540 eco

[JPB]

Hi, got a new tractor with economy 540. Is there a golden rule for implements you can use in it? I know things like tillage spreader and sprayer/rakes etc you can but how about rotary topper or barrel muck spreader? It drives the topper great in it but I don't want to damage anything long term.

Kind regards

 

[mf7480]

I think it’s only Massey and Claas with the Dyna 6 back end you have to take it easy

 

[JPB]

It's a jd M I've got

 

[Lazy Sod]

Try it and see. The purpose of 540e is to enable an implement that was designed to be used at 540 at a lower engine speed.

It is not an excuse to thrash an implement at a much higher pto speed.

 

[robs1]

Run small Baler, fert spinner a and hedger in 540 eco, nothing else

 

[deleted user 837354]

Beware using implements with no shearbolt or overload protection in 540e as there is no protection for the driveline. I would only use them in low load situations. I have run a rotary topper in 540e but it was shearbolt protected and one of those 10 foot things doing nothing but a few nettles for show.

Ideal for hedgetrimmers, fert spreaders and anything where there is minimal load.

I was once told that the gear internals of a box running the 540e were built a lot less tough so I have always been gentle with it but I don't know if this is make-believe or not.

I've known people run round balers in 540e but never done it myself.

 

[Michael S]

As always read the instruction book, but I would say that 540rpm pto is really only meant for implements requiring less than 120hp so if your tractor is 140hp or more I'd use 540e for any 540 implement. The only downside is that even with the tractor at tickover the implement is being engaged at a higher pto speed. The only time to use a full power 540 pto is to achieve an appropriate speed for a particular application rate with a spreader or tanker.

 

[KB6930]

It'll not make any difference to the machine as long as your tractor can crank it in 540eco go for it

 

[traineefarmer]

I can't think of any 540 machine we don't run in 540e. Why spend all day revving the nuts off your tractor?

What we really want for our tractors is a 1000e gear for muck spreaders and big balers.

 

[Matt77]

Slightly different but when I got my first 1000e on a tractor, I went foraging with it, mistake, stalls tractor with no warning, then there’s the blocked spout to deal with

 

[mo!]

My tractor doesn't have a 540, only 540e, 1000 and 1000e. Round Baler goes well in 540e and I've just been out topping at 1000e.

 

[traineefarmer]

I'm surprised we haven't seen a vario drive pto yet. A system where pto speed can be governed precisely and independently of engine or ground speed

 

[mo!]

I'm surprised we haven't seen a vario drive pto yet. A system where pto speed can be governed precisely and independently of engine or ground speed

I think Same built a prototype.

Diesel electric is probably the future.

 

[traineefarmer]

Electric-electric is the future. But diesel-electric might do for the present.

 

[Andrew]

I can't think of any 540 machine we don't run in 540e. Why spend all day revving the nuts off your tractor?

What we really want for our tractors is a 1000e gear for muck spreaders and big balers.

Fastracs have 540, 540E, 1000 and 1000e. But you must have some very big tractors to want to run them in 1000e, they are a very power hungry machine.

 

[traineefarmer]

Fastracs have 540, 540E, 1000 and 1000e. But you must have some very big tractors to want to run them in 1000e, they are a very power hungry machine.

Biggest is 125hp. We just take our time and don't overload them. It would be nice to be able to throttle them back a bit rather than have them thrashing away at max rpm.

 

[Andrew]

Biggest is 125hp. We just take our time and don't overload them. It would be nice to be able to throttle them back a bit rather than have them thrashing away at max rpm.

Not sure a 125hp could cope with a baler in 1000E. Why not just step up a gear and use the hp instead? With the time saved it would be a lot more efficient than the little fuel saving.

 

[Matt77]

Not sure a 125hp could cope with a baler in 1000E. Why not just step up a gear and use the hp instead? With the time saved it would be a lot more efficient than the little fuel saving.

I’m not a square baler man but I’d agree with that, I’ve 230hp to put through the forager and it couldn’t cope in 1000e, maybe I was pushing it too much but it’s never a problem in normal 1000.

 

[traineefarmer]

Not sure a 125hp could cope with a baler in 1000E. Why not just step up a gear and use the hp instead? With the time saved it would be a lot more efficient than the little fuel saving.

You're probably right.

But...

We run a 120x70 baler and can easily run it at full capacity on the load monitors in straw . Our land is mostly flat so hills aren't a problem (I've heard that lugging the weight of the baler up a hill can give more grief than the PTO power requirement). In normal condition we've never had to back off through lack of power so all those revs seem redundant, especially when you look at the power and torque curves for the tractor which shows the peak for both at several hundred revs below rated speed.

 

[Razorready]

I burned a clutch pack out in a claas arion 630 few years back driveing a rotary muckspreader in 540e was under warranty but dealer told me to only use it for spraying or fert spreading thought it was a bit pointless really ive a jd and use it all the time in 540e never had a issue yet