What have you done to your Branson today?

[KennJ]

So, here is a lesson I learned... the mower manual said not to start the mower at full speed. The Branson has an electric PTO switch (so there is no easing the PTO into operation), with an option that stops the PTO when the implement is raised and automatically starts it when lowered. I tried that out, thinking that since the flail is freewheeling it would still be moving when I lowered it back down... Nope! Sheared off the shear bolt. Back up and running after a trip to the hardware store, but from now on I will start the PTO al low RPM and then increase the throttle.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

That is the same thing I do with my 6' rotary mower. I start the PTO at idle, or just above idle. Then once it's running, I run the rpms up where I want them, which in my case is 2600 rpms.

 

[ptsg]

So, here is a lesson I learned... the mower manual said not to start the mower at full speed. The Branson has an electric PTO switch (so there is no easing the PTO into operation), with an option that stops the PTO when the implement is raised and automatically starts it when lowered. I tried that out, thinking that since the flail is freewheeling it would still be moving when I lowered it back down... Nope! Sheared off the shear bolt. Back up and running after a trip to the hardware store, but from now on I will start the PTO al low RPM and then increase the throttle.

For high inertia implements like a brush mower, flail mower, wood chipper, etc, I wouldn't use the Auto mode. It's just too much mass spinning to be constantly stopping and starting the PTO. It's a bit hard on the PTO brake and on everything else. What you're experiencing with the flail is that the rotor has now slow down a decent amount and then the PTO kicks in pretty much wide open. The shear pin just can't take it.

For a tiller or something that spins slow, sure. It works great and I use it all the time.

 

[K5lwq]

I will add I always idle down before disengaging my PTO as well. Engaging the PTO at higher RPMs is hard on flail belts as well.

 

[Cougsfan]

I will add I always idle down before disengaging my PTO as well. Engaging the PTO at higher RPMs is hard on flail belts as well.

I missed something here. I can understand and follow the logic of not engaging your PTO at high rpm. But what problem might occur by disengaging it at any rpm? I have probably done it fairly often with out noticing any issues (More accurately, I have never even thought about that procedure)

 

[K5lwq]

I missed something here. I can understand and follow the logic of not engaging your PTO at high rpm. But what problem might occur by disengaging it at any rpm? I have probably done it fairly often with out noticing any issues (More accurately, I have never even thought about that procedure)

I personally like to slow my mowers down before disengaging. On a flail with overrun clutch not as big of a deal but a rotary mower with out a overrun clutch would be hard on the PTO brake.

Also on manual transmission I learned early in life to not clutch under a high RPM load. There was a demo I saw as a kid at one of the farm shows of a engine and transmission with a sight glass mounted in the bell housing. They would load the engine and then clutch at high RPM. You would see a ball of fire come off the clutch. Then with the same load they would clutch at low RPM and you would not see anything but it disengage. So that became my practice and have had very few clutch failures even on old high hour farm tractors.

I just think it is a good habit to form.

 

[Aquamoose]

Wonder if y’all know of this tip about hooking up PTO implements. I position the PTO gear selector in neutral so I can easily align the tractor PTO spindle to the shaft (with the engine off of course!). When done, don’t forget to engage the PTO gear selector. I once forgot and was having a hellofa time figuring out why it wasn’t turning when trying to use my chipper!

 

[DGZRT]

Well this spring was really wet !! Our back yard at the cabin basically turned into a lake . We finally got some time and five Quads of sand . So far I’ve built it up over a foot .

 

[DGZRT]

We Nicknamed it Webster lake ha ha .

 

[DGZRT]

I think it turned out great !