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Bush hog rpm

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pete black

Well-known Member
At what pto speed do most folks bush hog with? I typically do not run at 540 rpm but i know that is dependent on what you are bush hogging.
 

It all depends on what you are cutting..

FULL 540 for heavy grasses and small trees..

I feel it reduces the shock loads on the drive train of the tractor..

Ron..
 
Tip speed of the cutting edges depends on the 540. Less is much less. Wide open and select a gear that allows it to mow well. Keep the front edge of the blade sweep 1/4 to 1/2" than the rear edge. This keeps from cutting every stem 15 times. Jim
 
(quoted from post at 21:58:57 07/30/12) At what pto speed do most folks bush hog with? I typically do not run at 540 rpm but i know that is dependent on what you are bush hogging.
Click to expand...

Trying to save money or something by operating at lower rpms ? Run the rotary cutter at 540rpm and don''t worry about what doesn't need worried about.
 
(quoted from post at 21:58:57 07/30/12) At what pto speed do most folks bush hog with? I typically do not run at 540 rpm but i know that is dependent on what you are bush hogging.
Click to expand...

Trying to save money or something by operating at lower rpms ? Run the rotary cutter at 540rpm and don''t worry about what doesn't need worried about.
 
Look at the PTO end of the shaft large teeth 540 small teeth 1000.
These machines are set at one operating speed.
Walt
 
If it is designed for a 540(or 1000) RPM PTO, run it at that RPM regardless of any other factors. It is not dependent on what you are cutting. Different sizes of bush hogs will have different gear boxes in order to provide the proper blade tip speed. Running it slower or faster can cause problems. For lighter cutting you can select a faster travel speed and for heavier cutting you can go slower or take a smaller swath. 540 RPM is usually about 3/4 throttle on most tractors. Running them full throttle puts additional strain on everything and they aren't designed for it. They do not run at 3600 RPM like a push mower. If they ran that fast they'd probably lift off the ground like a helicopter. Way too fast of blade tip speed.
 
Thanks for the replies. Not worried about fuel use or anything else, just curious. I typically do not cut heavy stuff, just clipping, therefore my tractor and mower seems to perform great at 2200 rpm engine and 430 rpm mower.
 
brush hogs are designed for 540 pto rpm unless there for larger tractors with 1000rpm pto's that being said ive found that in some types of grasses like fine bladed types that a SLIGHT increase in pto rpm makes for a better cut now when i say slight i mean increasing the tach about the width of the tach needle im figuring im still spinning well under 600 pto rpm, i cut all types of stuff from actual lawns to scrub brush in which i slow the pto rpm down slightly, it chops up the scrub while reducing the flying debris, i got a worry about debris ever since i was mowing a 13 acre lawn area and hit a golf ball, guess where that thing went, into the operators station of the tractor!, that was more excitement than i need
 
As you know, most smaller rough cut mowers are designed for operation at 540 RPM.

That said, such is not gospel. I often operate below 540 RPM, depending upon conditions and tractor but rarely operate above rated mower speed.

Dean
 
Bingo.

I nearly always make the first round or two with my small 5' cutter pulled with a 51 8N. I nearly always operate it with the Sherman auxiliary transmission in underdrive, which decreases PTO speed as well as ground speed, while increasing torque proportionally.

Many modern tractors, e.g., Kubota, produce 540 PTO speed at rated engine speed, e.g., 2600 - 2700 RPM, rather than "3/4 throttle." Running such tractors at such RPM when rated HP is not needed, such as clipping light cover, increases fuel usage and racks up hours/revolutions.

Dean
 
(quoted from post at 10:40:51 07/31/12) Bingo.

I nearly always make the first round or two with my small 5' cutter pulled with a 51 8N. I nearly always operate it with the Sherman auxiliary transmission in underdrive, which decreases PTO speed as well as ground speed, while increasing torque proportionally.

Many modern tractors, e.g., Kubota, produce 540 PTO speed at rated engine speed, e.g., 2600 - 2700 RPM, rather than "3/4 throttle." Running such tractors at such RPM when rated HP is not needed, such as clipping light cover, increases fuel usage and racks up hours/revolutions.

Dean
Click to expand...
or darn sure, it is not very critical. Why? Because I have 3 5 foot units with 3 different gear box ratios, which results in 3 different tip speeds, all with 540 PTO speed. They are made this was for cutting heavy brush/small trees (slower) all the way up to nearly finish mower use (fastest).
slower- 1:1.22, 10,700 fpm
medium- 1:1.50, 12,750 fpm
fastest- 1.92, 16,300 fpm

as a point of reference, lawn mower reg= 17,000 fpm max
 
Must say you can get quite an education by asking a simple queston. Enjoyed the answers on sharpening also.
 
Must say you can get quite an education by asking a simple queston. Enjoyed the answers on sharpening also.
 
Must say you can get quite an education by asking a simple queston. Enjoyed the answers on sharpening also.
 
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