Tell me about 20 series PTO operation

[Cargun]

I was reading the owners manual for my "if funds were unlimited" choice for a tractor... the 4000twenty series and noticed they outlined a ritual for PTO engagement.

It says the "machine" (I assume this means tractor) needs to be stopped, reverser lever in neutral (or foot off pedals for the hydro guys) and engine set to 1500 RPM. Then you're allowed to pull the button to engage the PTO. And to disengage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.

Is this true? How can a full featured modern compact tractor have such a ridiculous PTO engagement mechanism? 50% of my need for a tractor is mowing... and getting an independent PTO that I could switch on and off on the fly is one of the major reason I'm looking at new tractors instead of antiquities from the 50's.

This has pretty much taken the 4120 from my #1 choice to not even being considered. Looks like my "green" options are now down to the 990 and 5105.

 

[Cargun]

I was reading the owners manual for my "if funds were unlimited" choice for a tractor... the 4000twenty series and noticed they outlined a ritual for PTO engagement.

It says the "machine" (I assume this means tractor) needs to be stopped, reverser lever in neutral (or foot off pedals for the hydro guys) and engine set to 1500 RPM. Then you're allowed to pull the button to engage the PTO. And to disengage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.

Is this true? How can a full featured modern compact tractor have such a ridiculous PTO engagement mechanism? 50% of my need for a tractor is mowing... and getting an independent PTO that I could switch on and off on the fly is one of the major reason I'm looking at new tractors instead of antiquities from the 50's.

This has pretty much taken the 4120 from my #1 choice to not even being considered. Looks like my "green" options are now down to the 990 and 5105.

 

[NoMo]

Almost all I do with my 3520 is mow- with an LX6 rough cutter. The force with which the PTO engages when the engine is at 950 RPMs is incredible. I suspect that if you engaged the PTO with the engine at 2600 RPMs (PTO speed), it would tear the the cutter apart.

On a side note, why do you want to disengage/engage the PTO "on the fly" while mowing? I engage the PTO, increase engine RPMs, and cut. I don't disengage until I'm done. Turns, reverse, etc are all done with the cutter running.

 

[NoMo]

Almost all I do with my 3520 is mow- with an LX6 rough cutter. The force with which the PTO engages when the engine is at 950 RPMs is incredible. I suspect that if you engaged the PTO with the engine at 2600 RPMs (PTO speed), it would tear the the cutter apart.

On a side note, why do you want to disengage/engage the PTO "on the fly" while mowing? I engage the PTO, increase engine RPMs, and cut. I don't disengage until I'm done. Turns, reverse, etc are all done with the cutter running.

 

[beenthere]

Cargun
I too am leary of the electric clutch PTO engagement, and like the lever on my 4300. At one end of its position the brake is on the PTO, in the middle it is free-wheeling, and at the other end it is engaged. Going from stop to engaged, is a smooth, feathered procedure.

My lawn tractor is an electric clutch that engages suddenly, albeit smooth enough. I don't idle the engine rpm to engage it either.

It is an issue about which I am working with my dealer on at the moment. One the salesman said he hasn't heard any complaints about. I suspect that it's not as dramatic as the manual makes it sound.

I didn't understand the line ""Then you're allowed to pull the button to engage the PTO. And to engage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.""
How is it that it states you pull a button at 1500 RPM and then press a button at 950 RPM? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[beenthere]

Cargun
I too am leary of the electric clutch PTO engagement, and like the lever on my 4300. At one end of its position the brake is on the PTO, in the middle it is free-wheeling, and at the other end it is engaged. Going from stop to engaged, is a smooth, feathered procedure.

My lawn tractor is an electric clutch that engages suddenly, albeit smooth enough. I don't idle the engine rpm to engage it either.

It is an issue about which I am working with my dealer on at the moment. One the salesman said he hasn't heard any complaints about. I suspect that it's not as dramatic as the manual makes it sound.

I didn't understand the line ""Then you're allowed to pull the button to engage the PTO. And to engage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.""
How is it that it states you pull a button at 1500 RPM and then press a button at 950 RPM? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Cargun]

My land is full of rocky patches, creeks, washes, and other obstacles. If I think the mower is going to hit something I turn the PTO off until I'm clear. In 2 hours of mowing I'll switch the PTO on and off 10-20 times. The biggest patch of obstacle free pasture I have I can mow in about 10 minutes with my 6' mower. Maybe in about 15-20 years I'll have a lot of easily mowable ground... but not now. And I have to get the weeds/trees/brush/grass knocked down so I can find the rocks and stumps to dig up. I never knew so much stuff could grow on rocks covered by 1/2" of crappy dirt.

Off is pretty easy on my WD45, I just clutch in, disengage the PTO and let the clutch back out, hardly lose momentum of the tractor. Getting it going again is a pain though as I have to stop the tractor. I don't even bother letting the mower slow down unless I'm positive it'll run into something. I've hit a couple tree stumps with the mower at speed but with the PTO disengaged, the mower comes to a stop really fast. Probably not as genle on things as not hitting stuff, but certainly better than hitting things with the PTO engaged.

 

[Cargun]

My land is full of rocky patches, creeks, washes, and other obstacles. If I think the mower is going to hit something I turn the PTO off until I'm clear. In 2 hours of mowing I'll switch the PTO on and off 10-20 times. The biggest patch of obstacle free pasture I have I can mow in about 10 minutes with my 6' mower. Maybe in about 15-20 years I'll have a lot of easily mowable ground... but not now. And I have to get the weeds/trees/brush/grass knocked down so I can find the rocks and stumps to dig up. I never knew so much stuff could grow on rocks covered by 1/2" of crappy dirt.

Off is pretty easy on my WD45, I just clutch in, disengage the PTO and let the clutch back out, hardly lose momentum of the tractor. Getting it going again is a pain though as I have to stop the tractor. I don't even bother letting the mower slow down unless I'm positive it'll run into something. I've hit a couple tree stumps with the mower at speed but with the PTO disengaged, the mower comes to a stop really fast. Probably not as genle on things as not hitting stuff, but certainly better than hitting things with the PTO engaged.

 

[Cargun]

And to engage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.""

It should be "to DISengage the PTO you have to idle down to 950 before pressing the button"

I'd rather have a mechanical lever.... the whole point of an electric one is convience and this doesn't sound convenient at all.

So my routine would be drive over the rough ground to where I want to mow, stop the tractor, put it in neutral, set speed to 1500rpm, engage PTO, speed up to operating RPM, mow for a little bit, idle down to 950, disengage, drive over rough ground.... and repeat.

Compare that to a mechanical lever... drive to place I need to mow, set RPM to mowing speed, feather in mower with lever, mow, kick lever off, drive over rough ground, feather lever back on.

 

[Cargun]

And to engage the PTO you have to idle the engine down to 950 before pressing the button.""

It should be "to DISengage the PTO you have to idle down to 950 before pressing the button"

I'd rather have a mechanical lever.... the whole point of an electric one is convience and this doesn't sound convenient at all.

So my routine would be drive over the rough ground to where I want to mow, stop the tractor, put it in neutral, set speed to 1500rpm, engage PTO, speed up to operating RPM, mow for a little bit, idle down to 950, disengage, drive over rough ground.... and repeat.

Compare that to a mechanical lever... drive to place I need to mow, set RPM to mowing speed, feather in mower with lever, mow, kick lever off, drive over rough ground, feather lever back on.