How do I know what rpm I'm running? More specifically, I want to run the rotary mower and don't know where to put the throttle or what gear to use.
I thought about buying an aftermarket hour/rpm meter like I've installed on my mowers but, I assume I don't need that if I know the proper way to operate the tractor.
Too get the mower to "tip speed" you will need to run it almost WOT - notice I said almost......if you do some research and look at tachometers - you'll see some have the 540 rpm mark stuck somewhere about 90% or so of WOT.
My advice would be to engage the blades, run it up all the way and then pull back a bit.
Many people truly believe that cutting at a slower RPM is better for everything.......ignorance is bliss! - when engineers (those who think stuff up) design a piece of equipment, they must take in consideration a lot of intangibles. So they design the mower to have a gear box to be turned at "x" speed so that the blade tip speed is at "X" speed.......all that boils down to what the engine dishes out, and thus the engine must match the "x" speed.
Diesels are torque driven machines, they have a hellva lot more torque than gassers .....but if you if cut grass at idle, you are loosing all the advantages of the diesel.
Diesel generators do not have a variable "speed" - now true a governor is in there to tweak it , but once started it runs at that RPM that makes the most "power" to do the job...........cutting grass should use the same principle!
