Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO

   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO #1  

Johndeere3720

Padawan Tractor Learner, Advertiser
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
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6,526
Location
NW Oregon
Tractor
Bobcat T62, MT55, E42R, E10, John Deere 4100
I came up with a wild idea that if I took my imatch from my old Yanmar and mounted it to the front of my John Deere 317 skid steer loader that I would be able to not only use the tractor implements I currently own but also be able to purchase 3 point implements in the future. Then I figured that if I am already spending the money on a SSQA adapter plate that i might as well get a hydraulic gear box so I can run PTO driven implements such as a 3 point bush hog this summer to keep the brush down. For a while i was short on funds but today I finally ordered the SSQA adapter plate and purchased some category 1 lift arm ends to mount the imatch to. Now i am to the point where i need to order the hydraulic gear box and I had some questions. Here are the ones I was looking at:
Surplus Center - 7.63 CU IN PTO DRIVE MOTOR

Surplus Center - 9.59 CU IN PTO DRIVE MOTOR

Here are the specs for my 317:
Compare Specifications Setup

Will this gear box work on my 317? Will there be any problems with too much power coming from the Deere? Is there a better solution? I plan to purchase a 5' bush hog this summer to mow brush with the 317.

Any advice is welcome, I know there are some members on here that know a LOT more about hydraulics than I do. Thanks guys! I will have the blank SS plate next Wednesday and pictures of the build will follow. :thumbsup:
 
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO
  • Thread Starter
#3  
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO #4  
I would also consider setting up for the auto connect hitch while doing this too. Since you will be dedicating this IMatch by connecting to the ssqa plate this would make it even better. Most of the new Deere and Frontier implements such as the MX cutters and tillers are available to hook up this way.

About the $500 budget, recognize that just as you wan't to make a profit with your implements so do the other dealers selling their wares. Life is a two way street.
 
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I would also consider setting up for the auto connect hitch while doing this too. Since you will be dedicating this IMatch by connecting to the ssqa plate this would make it even better. Most of the new Deere and Frontier implements such as the MX cutters and tillers are available to hook up this way.

About the $500 budget, recognize that just as you wan't to make a profit with your implements so do the other dealers selling their wares. Life is a two way street.

I have been contemplating on the auto connect system, I may call my local Deere dealer and see what they want for one. As for now I will just use it as personal use, no intent of selling them on a commercial scale, just so I can be cheap and buy PTO implements vs. Hydraulic ones. :)
 
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I snapped a few pictures of the imatch in front of the 317. As you can see the imatch is a little taller than the SSQA plate will be, looks like i will have some fun making the little arms to bolt the imatch the blank plate. Plus I need to figure out where the gear box will be mounted. On top of all of it I still want it to be easy to get in and out of the cab without climbing over the imatch, that or possible make some steps to make getting in and out easier. :)
 

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   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO #7  
You missed my point entirely in the above post.:(


About the IMatch mounting, if it were mine I would get the adaptor plate in and set the bottom of the IMatch even with the bottom of the plate. Weld the IMatch to the plate, mount the motor to the IMatch via the centered bearing on the auto hitch setup. Buy your new MX5 and tillers etc with the correct pto shafts.:thumbsup:
 
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO
  • Thread Starter
#8  
You missed my point entirely in the above post.:(


About the IMatch mounting, if it were mine I would get the adaptor plate in and set the bottom of the IMatch even with the bottom of the plate. Weld the IMatch to the plate, mount the motor to the IMatch via the centered bearing on the auto hitch setup. Buy your new MX5 and tillers etc with the correct pto shafts.:thumbsup:

Oh, I understand now. Sorry, my mistake. :ashamed: I have been thinking about how i am gonna build it and drew out my idea. It isn't the best drawing but its the general idea I had in mind. I based it on products already on the market with the use of a top link. I will have the lower arms solid on the plate and they will be level with the bottom of the SSQA plate. I did find out how much the auto hitch costed and I think i am gonna have to opt out of it for now, It would be convenient but i currently only see a bush hog in the future as a PTO implement, maybe a tiller but that is a long way off as of now. For the most part I will use the imatch for my landscape rake, middle buster, and a Jake Rake. The PTO gear box is some 7" long so i will need to have it inset a bit so I dont have to cut a lot off of a bush hog PTO shaft. I also will likely get an over ride clutch so when the mower spins down it wont damage the gear box when the hydraulic flow is cut, I would prefer to use a bypass valve but I am not entirely sure how that would work since I only have 2 hydraulic ports on the 317. I am over thinking this way too much, I really appreciate your help jenkinsph. :)
 

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   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO #9  
Those 3pt links are gonna make it stick out pretty far and offer no roll adjustment. You can control pitch with your bucket curl so why not just weld a box out of angle or tubing to mount the motor. I would get on the hydraulics forum to discuss the motor overrun problem. I think you will go through a lot of clutches if flow can't be throttled up and down gently unless you are talking about some kind of wet clutch.
 
   / Fitting an imatch to a skid steer + hydraulic PTO #10  
Oh, I understand now. Sorry, my mistake. :ashamed: I have been thinking about how i am gonna build it and drew out my idea. It isn't the best drawing but its the general idea I had in mind. I based it on products already on the market with the use of a top link. I will have the lower arms solid on the plate and they will be level with the bottom of the SSQA plate. I did find out how much the auto hitch costed and I think i am gonna have to opt out of it for now, It would be convenient but i currently only see a bush hog in the future as a PTO implement, maybe a tiller but that is a long way off as of now. For the most part I will use the imatch for my landscape rake, middle buster, and a Jake Rake. The PTO gear box is some 7" long so i will need to have it inset a bit so I dont have to cut a lot off of a bush hog PTO shaft. I also will likely get an over ride clutch so when the mower spins down it wont damage the gear box when the hydraulic flow is cut, I would prefer to use a bypass valve but I am not entirely sure how that would work since I only have 2 hydraulic ports on the 317. I am over thinking this way too much, I really appreciate your help jenkinsph. :)


I would be concerned about the cost of the hydraulic motor if the auto connect parts (about $140) are too much. I did some looking on the motor needed for this and think a Commercial Shearing M365 with 2.25 gear width would be about right. This should be very close to 540 rpm output with 17 gallons/minute with a max pressure of 3500psi. Even if you have high flow hydraulics you still need power to move the machine fast enough to mow, so this is about right.

I don't work with skidsteers much but you should check to see if you have an option for a motorspool valve to control this setup. That might be the best way to solve the over run issue.

Last, I don't think this is going to be cheap, good hydraulic motors rated for 3500psi are going to be pricey.
 
 
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