Get off the seat---engine stops

[ArtNH]

I have a 2011 2520. I've been living with having to shift the Hi/Low range to Neutral so I can get off the seat without killing the engine. But now I have a PTO-driven wood chipper, and I need to keep the PTO engaged AND the engine running when there's no one in the seat. How do I do that?

Art

 

[beenthere]

Your manual should spell that out. Might involve the neutral and the parking brake being set in a particular sequence. Just need to think that the tractor is placed in a safe configuration of settings that falling off (getting off the seat) isn't a danger to be chopped up or run over.

Or putting a jumper wire across the seat switch.

 

[nikdfish]

... or a bag of chain on the seat...

Nick

 

[dannyk]

If I remember correctly, there are 3 PTO positions. The forward one is just front PTO, the middle one is front and rear PTO, and the rear one is just rear PTO and that is the one that allows you to operate the rear PTO without being on the tractor seat.

Here's what my manual says:

Testing Rear PTO/Park Brake Interface
1. Sit on the operator’s seat.
2. Lock the park brake.
3. Push the PTO switch knob to the disengaged/off position.
4. Move the transmission range shift lever to the N (neutral) position.
5. Start the engine.
6. Move the PTO selector lever to the rear PTO only position.
7. Raise up from the operator’s seat. Do not dismount the machine.
8. Pull the PTO switch knob to the engaged/on position.
• The rear PTO should operate.
9. Sit on the operator’s seat.
10. Unlock the park brake.
11. Raise up from the operator’s seat. Do not dismount the machine.
• The engine must stop.
12. Push the PTO switch knob to the disengaged/off position.
13. Turn the key switch to the OFF position.

Danny

 

[ArtNH]

Danny---you nailed it.

In my defense I have to explain. Last week we moved, lock stock and barrel plus a brand new never-been-fired-up DR PTO-powered wood chipper. We had help packing and moving. Meaning---we don't know where a lot of stuff ended up, including my John Deere owner's manuals.

I followed the instructions that you so helpfully provided, and that worked a treat. I reduced a brush pile to about ten gallons of mulch-sized chips.

Boiled down, you have to set the parking brake, shift to Neutral, select Rear PTO, engage the PTO, and then you can climb down out of the seat.

Thanks a million,

Art

 

[BethesdaEC]

You don't have to be in the seat, but the brake has to be on, transmission in neutral and rear PTO only. The mid PTO cannot be operated unless the operator is in the seat.

 

[Deadman]

or..................jumper the seat safety switch.:thumbsup:

 

[greg_g]

or..................jumper the seat safety switch.:thumbsup:

Coincidentally, I've been using a PTO chipper all week. Given that I have little fear of falling out of my cabbed 3720, I too elected to simply jumper the seat interlock switch.

//greg//

 

[Egon]

Be a lot easier to stay in the seat and have SWMBO feed the chipper.:thumbsup:

 

[RoyJackson]

or..................jumper the seat safety switch.:thumbsup:

No need to since there is a procedure for off seat operation....

 

[RoyJackson]

Coincidentally, I've been using a PTO chipper all week. Given that I have little fear of falling out of my cabbed 3720, I too elected to simply jumper the seat interlock switch.

//greg//

Since your 3720 also has a simple procedure for off seat PTO operation, why would you want to jumper the switch?

 

[greg_g]

Since your 3720 also has a simple procedure for off seat PTO operation, why would you want to jumper the switch?

No brainer. Use convoluted JD/OSHA procedure = every time I leave the cab for said PTO operation. Jumper interlock = once.

//greg//

 

[RoyJackson]

No brainer. Use convoluted JD/OSHA procedure = every time I leave the cab for said PTO operation. Jumper interlock = once.

//greg//

"Convoluted"???
You must have been a blackshoe...
(airdale here)

 

[Furu]

If I remember correctly, there are 3 PTO positions. The forward one is just front PTO, the middle one is front and rear PTO, and the rear one is just rear PTO and that is the one that allows you to operate the rear PTO without being on the tractor seat.

Here's what my manual says:

Testing Rear PTO/Park Brake Interface
1. Sit on the operator痴 seat.
2. Lock the park brake.
3. Push the PTO switch knob to the disengaged/off position.
4. Move the transmission range shift lever to the N (neutral) position.
5. Start the engine.
6. Move the PTO selector lever to the rear PTO only position.
7. Raise up from the operator痴 seat. Do not dismount the machine.
8. Pull the PTO switch knob to the engaged/on position.
The rear PTO should operate.
9. Sit on the operator痴 seat.
10. Unlock the park brake.
11. Raise up from the operator痴 seat. Do not dismount the machine.
The engine must stop.
12. Push the PTO switch knob to the disengaged/off position.
13. Turn the key switch to the OFF position.

Danny

If you have a JD with ehydro all the above is true except you do not have to have the transmission in neutral. Don't be in the seat and have the parking brake on when you pull the engagement knob.

 

[ArtNH]

Some aspect of the "in the seat" issue is academic in this case, because of the chipper. I have to engage the PTO with the engine at idle and then run it up to the "rated" RPM setting. The reason is the mass of the 55-pound flywheel in the chipper. The science behind it is probably because the DR chipper is belt-driven, with about a 4:1 ratio between the driving and driven wheels that get that flywheel spinning.

Conversely, I'm urged to never kill the PTO at rated speed, but gradually pull the throttle until idle speed is reached, and then kill the PTO.

The point is, I always engage and disengage it while I'm sitting in the seat.

It would not bother me to bypass that seat switch. My 755 had a pull switch under the seat that did the job when my task needed it.

Our lives are complicated by "protect everyone from everything" devices and practices because of the acts of a few.

 

[ovrszd]

No brainer. Use convoluted JD/OSHA procedure = every time I leave the cab for said PTO operation. Jumper interlock = once.

//greg//

Trouble maker....

The Safety Police is gonna get ya!!!!

 

[Furu]

Some aspect of the "in the seat" issue is academic in this case, because of the chipper. I have to engage the PTO with the engine at idle and then run it up to the "rated" RPM setting. The reason is the mass of the 55-pound flywheel in the chipper. The science behind it is probably because the DR chipper is belt-driven, with about a 4:1 ratio between the driving and driven wheels that get that flywheel spinning.

Conversely, I'm urged to never kill the PTO at rated speed, but gradually pull the throttle until idle speed is reached, and then kill the PTO.

The point is, I always engage and disengage it while I'm sitting in the seat.

The chipper I have has a flywheel with more than three times as much mass as yours. You are correct in that you do not want to engage the pto at rated rpm even with your 55 lb mass and with mine I would do damage if I tried it. I do not understand your statement about being in the seat. I am never in the seat when I engage the pto for the chipper. I do it from the right side then run it up to speed to get my 540 rpm. If you find that you either have to for some reason that I do not grasp or just want to because; then your only choice that I know of is to bypass the safety switch. I would just encourage you to leave the system as designed. It is that way for a reason and most of those reasons are founded in blood or lives.
Your tractor is small enough you should be able to reach it fine from the ground. Otherwise try doing it while standing at the controls rather than sitting.

 

[RoyJackson]

If you find that you either have to for some reason that I do not grasp or just want to because; then your only choice that I know of is to bypass the safety switch. I would just encourage you to leave the system as designed. It is that way for a reason and most of those reasons are founded in blood or lives.
Your tractor is small enough you should be able to reach it fine from the ground. Otherwise try doing it while standing at the controls rather than sitting.

I still can't see what all the fuss is about...it is a very simple procedure to operate the rear PTO off seat...very simple.
Just read your manual and follow that procedure...takes less time to do that then it did to read this short post.

Here's the procedure (right out of the 2520 manual):

Using Rear PTO (Operator Off Seat)
Engaging the PTO

1. Sit on operator’s seat.
2. Lock the park brake.
3. Move the transmission range shift lever to the N (neutral) position.
NOTE: The starter will not crank if the PTO switch knob is in the engaged/on position.
If the operator leaves the seat with the engine running and the mid-PTO engaged, the safety interlock system will stop the engine and all implements.
4. Start the engine.
5. Set engine speed to 1500 rpm or less.

MX35678
6. Move the PTO selector lever (A) to position (B) for rear PTO only.
7. Pull the PTO switch knob out to the engaged/on position. The instrument panel PTO engaged light will illuminate.
8. Adjust the engine speed hand throttle forward to the desired speed for the implement used.
NOTE: The tachometer indicates a standard 540 PTO at an engine speed of 2600 rpm.

Disengaging the PTO
1. Adjust engine rpm to low idle.
2. Push the PTO switch knob in to the disengaged/off position.

This ain't rocket science, Men...if you can't do something as simple as follow that procedure, maybe you should reconsider tractor ownership...

 

[lwalsh]

I would be inclined to think that if you need a seat safety switch to protect yourself you might be a better candidate for reconsidering tractor ownership.

 

[RoyJackson]

I would be inclined to think that if you need a seat safety switch to protect yourself you might be a better candidate for reconsidering tractor ownership.

Not a matter of "need", Bro...no more "need" then seatbelts in a car/truck/aircraft...or wearing a helmet when operating a motorcycle.
It's a matter of safety and common sense...and being smart enough to follow pretty simple procedures as well as the realization that sometimes bad things do happen.