BX speed versus RPM Question

[wawajake]

This weekend I drove my BX2660 the 4 or 5 miles it is over to the dealer to pick up my new rototiller.
I didn't figure it would take me very long using the "rabbit gear" and the drive would be pleasant.
Suprisingly it took almost an hour one way. I set the throttle for roughly 2500-2600 rpm and that was the maximum speed I dared go.
I was afraid to rev it up further than 2600 for that long a period. My question is could I of been reving higher so that I can drive faster on those country roads. Or was that a decent safe rpm for road travel ? I had no problem controlling the speed that I was going and suspect I could of easily physically ran the same speed. (its flat terrain)

In the end it was a pleasant drive and way to spend a saturday morning, but I wonder if I was too easy on the engine. By the way .......the roundtrip of two hours barely moved the fuel gauge !
your thoughts?
jake

 

[radioman]

I am in the same boat as you. I have driven once my BX24 8 miles one way since I didnt have a trailer that could handle the weight. took me nearly 2 hours and i had rpms around 2500-2800 in rabbit gear. I would never do it again as i didn't want that many hours on the tractor. Does continuous high rpms hurt the engine. I really seroiusly doubt it. Diesel engines are made to run hard. The only thing I am concerned about is the tranny being driven that long on a hard pavement. I made sure I was in 2 wheel drive only, and tried go on dirt shoulders as much as possible to prevent hard wear and tear but some of the shoulders isnt dirt.

4 mile doesnt sound so bad for me, If it just going to the dealer every now and then for toys, its cool. I am just surprised that if the dealer is that close, he didnt make a "free" delivery for you? I know mine would if I keep buying more toys from him.

 

[Paul Wise]

Don't you guy's worry about wear on your tires driving so much on the road?

 

[Zick]

Don't you guy's worry about wear on your tires driving so much on the road?

As long as their driving straight most of the time it will be fine. Turning on the road is where you really start to wear down the tires.

 

[radioman]

paulwise- I was worried about it hence the reason i tried to go on the dirt shoulder as much as I could. After the return trip, my fears never came to- the turf tires still looks close to great condition like I never left.

 

[rexcramer]

You guys worry too much, diesels are designed to be set at one rpm and run for a long time. Diesels usually run best at 80-85% of WOT so you did it about right.

The only thing you will hurt is wearing the tires out unless you ran the whole way in 4wd or had the diff lock on or something. Who has ever wore a Kubota out by driving too much on the road?????

 

[wawajake]

My travel was all gravel roads (or gravel shoulder) in two wheel drive of course , and yes at about 80 to 85% rpm of WOT.

So I guess I did the best speed I could of.
I was impatient to pick up my new rototiller from dealer instead of getting it delivered a few days later.
Besides I wanted to watch their mechanic install it the first time.

thanks all
jake

 

[BXpanded]

Tractors are meant to "travel" whether mowing, plowing or pulling. Driving the 8 mile round trip to the OP's dealer is less "travel" than plowing 1 acre with a 12" plow or mowing 5 acres with a 60" mower. You'd never hesitate to do either of those at WOT. Also, keep in mind that the engine turns the same actual number of revolutions per mile whether it's set at 1,500 rpm or 3,000 rpm. At 3,000 the tractor just travels twice as fast. Go WOT if the noise doesn't bother you.

Road use won't hurt turf tires. R4s wear slightly faster. Ag tires wear comparatively quickly on pavement but 8 miles is not very far to travel.

Don't sweat it! Road driving is really easy duty for a tractor.

 

[radioman]

Tractors are meant to "travel" whether mowing, plowing or pulling. Driving the 8 mile round trip to the OP's dealer is less "travel" than plowing 1 acre with a 12" plow or mowing 5 acres with a 60" mower. You'd never hesitate to do either of those at WOT. Also, keep in mind that the engine turns the same actual number of revolutions per mile whether it's set at 1,500 rpm or 3,000 rpm. At 3,000 the tractor just travels twice as fast. Go WOT if the noise doesn't bother you.

Road use won't hurt turf tires. R4s wear slightly faster. Ag tires wear comparatively quickly on pavement but 8 miles is not very far to travel.

Don't sweat it! Road driving is really easy duty for a tractor.

you have made many good pointers here BXpanded. I guess we can't help it if we love our machines here.

 

[TripleR]

I have to agree with BXpanded, I had a BX2200 which I ran wide open on the road and I now do the same with my BX2660 or John Deere 2305. I had bar tires on the BX2200 and they have very little wear. We do experience some wear on our large farm tractors, but less than we use to. Maybe they are using a different compound as so many farmers have acerage spread out so much they spend a lot of time on the road.