Montana Tractor Roll Call

[crankshaft21]

Hello everyone, I now have 11.1 hours on my 4320. I looked a three different EZ hitches. I bought a set from carter and sons LLC .com . They work fine, the way they mount on the lift arms, it doesn`t add any length to the arms, so it will not affect my drive shafts on my bushhog or finish mower. I`am begining to get spring fever and get a lot more seat time.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have a 5740 with a FEL. I Disappointed how there is no ramping up of the PTO. I keep shearing my mower pins when I engage the PTO.

Have you tried reducing the engine speed to idle before you engage the pto? The shearing torque will be greatly reduced.

 

[Tul01]

Big Kansas, we loosened up the cables on our throttles so we can temporarily slow our idle down to just over 500rpm, by pulling up on the foot throttle. Otherwise it sits at the regular 700 or so it came from the factory from. It seems more gentle at this speed on our snowblower than the factory setting. Haven't had the bush hog on since we did this. It is a much truer test of how hard the PTO engages as you can see the shake and hear it when it engages. We still go through quite a few shear bolts on the snowblower but I don't think it is related to the engagement, more like the operator impatience(me)

Brent

 

[Tul01]

Just a second thought as well, do you leave the mower sitting in the grass when you engage it? We always start ours up in the air at the lowest rpms possible then drop it down and start cutting. Seems to let the blades get themselves sorted out first.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Big Kansas, we loosened up the cables on our throttles so we can temporarily slow our idle down to just over 500rpm, by pulling up on the foot throttle. Otherwise it sits at the regular 700 or so it came from the factory from. It seems more gentle at this speed on our snowblower than the factory setting. Haven't had the bush hog on since we did this. It is a much truer test of how hard the PTO engages as you can see the shake and hear it when it engages. We still go through quite a few shear bolts on the snowblower but I don't think it is related to the engagement, more like the operator impatience(me)
Brent

if you have an independent pto, the pto brake will stop the mower realtively quickly and the inertia of the blades causes them to "fold inward". AT least that's what happens on my tractor. When you start up, the blades swing out quickly due to centrifugal force and the mower jumps from the torque reaction. I'm going to put my ORC on the pto and see if that will prevent this from happening and to prevent premature wear on the pto brake.

 

[BigKansas]

Tul01 and Jerry/MT- Thanks for the advice. I always try and engage my mower over a mowed area or in the road and drive into the grass at a reasonable speed. I have not messed with the engine RPM's and guess I will try that next. I am assuming that the PTO engagement happens by energizing a solenoid which in turn starts the PTO. I asked my dealer why Montana does not install some sort of potentiometer in line to induce a ramped voltage to the solenoid so it would engage gradually. He told me he thought Montana was working on it and he would get back with me. It has been more tha 4 months and I have yet to hear from him.

 

[tree farmer]

Just a little 2740 here on my wet north Oregon coast tree farm. 152 hours on the meter. No issues with it yet. The Montana shares the barn with a 3414 international loader/backhoe, TD-14 International dozer, and a garden tractor. I bought it as a utility vehicle mostly, but use it a lot for storm clean up too. It likes hogging pretty well so I got it a new 6' Montana rotary. Handles it well with plenty of power, but ya gotta leave the FEL on or it reaches for the sky. A fantastic little machine and we have a great dealer here as well...Dan.

 

[JDeerekid]

Just a little 2740 here on my wet north Oregon coast tree farm. 152 hours on the meter. No issues with it yet. The Montana shares the barn with a 3414 international loader/backhoe, TD-14 International dozer, and a garden tractor. I bought it as a utility vehicle mostly, but use it a lot for storm clean up too. It likes hogging pretty well so I got it a new 6' Montana rotary. Handles it well with plenty of power, but ya gotta leave the FEL on or it reaches for the sky. A fantastic little machine and we have a great dealer here as well...Dan.

Wow I am amazed that your tractor can handle the 6ft bush hog. I am assuming you don't mow very thick grass or brush to fast. I can make my 4340C with 6ft bush hog talk easily if I wanted to.
My neighbor has the same model tractor as you except it is the farmtrac and we have been throwing the idea arond of putting the bush hog on his to see waht it can do. Maybe now we will.

 

[tree farmer]

The local Montana dealer was pretty amazed how well it did also. He made me a great deal on a new, but weathered 6' he had in stock. Not many of them used around here as most everyone wants either a 4 or 5' or a much larger one. It is rated for 60hp and has a slip clutch, so I doubt I will overtax it with either my 27 or 40 horse tractors. I ended up getting it for $850. Yeah, I do have some heavy areas in the lower pastures to mow, which requires 3d or 4th gear, but mostly pasture clipping and along the 1400' driveway, which I can do in 5th or 6th. (8 speeds). I'm happy with it....Dan.

 

[mallorys05]

I purchased my first tractor this fall. After looking around and doing some research, reading this board. I bought a R2844 this past fall. It works perfect for the 5 acres we have. I have a PHD attachment and a finishing mower. The FEL is great.