What is wrong with this idea

bubenberg · Jan 6, 2003

why would i not be able to take my hydrostatic 48" walkbehind mower and somehow rig it to use instead of a hydraulic pt mower ... i am only fishing.

but after i saw how fast Charlie could mow with my two Kunz Acrease, because of the extra power, which a 425 can't produce. i have been thinking. my brain is working .... but not to well as you can see.

ok designers, engineers and backyard converter .... i need help.

Schultz · Jan 7, 2003

Could you give us a little more detail to go on. I didn't quite understand the question?
Tim

bubenberg · Jan 7, 2003

thanks for the comeback. here is a front view of a walkbehind Exmark:
http://www.exmarkdealer.com/cgi-bin/exmarkdealers/viewPhoto?custid=913&itemid=11

here is a Power Trac (pt) 425 with it's proper pt mower fourth picture on that page:

http://www.power-trac.com/series400.htm

what i intend to do is somehow rig, if possible, the exmark using its own power wheels, hydrostatic. to replace the hydraulic mower of pt.

what i hope to achieve is to both use the Exmark for it's intended use (walkbehind), and to increase speed when mowing in toe with two Kunz acease (57") and the exmark out up front, like a regular pt attachment.

here are two pictures of the acrease hook ups, i use the hook up similar to the picture where the lead is the atv and a pt mower up front:

http://www.canns-bilco.com/acrease.htm

hazmat · Jan 7, 2003

Hans,

you can simplify your idea a bit, just use an old walkbehind deck with it's own engine. Forget about it trying to pull the powertrack along. It would be difficult to match the speeds.

If you don't have to power the mower on the front, you will free up the HP to push & pull the other mowers.

An easy test to see if this will free up enough HP, is to pull the mowers around with the PT mower up front, but with the PTO OFF.

bubenberg · Jan 7, 2003

thank you Hazmat i was afraid, that THAT would be the answer .... the problem for me is: one more engine to maintain .... oh, well

Bob999 · Jan 7, 2003

Hans,

I understand that your Exmark walk behind has a belt drive for the deck and hydro drive for the wheels. I don't think there is any practical way to use the PT to drive the deck.

Conceivably you could disable the hydro drive to the wheels (remove or loosen the belt that drives the hydro pumps) and open the by pass valves in the hydro system so the wheels would free wheel. Then you would need an adaptor to attach the mower to the PT quick attach plate so that the PT provided the propulsion and steering to the deck.

However all of this means you still need to maintain the motor on the Exmark--but you have to do this if you still want to be able to use it as a walk behind!

Anonymous Poster · Jan 7, 2003

Did you consider just pulling the two mowers behind - less
cut width but fairly large at 2 times 60 inches or I guess the 57
inches that they use because of the angle-

I really like mods - but I can't see a practical way of doing this one - without using another motorized unit in the front as well - and in that case - I would not use the exmark - just another motorized deck - I think Northern has wing mowers as well - good luck

How did Charlie use them??

bubenberg · Jan 8, 2003

thanks for the impute.

Charlie used them like i do. he has the pt mower quick attached to his front. the acrease are to the rear and left of the mowing path of the pt mower. but the difference is a full 20 hps. that means he has no degradation of hydraulic power when going up an incline and mows at top speed at all time.

MossRoad · Jan 8, 2003

I see a Bigger Tractor in the future for you /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Schultz · Jan 8, 2003

I guess that means you need to need dual engines on your PT. Sounds cool eh? One to drive a hydraulic pump for the mowers and the other just for the tractor. You could mount the engine on top of the PT engine bay with its stack of hydraulic pumps and hoses. Just kidding.
Although I did see a dual 25hp 72" maybe larger zero turn at a dealer last year. He claimed it could mow thick grass at almost 10mph if it was smooth enough.

bubenberg · Jan 8, 2003

yeah .... and another ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh 17 thousand and another 10 thousand for all the new to..necessary/must have/can't live without them more costly attachments ... right Mr. M.R.?

Anonymous Poster · Jan 8, 2003

maybe we can supercharge the PT or add nitrous oxide

marrt · Jan 8, 2003

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=405826&categoryId=85> Northern Tool</A> has a nice 3 cyl Diesel 27HP high torque engine that would probably solve your problem for only $3600. Now you would have to get creative on where you mount the radiator. And you will need to use an electric fan for the radiator because you will need both the front and rear PTO's for the pumps. Otherwise, with a good smoke wrench and a little patience, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Come on Hans, you can do it!

Schultz · Jan 8, 2003

Now that would be cool, you would have wherrr of the hydraulics and whistle of the supercharger. Or maybe you could find an old goldwing motor cycle and drop that engine there.

MossRoad · Jan 8, 2003

Can't you just put the walk behind mower in neutral and push it with the Power Trac?

bubenberg · Jan 9, 2003

Mr. M.R. that is a good idea, but my mechanic inventor friend Francis had another one today, while i was out earning a living. your idea would have worked fine. the exmark walkbehinds hydros don't have a real neutral. you would have to open a valve on the two wheelmotors to freewheel like you do when you move a dead mower around the garage.

but today Francis had the surprise of the day for me, back behind his old cowstable where we keep the small and not so small tractor junkyard he pointed at a 17 hps motor and said, that will finish two of your winter projects.

one: the multiflora distroyer and two: to give the pt 60" finish mower another chance. i have to come to hate this mower, the belts go way too fast, two in 300 hours of mowing and three central spindle roller bearings; plus the degradation of output (blade tipspeed) going up hills.

one, the multiflora destroyer is an old machine to cut off small trees and multiflora bushes. it looks very much like an old walk behind rototiller. except it has a shaft pointing out to the front with a sawblade mounting (ripping blade) propelled by two belts.

Francis is going to cannibalize the pt 60" mowers hydraulic motor. we then will combine the saw blade mount of "one" onto a tubular frame which will be welded to another trailer receiver and fit into the before described pt quick attach plate we made last fall, which fits the leaf rake, the 11+8hp little wonder blower buggy, the trailer hitch to move the various trailers around the yard and the "cheap snow plow".
the power source will be the cannibalized hydraulic motor from the pt mower.

two, will receive a face lift. we will install front lawn tractor wheels in front and back with the ability to swivel, rather than plow the turf. we will also install anti scalp rollers. one in the front center and two to three in the rear of the deck. this next mod. is just a dream i would like to fulfill (to reduce the chaffing problem we will try to install a horse stable mat strip all a long the rear of the mower and cut open the right side of the mower, to foster some side discharge). we then will install the 17 hps engine and slightly redesign the pt quick attach situation to accommodate the engine and still warrant proper mowing/pushing and swiveling ability of the redesigned attachment/mower.

bubenberg · Jan 9, 2003

someday, we in the landscape business use these great little machines, hope that Ed and all the rest in Tazwell will hear us and put a 30 hp Deutz in that so able, agile piece of equipment. for the landscaping work we do, always in tight spots, muddy grounds, delicate turf, this is the size machine we need just more "umpf".

bubenberg · Jan 9, 2003

it may come to that some day when the Kohler engine goes. in our business they last about 1800 to 3000 hours when mainly used at full trottle to upkeep optimal blade tipspeed.

but i think i would put a Deutz or a Kubota engine in, since i already have one Deutz and two Kubota diesels.

bubenberg · Jan 9, 2003

there will be another midatlantic pt test pilot meeting, we are getting together with our lawyer, Charlie, because we are going out on strike .... not enough snow to plow .... yet.

i will take some of these inventions with me and hope that this time we won't forget to ask Charlie to take some pictures of some of our mods.

MossRoad · Jan 9, 2003

Hans, thanks for the morning wake up! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Sounds like lots of projects going on there. Can't wait for some pictures and your commentary. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif