What rpm do you use to drive the tractor

[oosik]

If I'm just traveling from here to there its 1600-1800 rpm. Otherwise, the rpm is set to the efficient operation of the implement or task without lugging the engine.

 

[skyhook]

Listen to the engine, it will let you know.

 

[newbury]

I rarely run WOT on any of my tractors. If I need to go faster than my normal working speed, I will just shift upward on the gears. It isn't going to hurt the engines to run WOT but if you don't need the power or the speed then why create all the noise. 2000 RPM on a 2500 RPM engine's max speed is usually sufficient for my needs and reduces the noise level considerably. I don't get any more hydraulic performance with the extra 500 or so RPM but I do get a lot more noise and all my tractors will break traction before running out of power at much less than 2000 RPM anyway.

The only exception to running WOT is when I am running them down the road and I need to put on as much speed as possible which isn't very much with my B26 even at WOT.

That's about my speed also. And note on some tractors, like my B7610, the hour meter is based on PTO speed, I could putt putt around moving mulch for 2 hrs before it would register 1 hour.

Listen to the engine, it will let you know.

That's often difficult to determine for new owners of diesel engines.

 

[Raised on a Deere]

When I mow I run about 2200rpm. 540 on the pto is 2400. I like to find the rpm where engine runs smoothest just below 540 pto speed. That's what I'm looking for when mowing. HS.

By some process I found my self tweeking the gears and maintaining 2000rpm on the Branson. Much below that and the throttle response was not as precise, seemed the governor was not responding with precision. I rarely need any more power than what is available at 20ooo-2100 rpm. Use the 740 PTO speed most of the time. But noise is a minor factor. It just seemed that clutching, steering, hydraulics just everything worked well and somehow I have fallen into that groove.

On my yanmar which I use more for loader and grapple work, I set the throttle to about 1500 and use the foot feed. run full throttle everywhere except in turns and where I want to slow down. The foot feed happens to be where my foot rests comfortably and this just got to be a way to work. The tractor is happy at full throttle and once in a while I get to hear the turbo sing if in get into a good load, usually when bush hogging. It does not have a multispeed PTO.

Neither of these tractors give a whit what speed I work them once you get above 1500 RPM.

One thing to remember is that most of these engines drop off in efficiency as in lbs of fuel per horsepower hour in the upper part of the RPM range. You get more power at the upper rpms but if you don't need all of it you get more horse power per lb of fuel somewhere below the peak. On the turboed Yanmar the fuel efficiency curve starts a drop off above 2200 or something like that, looked at the curve a while ago.