Mowing What is the proper shutdown procedure for PTO rotary cutter operation Kubota L3301 ?

[Kimberry]

Hello,

I am a new Kubota L3301 owner with 5' Kodiak Medium Duty rotary cutter. It's been awesome first 6 hours. I understand the PTO startup procedure, but I am not 100% clear on the SHUTDOWN procedure. I can't find clear shutdown checklist in the owners manual. What do you do? Reduce throttle slowly to idle first? or just move PTO lever to off position even from full throttle setting? What do you guys do? Thank you.

Danny Kim.

 

[spacemanspiff]

I just turn it off. If I want the adjust something on the cutter, I idle it down to stop it quicker.

 

[Rustyiron]

I'll simultaneously step on the clutch and throttle down, then disengage the pto lever.
My reasoning behind this is to have no "pressure" on the pto drive train for a clean, quick disengagement of the gears, but I'm prolly splitting hairs (or ****) on this but from a mechanical stand point, it makes me feel better.

 

[TheMan419]

My PTO is electric over hydraulic so no clutch. No indication in my manual either, but I just do the reverse of start up. Drop RPM to idle and then switch PTO off.

 

[UpstateSC_Papi]

I'll simultaneously step on the clutch and throttle down, then disengage the pto lever.
My reasoning behind this is to have no "pressure" on the pto drive train for a clean, quick disengagement of the gears, but I'm prolly splitting hairs (or ****) on this but from a mechanical stand point, it makes me feel better.

This is what I do as well. Just seems logical. Whether it is mechanically better or not I have zero clue.

 

[ericm979]

Your Kubota 3301HST has an overrunning clutch in the PTO. Which means that if you throttle down with the PTO engaged the mower is allowed to spin faster than the PTO by the one way clutch. When that happens you will hear a clicking noise from the pawls in the one way clutch. It's normal.

With a mechanical live PTO I push in the clutch, disengage the PTO and then shut the throttle off. But it's ok if you shut the throttle off first and then clutch and disengage the PTO. With an overrunning clutch the engine won't slow the implement when it's throttled down. But a 5' rotary doesn't have a lot of inertia (compared to say a wood chipper with it's big flywheel). My 5' Kodiak spins down in about 5-10 seconds.

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the TBN forum Danny. Glad that you joined us here.

For me it just depends on what I am doing. I have done it both ways and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[Kimberry]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Take care.
Danny.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I throttle down and disengage, tractor seems happy enough....

 

[strum456]

I don't own any Kubota's, but the reason I throttle down is to save the PTO brake band. If using an implement equipped with an overrunning clutch, it is a moot point. However, rotary cutters, as we know have a lot of rotational inertia. If your tractor is equipped with a brake to prevent the PTO from freewheeling due to drive line drag, throttling down will reduce wear on the brake.