PTO speed really needed?

mountain_man · Sep 10, 2003

From my PHD manual.

The auger is designed to operate just above idle speed...With auger raised clear of ground, drive into position and engage PTO with tractor idling; lower digger slowly and permit it to dig one foot (1ft.) deep. Raise digger and allow auger to clear itself by operating PTO; lower digger and dig another foot deep. Repeat this until hole is to desired depth...In loose and sandy soil, you get a cleaner hole by stopping rotation of the auger before lifting it from the hole and starting it just before it clears the hole to throw the soil on the auger out and away from the hole...

JerryG · Sep 10, 2003

My Bush Hog post hole auger manual says
"at a little more than idling speed"

JerryG · Sep 10, 2003

In my younger days I worked on farm equipment at a dealership. I have replaced or repaired everything on a tractor from one end to the other. There is nothing mechanically in a tractor that will be damaged by running less that 540 RPM on the PTO as long as the engine is not lugged. The only exception might be in a Hydro that was not made to work.

Bird · Sep 10, 2003

( why run lower when useing the FEL ? )

Dave, I would assume it might be different with different tractors, especially with different size tractors. With such things as mowers (whether finish mower, rotary cutter, hay cutters, etc.), hay balers, and tillers, I always ran tractors at the PTO speed (about 2560 RPM on the B2710 if I remember right, less of course on the bigger tractors). You then control your ground speed with the gears, or hydro pedal, if you have a hydro. In those situations, I think most of us, myself at least, will be running under a fairly consistent load for an extended length of time. But when using the FEL, I was almost always in 4WD and either low or mid-range, and found that 2200 RPM on the B2710 was the right combination of speed and power; i.e., the FEL raised, lowered, and curled the bucket fast enough, I had enough power to push into most piles of dirt, I could maneuver the tractor forward and backward as fast as I wanted, etc. Higher RPM made me more likely to spin wheels and was unnecessary (I don't like the additional noise of higher RPM myself unless there's a reason for it). And of course 2200 RPM wasn't exactly "low" speed for that tractor.

Docsknotinn · Sep 10, 2003

I see !! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have just been running PTO speed. Thats a good point. I need to play a bit and see if that will work for me. In that context I wonder if the PTO speed is set just for RPM or maximum HP ? Of course that will change on every tractor /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif When I run implements I always run PTO speed. Isn't that what its on the guage for ? Dave

Bird · Sep 10, 2003

John, I never had my own post hole digger and have very limited experience with them compared to Cowboydoc, but I have used an old one on a neighbor's 85hp Oliver and a brand new Bush Hog on my cousin's TC29D New Holland, as well as helping another neighbor with his PHD on his John Deere. But we always did one thing the same as Cowboydoc and that is to set the point of the auger on the ground, with the point very slightly angled to the rear, before engaging the PTO, then we gradually increased the RPM, but never to full PTO speed. And as he said, we raised it in the hole still running, but always stopped it completely before lifting it all the way out of the hole.

When we talked about running implements at "PTO" speed, I guess we were thinking of mowing, tilling, baling hay, etc., all circumstances under which the implement would be running continuously for extended periods of time. With a PHD, it was always running a relatively short period of time; i.e., stop and go use.

JerryG · Sep 10, 2003

I will also say that there are a few pieces of equipment that require a certain rpm such as a baler.

Trev · Sep 10, 2003

Sory folks.. didn't realize this one had been rehashed umpteen times. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I have a theory.. if a doctor (cowboydoc) and a policeman (Bird) both tell you the same thing, it might be wise to listen!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks, guys!
Bob

Sprocket1 · Sep 10, 2003

I don't know Trev, but judging from the bounce you got goin' on your little tractor icon, I'd say at least it's running fast enough. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

normde2001 · Sep 10, 2003

I notice a distinct lack of professionals, (dealers), in this thread, who probably know the answer, but my guess is that "correct pto speed" is merely the speed for which most implements are engineered to work properly.