'd use the bigger tractor and be cautious. There are two ways that something bad could happen. First is if he ran into something (tree, utility pole, etc.) but the damage might not be a lot different with a larger tractor. The other would be overloading the mower's drivetrain by clogging it up or scalping a ridge. The shear pins or slip clutch should prevent that.

Years ago when the Ford 1210 was my only tractor, it was in the shop when we got a fairly substantial snow. I borrowed a Case 5140 from my FIL. It had almost 100 HP more than my Ford. The only rear blade that was available was the 5-footer that I had for the Ford. After cobbling / adapting the Cat I blade to the Case, I went a-plowing. I knew if I hooked anything solid it'd wrap that blade like tin foil. I was careful. It was awkward to have a tractor that was wider than the blade.

 

[WinterDeere]

lol... you know you're riding something big, when it has "100 hp more than" your other tractor.

 

[chim]

lol... you know you're riding something big, when it has "100 hp more than" your other tractor.

That's not a tractor. THIS is a tractor. Pic from my FIL's farm auction. This thing was pretty amazing. Pop had a chicken farm and one Winter they had chickens delivered during a snow storm. They needed an extra hand so I volunteered to help move the trucks through the snow. The layout was such that the trucks could pull along the side of the chicken house to unload. The drivers couldn't back out, so the exit was a big loop through an adjacent field. Imagine the feeling of being able to drag a tractor trailer where YOU wanted it to go

 

[chim]

Here's the lineup at the auction in '02. The Case mentioned earlier is the second in line. Seeing the 4840 next to it little brother (MF275) gives you an idea of the size.

 

[LouNY]

Here's the lineup at the auction in '02. The case mentioned earlier is the second in line. Seeing the 4840 next to it little brother (MF275) gives you an idea of the size.

View attachment 4384096

That 7120 first in the lineup is a nice tractor.

 

[CliffordK]

Imagine the feeling of being able to drag a tractor trailer where YOU wanted it to go

Hopefully you had a good method to hook up the tow chain or cable.

I've heard that in the past there were problems with Semis that got stuck in the mud. If you tie onto the front axle, you can literally pull the axle out from underneath the truck. Perhaps your snow was different.

 

[Farmer495]

I'd run it. If you are only going the same speed as the smaller tractor can there should be little issue if you are careful.

I've been running a little 5 foot bush hog on a 64 PTO HP tractor, I found out the slip clutch was too "loose" for the added power. I had to tighten it down. The smaller 41 PTO HP tractor I was using would lug down in heavy grass where the 64 PTO HP would just keep spinning the PTO when the blades stopped.

 

[chim]

Hopefully you had a good method to hook up the tow chain or cable......................

IIRC, the trucks were equipped with big hooks / loops in the front. They had a huge chain (this was way before Yankum)

 

[Hay Dude]

That 7120 first in the lineup is a nice tractor.

You gotta love a boxcar magnum.
8.3L Cummins.
I had an MX-270, it’s replacement.
Loved that thing. Shoulda kept it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Hopefully you had a good method to hook up the tow chain or cable.

I've heard that in the past there were problems with Semis that got stuck in the mud. If you tie onto the front axle, you can literally pull the axle out from underneath the truck. Perhaps your snow was different.

Ooofff.