Vibratory Plow

Frank Sorbello · Mar 30, 2014

My uncle has helped me make a pretty nice vibratory plow for my PT-422. It will bury wire at about eight inches.
We are still looking for more speed for the vibratory plow.
I talked to Terry on Friday. On my 422 I have a two section pump. He said one section runs the PTO, the other section runs the lift and the steering.
If I understood Terry correctly the section that runs the PTO puts out 3 gpm at 1800 to 1900 psi, the other section puts out 8 gpm at 2500 psi.

If that is correct, is there a way to rob some of the gpm from the larger section of the pump to help feed the PTO side. Or can I somehow install a valve so I can switch the flows from the pumps so that the greater flow is feeding the PTO when needed and the lesser flow feeds steering and lift.

SwampmanLA · Mar 30, 2014

I think you have pressure and flow reversed. I understood the PTO was the 8 GPM circuit.

J_J · Mar 30, 2014

Yep, the 8 GPM is for the PTO.

Tell us how you built a vibratory plow.

MossRoad · Mar 31, 2014

There are technically three pumps on the 422. One is the tram pump for direction of travel. The other is a two section pump.

One section is the AUX PTO. That is for steering, FEL and the quick attach. The fluid goes from that pump, to the steering valve, out of the steering valve and into the FEL valve, which is a three section valve. Two sections of the FEL valve are for lift/lower and dump/curl respectively. The third section is for the AUX PTO lever by your right knee. Then the fluid returns to the tank.

The second section of that pump is the MAIN PTO. This pump is for the larger hydraulic connectors on the FEL arms and is for operation of hydraulic implements. This section is the one that pumps 8GPM at 2500PSI.

There is no way to combine those two sections of that pump to make more flow.

If you are operating hydraulically powered implements, you should be using the larger connectors on the FEL arms to power it. The implement, if not a hydraulic motor, should be configured as open center, so any fluid that is not being used by hydraulic rams will be returned directly to the tank.

I'm assuming the vibrating plow is just a hydraulic motor, so it should pass all fluid to the tank, correct?

Which connectors are you connecting the vibrating plow to?

MossRoad · Mar 31, 2014

Also, if you are using the MAIN PTO to power a hydraulic motor, and the motor is running too slow, and assuming your engine RPMS are at full throttle 3600 RPM, you should look at the displacement of the hydraulic motor. It may be too large for the speed you are trying to attain. If you put a smaller displacement motor on it, you will get more RPMs out of the motor, but you will lose torque. You have to find the proper balance of speed VS torque VS the power that your engine/PTO pump can provide.