Land Pride PD10 - 300rpm

[Michael Aos]

The dealer installed my Land Pride PD10 post-hole digger on my BX2370 when I purchased it.

I took it off the other day to attach a Land Pride GS1548 (LPGS).

For the first time, I noticed the little warning sticker that says not to exceed 300rpm.

How would I know when I exceed 300rpm?
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[rfc143]

Put a piece of masking tape on it, run it, and count the number of rotations in 15 seconds. If more than 75, slow it down. Old school, but it works well.

 

[ericm979]

Your tractor has a tachometer. It should be marked with the engine rpm that corresponds to 540 pto rpm. The tractor owner's manual should explain that and also list the engine rpm that corresponds with 540 pto rpm. 300 pto rpm will be 55% of that. It's easier to divide by 2. So for example if the engine rpm for 540 pto rpm is 3200, keep it under 1600.

 

[NTG]

Since this thread's run it course, but pertains to my question, I guess I'll just add here instead of starting a new thread. That makes sense Eric and was part of my question about the RPMs. I have a NH Workmaster 33 tractor and just bought a CountyLine PHD from TS. I've read places that you should operate the PHD at a slow speed to keep from screwing it in the ground, but my tractor manual says to operate the tractor at 2400 RPM with the PTO engaged. (Well, you start it out at idle and then increase it to that RPM) My PHD manual says to "start digging at a slow speed", but it doesn't mention any specific RPMs. Says to increase speed as the auger goes deeper and if the soil is extremely hard, it will generally improve operation to vary the speed of the auger at times. Do I just engage the PTO at the tractor's idle and go at it with the PHD? Will it damage the PTO if the auger is not running fast enough or will it just bog down? Do you just increase it a little bit at a time until it starts biting? Most of my soil is probably going to be straight red clay once I get past the first couple inches and I realize I may have to dig my auger out at some point, I just don't want to damage my tractor while trying to get the hang of this.