B7100 PTO Speeds

300zx

New member

Equipment
1979 B7100D, 2009 ZG20, 1991 B2150, 1990 B6200
Dec 1, 2010
445
2
0
Forest, VA
I have been curious for a while why there is such a range of PTO speeds on the B7100. The three speeds are 514/786/1498 rpm. The pieces of equipment I use most are the tiller and the finish mower. Both call for the second speed, 786 rpm. I must admit I have used the highest speed when tilling loose dirt and it was like whipping air into cream for whipped cream. How do others use the lowest and highest speeds?
 

meanjean

Member

Equipment
Kubota MX4700
Aug 10, 2010
922
2
18
Hazelridge, Manitoba
Are you certain your rig calls for 2nd gear for the attachments?
Most ground implements are rated 540 rpm

I do recall someone mentioning that 2nd is fine for a finishing mower.
I do use 2nd for the snow blower when I need another 15-20 feet of distance.
I do keep it to a minimum and grease it real well.

I think a 3pt water pump, and generator calls for more than 540 rpm.
 

cmorningstar01

Active member

Equipment
B7500HST LA302 FEL 5'Finish Mower B5100E 46" Snow Plow 22 ton splitter
Mar 27, 2011
341
81
28
Pemberton NJ USA
Most ground implements are rated 540 rpm
My Kubota B348-7 finish mower has a sticker on the gearbox that states to run it at 820 rpm and the manual says to run it at 820-840 rpm however my B5100E only has a 2 speed PTO with 603 and 963 rpm@3000 engine rpm and I usually run in the 963 rpm PTO speed when the grass is short and dry and switch down to the 603 RPM speed when the grass is a little taller and wet. I would also note that when I am running in the 963 rpm PTO speed and cutting short dry grass that I do not have to run the engine as fast and although I do not have a tachometer on that machine I am guessing that I am only running it at around 2500-2700 engine rpm and when I am running in the 603 rpm PTO speed cutting taller and wetter grass I am running the tractor with the engine speed close to the 3000 rpm advised speed.
 
Last edited:

Piker

Member

Equipment
2012 Kubota 2320, 2002 Honda Rubicon
Dec 1, 2010
164
0
11
Riverview, NB, Canada
I had a 51" 3 point snowblower for my B7100 & the 2nd stage impeller had only 3 blades. At 540 RPM it worked poorly, but at 780 RPM it would throw snow into the next county. Worked really well. My buddy who sold me the tractor has the same blower mounted on a larger Kioti with only the 540 RPM PTO speed - he is very dissappointed as he used to run that blower on my tractor at 780 RPM & it worked great.
 

300zx

New member

Equipment
1979 B7100D, 2009 ZG20, 1991 B2150, 1990 B6200
Dec 1, 2010
445
2
0
Forest, VA
Meanjean, I will check my manuals again on the speeds.

I did see a reference for running a rear mounted backhoe pump at 1498 rpm, so maybe the highest speed is just for rear PTO hydraulic pumps. It would make sense since the front mounted hydraulic pump (running off my crankshaft for my FEL) is running at engine speed.
 

kubotasam

Well-known member

Equipment
B2410, B7100dt, B7500,Woods BH750,Landpride 2660RFM, Tiller, B2781 Snowblower
Apr 26, 2010
1,211
134
63
Alfred Maine
I often use the 2nd speed of my B7100 pto while using my rear finish mower or my snowblower.
I use high speed sometimes when rototilling.
However with my backhoe, it is low pto speed and tractor just off idle. I can't imagine how difficult the backhoe would be to operate at a higher pto rpm. It would be way to fast.