BX Series Tachometers/ hour meters

Junkman · Mar 16, 2004

I would definitely agree that it is bad to lug an engine, but when cutting the grass, my engine isn't even struggling at all. It is humming along and not lugging. You can tell when a engine is lugging. There is a tone to it than makes you want to get off and push to help it along. It must be that I have tender young blades of grass and some people have stubborn old blades of grass that just resist cutting and that is what makes the difference. If mine ever get that way, I will give it more throttle to show those nasty old blades what sharp Kubota blade can do to them at high speed. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

art · Mar 16, 2004

Joe, the newer tractors don't have a tach either. For the bulk of the uses of many tractors in this class the tach is not a mandatory use item. Most all attachments need to be run at or near full throttle. except the loader. A few dollars would add up to about 100 dollars whne figureing an accurate mechanical tach.

chucko · Mar 16, 2004

I am not sure I would ever realy use one for anything (but that's me)

RonR · Mar 16, 2004

I put a tiny tach on my 2200 shortly after I got the tractor. For 50 hours, we're supposed to be at half throttle, so that is nice to see rather than guessing.

Granted it's not critical to have the tach, but for <$100, it's nice to see what the engine is running. Would also be a sure sign of lugging if you can't hear the engine pulling down also I suppose.

Best wishes,
Ron

Junkman · Mar 16, 2004

Ron........ thank.... you have given me the reason for cutting grass a half engine speed.... I knew there was a reason, but I just didn't know what it was. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rimmer · Mar 16, 2004

"Do the BX 23's now have a tach?"

Nope.

"Seemed like a bad idea ..."

When I first got my BX23 I was planning to get a TinyTach. After just a short time I was convinced that I would never need it. This really isn't a complex machine as far as operating speeds go. Certainly no "shift points" to worry about. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Basically, you have:

1. "Idle," which has too much vibration so you bump up the throttle just a bit,

2. "About 50% throttle," which is comfortable for driving around,

3. "About 75% throttle," which works well for pushing the FEL into a pile and running the BH,

4. and "WOT," which gives you full power and hydraulic fluid flow, as well as "rated" PTO RPM, and is the recommended speed for normal BH operation. (Open your hood and watch the air cleaner vibrate, then go to max RPM -- poof, vibration gone! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Operating in those ranges while remembering #1 rule, "Don't lug the engine!" is about all you need to know as far as engine speed goes. (IMHO, at least /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif , and don't forget break-in limitations.)

Jim_Becker · Mar 16, 2004

I run my BX-22 at about 3000 RPM, give or take, when mowing. I find that it cuts well at that speed with less noise and fuel usage than "up there". Lower RPM does not perform as well in some cases, at least on my property.