PTO from front of the crankshaft

California · Nov 30, 2006

I've been looking at the threads discussing HF's generator head. It needs 3600 rpm, so driving it through an overdrive from the 540rpm pto appears to be complex and inefficient.

How much trouble is it to run a shaft out from the front of the crankshaft? Were there ever kits for this? Has anyone built one?

If that drove a belt stepup, maybe 1.8:1, I think that would be a much simpler way to drive the generator head.

BruceR · Dec 1, 2006

The YM135-YM240 had a front PTO as an option. I have a manual around here somewhere that covers it. That is the reason for the little half-moon cut-out in the sheetmetal below the grill.

Bruce

crb478 · Dec 1, 2006

My 1720D has a passage made for a front PTO, and it looks like it would be fairly easy to add one. I have not needed one so far, but I would not hesitate to make one.

normde2001 · Dec 1, 2006

California said:
I've been looking at the threads discussing HF's generator head. It needs 3600 rpm, so driving it through an overdrive from the 540rpm pto appears to be complex and inefficient.

How much trouble is it to run a shaft out from the front of the crankshaft? Were there ever kits for this? Has anyone built one?

If that drove a belt stepup, maybe 1.8:1, I think that would be a much simpler way to drive the generator head.

The YM240 parts manual shows an optional front pto, group # 48.

pennwalk · Dec 1, 2006

On the 186D there is an electric clutch that mounts on the shaft. There is a duel sheave on the front of the clutch. I got one from Gary Jamison a couple of years ago but it wasn't cheap. If you figure out how to rig the HF power head I would be interested in seeing how you do it.

Chris

YanmarFever · Dec 1, 2006

Re: PTO from front of the shaft

I have an FX42-D with a front pto on it, it is well hidden under the battery tray, I would have to remove the hanging weight tray to hook up anything to it. Its a pain because the tractor has a cab , and guess where the on & off lever hits you while getting in & out?

it spins at 540

I call it the bee tractor
Ernie

Cord · Dec 1, 2006

I was hoping to get a clutch driven off the front of my engine. My little tractor is so tight for space that there was no way the clutch would ever fit. I do have a hydraulic pump directly driven off the snout. Basically, I removed the lower pully and machined a plate to fit it. There were three holes in the pully for this purpose. I then fabbed a bracket to mount the pump and used a 3 jaw coupler to connect them. This is a really simple mount, but it took me nearly 3 months of measuring, scratching my head, searching through catalogs and fabrication. To pull a belt off the front pully cleanly would be a major task. Now if you don't mind hacking the job, then it would be super easy. Just be sure to watch your rotation. If the generator is turned around so the pulley is in the back, you've reversed the rotation. Honestly, it's not that hard to drive a generator off the pto. Make a platform to mount the generator off center. Using two pillow block bearing mount a shaft with a small double or tripple groove pulley. This shaft will be connected to the pto shaft. Now use a pulley on the generator head that is 6 times larger than the small pulley. 2.7 times larger if it's a slow speed generator. That's it.

California · Dec 1, 2006

normde2001 said:
The YM240 parts manual shows an optional front pto, group # 48.

Well I'll be darned. I've seen the options chapter in the Operation Manual but hadn't discovered the additional options in the Parts Manual. That kit even includes a raised battery platform and electric clutch. Thanks, Norm!