Mowing What is the proper shutdown procedure for PTO rotary cutter operation Kubota L3301 ?

[Kimberry]

Hello,

I am a new Kubota L3301 owner with 5' Kodiak Medium Duty rotary cutter. It's been awesome first 6 hours. I understand the PTO startup procedure, but I am not 100% clear on the SHUTDOWN procedure. I can't find clear shutdown checklist in the owners manual. What do you do? Reduce throttle slowly to idle first? or just move PTO lever to off position even from full throttle setting? What do you guys do? Thank you.

Danny Kim.

 

[spacemanspiff]

I just turn it off. If I want the adjust something on the cutter, I idle it down to stop it quicker.

 

[Rustyiron]

I'll simultaneously step on the clutch and throttle down, then disengage the pto lever.
My reasoning behind this is to have no "pressure" on the pto drive train for a clean, quick disengagement of the gears, but I'm prolly splitting hairs (or ****) on this but from a mechanical stand point, it makes me feel better.

 

[TheMan419]

My PTO is electric over hydraulic so no clutch. No indication in my manual either, but I just do the reverse of start up. Drop RPM to idle and then switch PTO off.

 

[UpstateSC_Papi]

I'll simultaneously step on the clutch and throttle down, then disengage the pto lever.
My reasoning behind this is to have no "pressure" on the pto drive train for a clean, quick disengagement of the gears, but I'm prolly splitting hairs (or ****) on this but from a mechanical stand point, it makes me feel better.

This is what I do as well. Just seems logical. Whether it is mechanically better or not I have zero clue.

 

[ericm979]

Your Kubota 3301HST has an overrunning clutch in the PTO. Which means that if you throttle down with the PTO engaged the mower is allowed to spin faster than the PTO by the one way clutch. When that happens you will hear a clicking noise from the pawls in the one way clutch. It's normal.

With a mechanical live PTO I push in the clutch, disengage the PTO and then shut the throttle off. But it's ok if you shut the throttle off first and then clutch and disengage the PTO. With an overrunning clutch the engine won't slow the implement when it's throttled down. But a 5' rotary doesn't have a lot of inertia (compared to say a wood chipper with it's big flywheel). My 5' Kodiak spins down in about 5-10 seconds.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the TBN forum Danny. Glad that you joined us here.

For me it just depends on what I am doing. I have done it both ways and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[Kimberry]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Take care.
Danny.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I throttle down and disengage, tractor seems happy enough....

 

[strum456]

I don't own any Kubota's, but the reason I throttle down is to save the PTO brake band. If using an implement equipped with an overrunning clutch, it is a moot point. However, rotary cutters, as we know have a lot of rotational inertia. If your tractor is equipped with a brake to prevent the PTO from freewheeling due to drive line drag, throttling down will reduce wear on the brake.

 

[s219]

I can't recall -- did Kubota do away with the clutch pedal on the L3301? I have one on my L3200, and I depress the clutch, throttle down the engine, and then wait for the implement to spin down before disengaging the PTO.

 

[buickanddeere]

is there a pto brake ?

 

[N80]

I think my L4400 has a brake. If you turn the ignition off and the rotary cutter is still spinning it will slam to a stop even if the PTO is disengaged. So I never do that.

It seems like common sense to me but on any implement with inertia I throttle down and then disengage the PTO. Mine is independent electronic/hydraulic so it is done with a lever. Clutch position is irrelevant. Now, if I'm zooming around spreading seed or fertilizer I disengage the PTO without reducing RPMs. The spreader has no inertia.

 

[buickanddeere]

Right on N80

 

[Bronco82]

Thanks for this question. I want to borrow my neighbours bush hog, and haven't hooked up a PTO driven implement yet to my B2650. I'm now led to believe, with the idle down, PTO lever to on, and then idle up and use it. When stopping, idle back down, and slide PTO lever to off.

 

[N80]

Thanks for this question. I want to borrow my neighbours bush hog, and haven't hooked up a PTO driven implement yet to my B2650. I'm now led to believe, with the idle down, PTO lever to on, and then idle up and use it. When stopping, idle back down, and slide PTO lever to off.

Correct. And if yours has a lever, try inching it forward slowly while you watch the PTO shaft. If the lever is incremental, like mine, you can start the PTO moving nice and slow with no shock load whatsoever to the implement or tractor.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you have one of the instant on switches for the PTO, then you need to just have enough throttle to keep from stalling the tractor when you engage. This may take some experimentation to get the throttle just right. I try to do this with my electric clutch lawnmower also. It will save the clutch and belts some wear. I also like to throttle down prior to disengaging any powered equipment or stopping the engine. I don't know if it saves any wear and tear but why have WOT when you a finished cutting. Throttle back, disengage and let the engine idle for a few minutes to cool down before stopping the engine whether it be a tractor or lawnmower.

 

[Bronco82]

Correct. And if yours has a lever, try inching it forward slowly while you watch the PTO shaft. If the lever is incremental, like mine, you can start the PTO moving nice and slow with no shock load whatsoever to the implement or tractor.

Thank you much for that tidbit. Borrowed the neighbours Bush Hog and just slowly slid PTO lever forward and went pretty smooth with no abrupt movements. I was rather impressed. Five hours later had the back field back under control.

 

[Texasmark]

All my PTO starts are from idle and slowly accelerate to PTO speed giving things time to get in motion and come up to speed.

All my stops are just stop the drive at whatever engine speed at the time except for things like my drum mower that has an overrun clutch in the PTO shaft. I slowly reduce engine rpms to idle and wait a bit and then turn the PTO (electric) off to reduce the wear on the OR clutch. That PTO shaft isn't cheap and I don't want to have to replace it.

 

[oosik]

I have a big 'ol Wallenstein chipper, BX62S, with a 200# flywheel. I start at idle and slowly engage the chipper with the PTO lever. I then increase rpm's up to operational speed. To shutdown - I bring the tractor to idle and once there, I slowly disengage the chipper with the PTO lever.

This is, in fact, the way Wallenstein recommends that it be done. I would doubt there are any PTO driven implements that recommend either engagement or disengagement at anything other than idle or near idle speeds. To do otherwise places undue loads on drivelines and components.