Adding a 2-speed pto

[rbargeron]

Peter - the lift was made by Phoenix Equipment, they were based in Miami I think, don't know if it's still available. I liked the design because the cylinders hang down from the top - they use the small-side piston area, running higher system pressure - makes for smaller posts.

David - hope this is what you had in mind for documentation. There were some pullers and press tools needed too - but anybody who would open a gearbox knows about that.

There may be a very limited number of tractors where this conversion is possible. The ones I know about for sure are L4350, L4850 and L5450. High-speed attachments are still made in other countries though - so maybe there are other models with 2-speed pto's ?

 

[kubmech]

Nice work, Consider this one stored in my memory bank......

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
i know a lot of guys with round balers and other things that use 1000 rpm but pull the motor back so it only runs at 540 rpm (pto speed) 1000 is a good speed tho as it has less torque(??) than 540 alot of silage choppers, mulchers ie things that cost heaps when hitting rocks/old posts etc etc shear bolts faster with 1000 rpm PTO's the 750(??)rpm i think low rev 540 ie norm 540 will do 40 Hp ,750 run at 540 will put out 28 Hp so even if running this snow blower at 600-650 there will be less Hp running though it ...i also know some mowers work better running abit faster than 540
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[PitbullMidwest]

I'm confused. I thought pto speed was a consistant 540 rpm regardless of engine speed thus the need for a 2 speed gear box to run high speed impliments.

 

[rbargeron]

Tractor pto's are engine-driven and their rpms go up and down in proportion to engine speed. It's the proportion that can be changed with gearing.

A constant-speed pto would be possible but pretty expensive - maybe some HST parts put in backward? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya
ya will find alot of tractors run about 1800-1900 to get 540 and up to 2200-2300 to get 1000 rpm ,with 2 speed shaft 540 may happen at 1500-1600 ..next time ya got a bit of pto work have ya tractor at 1100 then put pto in gear and then incress the speed to pto speed (should be a line on tacho )ya find the mower etc will speed up a bit i don't realy know by how much tho ..some tractors on the tacho have pto speed could someone look and see what the diffrence between 1100 rpm and working rpm
catch ya
JD Kid

 

[rbargeron]

The meter on the dash says 540 pto at about 2200 engine rpm. Many recent US/Canadian Kubotas run their pto's 540 rpm at about 2200-2500 engine. It looks like Kubota just wants to play extra safe by not allowing the possibliity of common attachments getting over-revved.

Anybody know where NH and Deere are in this? any of theirs have multi-speed pto's?

 

[hayden]

Go have a six pack. You've got my vote for the cleanest, most useful mod.

 

[rbargeron]

Thanks for the kind words Peter - this pto speed thing has been on my mind for a while - never realized the solution could be so simple - and all available from the factory /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[MarkV]

<font color=blue>Champagne anyone? On second thought maybe I'll just have a beer</font color=blue>

Shoot Dick, I'll buy the beer just because you shared that modification with us. Way past my skills. Well done.

MarkV

 

[rbargeron]

Thanks Mark - it won't cost you much - can't drink as many as I used to.

It's been in the 50's and no snow in MA - I wanna try this out ! Don't need any speed pto at this rate /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[rbargeron]

IT WORKS - got some heavy granular snow today and on the high pto speed the blower throws it a mile (well maybe 40 feet) And from the pto gearbox: no leaks, no drips, no noises. Life is good.

 

[hwp]

Those extra rpms at the pro will make a big difference. Out of curiosity, what is the diameter of your auger/impeller?

 

[rbargeron]

It's 22" diameter. At engine rpm of 2450, pto 840, tip speed is about 4800 ft/min. Chute is fixed at 45 degrees, but can rotate. Like any pump it works best with a full bite.

 

[hwp]

4800 feet/min should give you a decent throw. Too bad you couldn't get another 500 ft/min as that would make a big difference. Is there any gearing between your pto and auger? I am guessing that since you have a single stage snowblower there is no gearing change. On my two stage snowblower, there is a direct drive to the impeller but a 4:1 reduction to the auger. How is the clearance between the impeller and the drum? If the gap is getting too big you might want to build the ends of the impeller up a bit in the off-season. Anyway, it weems to be working for you.

 

[rbargeron]

Auger/impeller run direct at pto speed, no reduction. Increasing the engine rpm 10% from 2450 to 2700, the pto would increase to 920 and tip speed would be 5300 ft/min. The engine could actually be run at 3000 maximum, where tip speed would be almost 5900 ft/min. But I don't think it needs that much. It seemed to work well with the engine just below 2500 where the pto is at 840 with the new gears.

That speed wasn't possible before the gearbox modification.

 

[Pks]

Hows about a photo of the snow throwing results?

 

[rbargeron]

We're temporarily snowless again - just a little ice here and there. But the camera is ready for the next opportunity !

 

[emery]

Just finished reading the entire post and viewing your nice modification! Great job.

I would like to see picture of your blower also. Did you say you drive forwards???

 

[rbargeron]

Here's the snowblower on my rig. Two feed plows and a spinning auger/impeller - pretty simple.

This blower is really suited to the layout of my place. It also works for widening plowed roads - it's possible to drive along with the bucket raised about 8" but reaching 2 or 3 feet into a plowed bank - breaking it up and spreading it down where the blower can pitch it. Was handy last year when we had so much snow.

Hasn't done very much this year yet /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif But it sure is ready /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif