Mowing how much rpm for mowing?

[RobJ]

The slower the blades turn, the longer they stay sharp.

That's a new one. I've only found 2 things that keep the blades sharp. 1) don't use them and 2) don't hit dirt and rocks and junk!

 

[kthompson]

I think if you mow real slow ground speed you can use a slower blade speed. But I run mine to get the PTO rpm the cutter is rated for. Find it funny to watch someone cut with slow blade speed and then be puzzled by bad looking finish.

 

[RobertN]

I have a BX22 with MMM and I think the manual says to run at max rpm when using the mower. Is this correct? My tractor doesn't have a tach but I've been mowing at around 3/4 throttle. Any words of advice?

I run mine at PTO speed when mowing. It's made to run there. You motor is rev limited by the governor; it won't rev till it blows. If wide open is 3000rpm, the governor will try to hold it there as load changes, but won't let it go past that.

My B8200 is PTO=2650rpm. It revs out at 3000rpm.

Funny, these motors rev high. The old IH Farmall-A with a gas motor made about the same power, 22hp or so. It was rev limited/governed at 1600rpm. You would think that old gas motor would be the one revving higher...

 

[Volfandt]

As evidenced by the excellent finish cut of the commercial ztr's, the faster the blade tip speed, the better the cut and the better the disbursion.
Our cuts/scuts mowers (both MMM & RFM) don't make the blade tip speeds of the commercial ztr's but inorder to get as good a cut as possible, one needs the max blade tip speed their machine can attain to get the best cut. That'll be the pto rated speed sports fans

 

[TripleR]

I have owned several lawn mowers including John Deere and I have always mowed with the engine at full power except when breaking them in. I recently sold my much loved BX2200 to buy a BX2660 and after reading the comments here, I pulled my manual out and it said to mow with the engine at maximum RPM. I ran my BX2200 this way for five years and my son in law is now doing the same. Yes, you can mow at lower engine speeds, but I see no reason to.

 

[rpoage]

I started out running 3000rpm but have switched to WOT as the quality of the cut is much better. There is a good difference in fuel consuption between WOT and 3000 so if it's not your front yard or you don't car about the finish save the $$$.

 

[BigD23]

I started out running 3000rpm but have switched to WOT as the quality of the cut is much better. There is a good difference in fuel consuption between WOT and 3000 so if it's not your front yard or you don't car about the finish save the $$$.

I agree with the "not your front yard"...Fuel being higher priced and a lot of the area I mow isn't really a show place, I mow that part when I get around to it and don't go for the "finished" look...Have never done the WOT anyway.

Don

 

[GeneD14]

As evidenced by the excellent finish cut of the commercial ztr's, the faster the blade tip speed, the better the cut and the better the disbursion.
Our cuts/scuts mowers (both MMM & RFM) don't make the blade tip speeds of the commercial ztr's but inorder to get as good a cut as possible, one needs the max blade tip speed their machine can attain to get the best cut. That'll be the pto rated speed sports fans

Amen!

 

[aczlan]

I started out running 3000rpm but have switched to WOT as the quality of the cut is much better. There is a good difference in fuel consuption between WOT and 3000 so if it's not your front yard or you don't car about the finish save the $$$.

Running 1800rpms on my FIL's B7510 makes it lug a lot more when in tall grass (8-10" grown up hayfield) than running it at PTO rpms (~3000 rpms). As I see it, there is less wear and tear on the tractor running it at PTO rpms (think of the difference in force needed to cut a tree when you swing an ax slowly vs. swinging it fast) and it is less likely to overheat (which that tractor has done in the past when the grass was high and the tractor was being run at ~1800 rpms).

So, all in all I don't think that there is a noticeable difference (when cutting heavy grass and such) between the overall cost of running at 1800 vs 3000 rpms.

Also (in my experience) at higher rpms the deck is not as likely to clog as it is at lower rpms

Aaron Z

 

[Tom_H]

Those blades are not exactly scalpel sharp. The faster they move, the cleaner the cut. At slower speed, they do more ripping across the grass blades and less clean slicing.

I have always run WOT, except during the initial 50 hr. break-in period.

There should be no overheating problem if pre-screen, screen, filter, pump, hoses, thermostat valve, coolant, etc. are clean, at proper level, working properly. I have brush hogged with BX2200 at 117 degrees F. My overheating was from debris building up on screend and face of radiator. I do have to vacuum face of radiator often at that temp.