# Tractor PTO speed for woodchipper?



## JaceTX (Mar 27, 2016)

Hello, my PTO Woodmax woodchipper says to run my PTO at 540 RPMS. The only way to get my New Holland Workmaster 60 to 540 RPMS is to almost Redline the tractor. Is this normal? I never run my tractor engine that high. Since I am obviously not moving my tractor is not in Gear.

Any thoughts


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Are you sure about that? Most PTO driven implements are rated at 540 rpm's. Your workmaster has a 540 rpm rear pto on it.

Does the PTO rpm show up on the dash board top right? I'm not familiar with the tractors. My Case has a 540 mark on the engine tach so I can set the speed to operate the implements. Would there be an explanation in your operators manual?

OK, I think I know what you are getting at. My tractor runs at 2450 RPM to get to 540 on the PTO! My engine is rated at 2600 like yours,, I believe.


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## PJ161 (Sep 12, 2016)

I would hook up the chipper, set the tractor at half throttle and see how well it works, you might be surprised, you can always up the RPMs a little if need be. If it pulls down the RPMs the governor should keep it close to where it's set. PJ


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

The tractor specs say 2600 RPM's for 540 PTO speed for your tractor, todays tractors use high speed diesel engines and are designed to run at these speeds, not sure how the turbo will perform at slower engine speeds.

Diesel powered tractors from the 50's era on, ran the PTO's at 540 at 1800 RPM, this being at the engines torque rating and most economical engine speed for fuel use.

I have to run my Kubota at 2600 RPM's when working because of the HST drive, this annoys me also, but if I don't, then I will be up for hydraulic drive replacement.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

I would chime in at running the RPMs slower, try some medium branches and determine your next steps. 540RPM should be the MAX. For the most part, I tend to operate PTO implements from 480 to 500 RPMs. This saves on engine wear, fuel and longer life of the implements. 

Most tractors after the 1980s have multi-speed PTO selection . I have 4 speeds on the Yanmar.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

The Workmaster 60 uses a Fiat Powertrain Technologies R753 engine with both EGR and a particulate filter. Run it at 2600 RPM under load or you will be paying big repair dollars. All new tractors, no matter the brand, that are equipped with particulate filters must be operated at rated engine RPM when under load or they will not clean the filter.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

RC Wells said:


> The Workmaster 60 uses a Fiat Powertrain Technologies R753 engine with both EGR and a particulate filter. Run it at 2600 RPM under load or you will be paying big repair dollars. All new tractors, no matter the brand, that are equipped with particulate filters must be operated at rated engine RPM when under load or they will not clean the filter.


You are speaking Greek to me sir. I'm not ever going to have a tractor with any EGR stuff on it, yet alone a computer. That's not a real tractor, that's a high dollar repairable machine. The only thing I do is run the clean diesel.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

We cannot buy those kind of tractors for field or yard work anymore. Tractors are like diesel trucks; computers, emission controls, and electronics for everything. They now last about five years of production farm use and are no longer cost effective to repair after that. In another few years farmers will not even own tractors, combines, harvesters, or any powered production equipment. It will be all leasing, and trading dollars to stay in business. Watch this, and it is using old pricing of about three to five years ago and does not include the new 600 plus horse Challengers: 




Unfortunately the same emission standards also apply to the little stuff, drives up the cost of ownership, and requires relearning how to operate the tractors. 

I guess it is progress to burn three times the fuel and kick out exhaust that is cleaner than the air going in the engine. But it is also complex and expensive to use that technology.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

There is a huge movement of tractors going thru restorations rather than leasing. I know of large 1000+ acre farms doing this today. It's best to have a small fleet of smaller tractors vs. the huge expensive lease types. when the lease tractor goes down, usually there isn't a back-up machine from the lease facility. 

As for the OPs question, it's more for personal use, thus this whole thing with smog fighting tractors is a bit moot.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I think we are getting off topic here. I believe RC is only commenting on the fact that the Workmaster needs to run at a higher rpm to avoid engine/drive issues, therefore running this particular tractor at or around 2600 rpm to reach 540 rpm at the PTO is better for the tractor and I'd say best for the chipper. I have a stand alone chipper and I run it flat out. Doesn't bog down as much, and ejects the chips move effectively.
Maybe JaceTX can let us know what his tractor manual says about recommended engine speed for his manual. Looks like an awful expensive tractor to not know this.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

pogobill said:


> I have a stand alone chipper and I run it flat out. Doesn't bog down as much, and ejects the chips move effectively.


It all depends on the chipper.  My 8hp chipper bogs down no matter what rpms or throttle if the cutters are dull or it's gnawing on some really dense hardwood. For the most part, 2/3rds throttle on my 8hp unit works just as good as full throttle. Since it's a gas engine, 2/3rds throttle offers more run time before a refill. 

As for the OPs question, I jumped over to youtube, typed in the machine and watched at least a dozen Woodmax woodchipper working off of CUT tractors. Many stated that the PTO speed wasn't at the full 540 rpms, yet the Woodmax woodchipper is still a beast grinding away. 




The guy in the above video said, you can lower the PTO speed, but the end feeder speed on the chipper will need to be turned down too. Thus, it's very possible to TUNE the tractor, PTO and feeder speed to process the 4-inch max branches with ease without running the tractor engine near full tilt. 

Now, my commercial Baker 8hp wood chipper can do 3.75-inch branches and cost a mere $400. I only wish the exhaust wasn't so LOUD.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Good point about the cutters as well bmaverick! If my cutters are getting dull, the branches start fighting their way in and they beat the tar out of me!. Nice and sharp, the branches feed themselves.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

BTW, should anyone want to have a wood chipper/shredder for a CUT tractor, check this guy's very detailed conversion of a Troy Built stand alone chipper into a PTO type driven by a tractor. Save well over $1,500 doing it! 





Should the day come when the old engine gives up on my Baker 8Hp, I'm hoping to do just this. Plus, no more pushing the chipper out to the job site, just hitch up and roll.


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## 42343 (Mar 19, 2017)

Little late posting here, but from the Workmaster 50, 60 or 70 manual:








I also have a WoodMaxx chipper, and wouldn't trade it for anything, and a Workmaster 50. I believe the intent of the recommendation from the Woodmaxx manual is don't run it on 1000rpm pto but to find that happy spot of good chip speed/torque to make sure no bogging of the tractor takes place. The NH manual also states the peak torque/hp spot is 1800rpm. I bought my chipper used, in very good condition. I had to swap the knives around and make the chipper fixed plate adjustment, since it was way past "approximately a credit card width" from the tips of the blades. 
I run it at 2100-2200 rpm.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

I had a Jinma 8" and sold it but when I did, I used one of my M9's to run it (85 pto horsepower) and it would eat anything I stuffed in it at about half throttle. Got rid of it. Much easier to roast the limbs, more fun too. I'm a pyro I got more for it used than I paid for it.


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