Does my tractor have issues?

Waverlywoods · Apr 14, 2011

I have never been around tractors or used one till a couple weeks ago. From tractor data test report I should have 35hp at drawbar and 40hp at PTO.

I have a woods RM59 6ft finnish deck. I was cutting today in 4th gear taking the grass from 6.5 inches down to 3. And it wasn't happy, went down to 2nd gear and it still groaned a little, seemed kind of bogged down and had trouble keeping at 540PTO sometimes.

I had a 2-plow but traded for a 1 bottom because it would only plow (new ground) 3inches deep (max).

I've suspect some fuel delivery issues because we had the glass bowl off once and gas just dripped instead of pouring out into the bowl. The next day it poured out into the bowl instead of dripping. I guess when I get the fuel tank cleaned up ect.. I would hope this tractor would tear up a belt on the RM before getting bogged down in a little grass right?? Woods recomends 30hp max for the RM59.

Also I'm going to get a bush hog but don't know for sure what size to get. The tractor is an Oliver 550.

JDGreenGrass · Apr 14, 2011

Waverlywoods said:
I have never been around tractors or used one till a couple weeks ago. From tractor data test report I should have 35hp at drawbar and 40hp at PTO.

I have a woods RM59 6ft finnish deck. I was cutting today in 4th gear taking the grass from 6.5 inches down to 3. And it wasn't happy, went down to 2nd gear and it still groaned a little, seemed kind of bogged down and had trouble keeping at 540PTO sometimes.

I had a 2-plow but traded for a 1 bottom because it would only plow (new ground) 3inches deep (max).

I've suspect some fuel delivery issues because we had the glass bowl off once and gas just dripped instead of pouring out into the bowl. The next day it poured out into the bowl instead of dripping. I guess when I get the fuel tank cleaned up ect.. I would hope this tractor would tear up a belt on the RM before getting bogged down in a little grass right?? Woods recomends 30hp max for the RM59.

Also I'm going to get a bush hog but don't know for sure what size to get. The tractor is an Oliver 550.

I would think you would have more power at the drawbar than at the pto.?? I could be wrong...You say you have 40hp/pto and the RM59 is rated at 30hp max....What were your rpm's at when you bogged down.??

Edit; I guess I don't understand drawbar/hp.?? I thought that would be pulling power...no.?? Could someone help me to understand this.??

Bythe way, what a tractor you have. I was just at TractorData looking at the specs. #3,750lbs....$4400 new in '75. Great looks with a good tough stancfe, ready to work. Congrats on your tractor. Hope you get some answers on the tractor bogging down. Too bad.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/6/8/680-oliver-550.html

Waverlywoods · Apr 14, 2011

(its a 5' deck not 6' ) I don't really know for sure what the pto rpm dropped off to because you just get a little mark on the engine tach where 540PTO and 1000 PTO is. I just know aot of people use RM59's w 8N tractors. I can't figure out if my tractor is having trouble making power or if I'm just asking too much of it because I'm so inexperienced

thanks I'm really excited to have found this jewel of a machine. It's in decent shape never been wet, no farm work. It rides and steers like a dream, live PTO

zzvyb6 · Apr 14, 2011

I have a 35hp JD1070 and run a Land Pride 84" finish deck easily in top gear and high range for 6" grass cut to 3". Blade sharpness is the only thing that slows me down. If its 12" grass cut to 6", high gear in mid range is used (all at 540 pto rpm). If its power limited, I would expect some black smoke to be exhausted as the governor pours on the fuel rate. Ground speed is important for your situation. How many feet per second or mph are you traveling? My owner manual lists the ground speeds for each gear and range setting and for each type of tire.

BTW: my mower is a rear discharge so its a bit more efficient. However I do use Gator mulching blades with it.

Waverlywoods · Apr 14, 2011

zzvyb6 said:
I have a 35hp JD1070 and run a Land Pride 84" finish deck easily in top gear and high range for 6" grass cut to 3". Blade sharpness is the only thing that slows me down. If its 12" grass cut to 6", high gear in mid range is used (all at 540 pto rpm). If its power limited, I would expect some black smoke to be exhausted as the governor pours on the fuel rate. Ground speed is important for your situation. How many feet per second or mph are you traveling? My owner manual lists the ground speeds for each gear and range setting and for each type of tire.

BTW: my mower is a rear discharge so its a bit more efficient. However I do use Gator mulching blades with it.

How fast is your JD tractor in top gear high range?
yeah that's what it was doing, it would bog a little, and the tach would drop about 10% and it revved up some with a little smoke once. Ground speed in 4th @540 is 4.1 mph, in 2nd 2mph.

roger4400 · Apr 15, 2011

Hi. I've own a 1959 550 Oliver for 10 years (a very good reliable tractor, sold it last year for a 2010 1643 Massey) . Your tractor if 1959 and over is 42 hp and 37.5 hp pto. I was using a 6 ft finishing mower and if your grass is humid and 6.5 in. high, you will not be able to mow in 4th gear ...you are asking too much ( because when a gas engine start loosing rpm it will loose hp very fast). You will have to downshift. If dry 4th gear is the maximum you can do 3rd would be better. Of course if your grass is shorter and dry you can go to 4th gear. Those gas tractor do not have the torque diesel have, my new tractor is 35 hp pto and 1foot grass will not slow the engine rpm, a world of difference in power. For your engine, good gas flow, good points and spark plugs and it will go fine ( keep your carb sharp or maybe it is time to rebuilt.) If it is bogging when hot, it is possible that your gas line is too close from a high heat source and gaz vaporize before getting to the carb, so get your line away from extreme heat sources. Good luck. Roger

RoyJackson · Apr 15, 2011

JDGreenGrass said:
Edit; I guess I don't understand drawbar/hp.?? I thought that would be pulling power...no.?? Could someone help me to understand this.??

Here you go, JD...

Horsepower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've seen drawbar HP ratings listed for big utility tractors (like those huge Deeres with duals on all four corners you see in Nebraska). I don't think it means much to CUT owners though.
And you're correct in drawbar HP being pulling power...it's just expressed as drawbar HP.

Kernopelli · Apr 15, 2011

I have a Mitsubishi 24 engine HP/20 PT0 HP tractor. I use a rear discharge Kioti KRM-72 finish mower (72") and I run top range/top gear in thinner grasses of the same cut. I couldn't do this through dense turf grasses or thick weeds but what you describe is exactly how I mowed my lawn for years. HR/HG equates to about 11-12 MPH. It's 4WD but even this tractor will pull a 2 bottom plow decently when I have my FEL on it ( lots of weight). W/o the weight it won't get enough traction to plow very deep some times.

That said, I had a Jinma 28 HP machine that had a side discharge Deere 60" RFM and high range/ high gear was basically a road gear....she would flat move! No way the tractor would even begin to mow in HR/HG though.....just sucked too much HP for the gearing.High range 3rd gear was no problem and high range 1-2 would allow mowing with a 5' bush hog.

I've never owned a gas tractor but maybe Roger4400 hit the nail on the head...it's hard for me to believe there would be such a big difference though. Maybe your old girl is getting a little tired or maybe it's an apples/oranges comparison with gear ratios between yours and the tractors I've mowed with in recent years?

Gary Fowler · Apr 15, 2011

According to tractordata you would be travelling at 5 miles per hour in 4th gear and pulling a 5 foot mower, you should be able to pull it in 5th at least and likely in road gear (6th) gear in the conditions described. I think I would look at a tune up on that gas engine. New plugs, points, condenser and new plug wires and maybe even a new coil would not be out of order. Check your fuel filter and make sure you are getting good fuel flow and also check that the governor is working correctly. You are definitely at a loss of power and is likely just needing a tune up. You did have fresh gas in it didnt you, not some 10 year old stuff or even 1 year old.