PTO - What gear/speed for slasher?

[John Corey]

Hi guys
Was not sure what forum to put this in but as I have an L1-22DT (similar to L2250 & L2950) I thought I would put it in the grey section.

My tractor is 4WD and I would like to know the best setting to have the PTO at , and the tractor at, when running my slasher. The slasher will be used to clean up horse paddocks. The grass is not that long. It's just that when you let it get to a foot or more the weeds start showing through.

There are 4 gears to the PTO and the guy I bought the tractor from said he always ran the PTO in second gear.
As well as the gear tho, what should I have the Revs at? (Using the rev lever on the column)
And should I be running the tractor in 1st gear when running the slasher?

I know there is MidPTO but I have even less idea what that's about or what I would need that for. All the decals are either in Japanese or worn away altogether.

 

[85Hokie]

Hi guys
Was not sure what forum to put this in but as I have an L1-22DT (similar to L2250 & L2950) I thought I would put it in the grey section.

My tractor is 4WD and I would like to know the best setting to have the PTO at , and the tractor at, when running my slasher. The slasher will be used to clean up horse paddocks. The grass is not that long. It's just that when you let it get to a foot or more the weeds start showing through.

There are 4 gears to the PTO and the guy I bought the tractor from said he always ran the PTO in second gear.
As well as the gear tho, what should I have the Revs at? (Using the rev lever on the column)
And should I be running the tractor in 1st gear when running the slasher?

I know there is MidPTO but I have even less idea what that's about or what I would need that for. All the decals are either in Japanese or worn away altogether.

John,

typically a cutting device is "made" to run at a certain RPM - typically 540 rpms at the rear pto.....

the tip speed at the cutter is how the rpms are determined, thus the gearing in the cutter is "set" to run "best" at that 540.

now - on a engine that does not have a tachometer, or one that has it, but not marked = the "best" speed and the speed that will get you the best cut will be about 85%-90% WOT

people feel that it "hurts" the engine to run at the high end of the rpms spectrum .......BUT IT was designed there, so run it there.

personally - I would grab the lever - shove it forward to where it cannot go further, then back off a bit!

and cut in the gear that is safe and gets the grass cut the best......1st will work on taller, 2nd for a shorter.

 

[Daren Todd]

You'll want 1st gear for the pto (540 rpm). 2nd gear is around 7xx rpm. 3rd is between 800 and 900 rpm, and 4th is around 1000ish rpms. The only time my l1501 goes higher then 1st gear on the pto is to second on occasion with my finish mower. On your slasher you won't want to take it out of first.

 

[John Corey]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will give your suggestions a go today.