4020 540/1000 brushhog question

Discuss non-crawler related issues here (keep it sane, please)
Post Reply
User avatar
lurch85
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:11 pm
Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

4020 540/1000 brushhog question

Post by lurch85 » Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:44 pm

have an older brushhog, 540 of course, 5 foot.
To get the RPM"s up to where it cuts like it should, have to get the engine rpm"s up of course, feeling like i"m just wasting fuel. And at 45 horse, I definately have more than enough power (tach doesn"t work, so i"m guessing at what speed I"m atually at)

Question is, would I be further ahead to use the 1000 rpm with a clutch, running at lower engine rpm?

Any potential problems that I haven"t thought about?
John Deere 420C, John Deere 350 straight with Gafner loader, John Deere 4020

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Stan Disbrow » Fri Aug 29, 2014 5:14 am

Hi,

Yeah. Just run the engine low enough so the 1000 rpm pto is 540. The new machines have an Economy pto setting where you move a lever and change the pto gearing, the there is another mark on the tach for running the engine slower and have 540 at the pto.

Of course, the 4020 1000 pto shaft has finer splines, and I don't recall that you can get 1000 rpm without swapping the shaft. I think the shifting of speed is performed by the shaft in the 4020. So, I think you'd need to change out the yoke on the brush hog. I haven't run a 4020 since I was a teenager, but when I did it was with a 1000 rpm baler, so I do recall swapping the shaft out.

Stan
Last edited by Stan Disbrow on Fri Aug 29, 2014 7:39 am, edited 2 times in total.
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

1010c
420 crawler
420 crawler
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 5:29 pm
Location: Canada

Post by 1010c » Fri Aug 29, 2014 5:59 am

That should work. I have seen at our local store a small adaptor that goes on and switches a 1000 to 540 and a diffrent shaft that does the oppisite. They are rated up to about 85 horse so it should work for you. Good luck.

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Fri Aug 29, 2014 7:37 am

4020 is 90 HP, so you have plenty to spare. We have done just what you are talking about for many years on 4020's, just not on a mower, but in your situation, it will work fine.
I would buy a tach, I can get new aftermarket, they are not expensive, then you know where you are at.
FYI, if you run the throttle to the first stop, that is 540RPM on the PTO.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
lurch85
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:11 pm
Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Post by lurch85 » Fri Aug 29, 2014 11:12 am

Definitely agfee that I should get the tach working. .. how much for the cable and how much for the tach? I have to check it out first anyway.
Doing this depends what I find to work with shafts wise.
Lavoy.. got any used shafts? (540 or 1000) 4 ft ish
strong enough for the 4020 and or with clutch
John Deere 420C, John Deere 350 straight with Gafner loader, John Deere 4020

oldtanker
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 4:12 pm
Location: west Minnesota

Post by oldtanker » Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:51 pm

Should not need an ORC IIRC. The 4020 has live PTO.

The shaft adapters should be available at decent farm supply stores.

Rick

User avatar
lurch85
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:11 pm
Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Post by lurch85 » Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:52 pm

thanks for all the help!... and just for the record.. the 45 hp comment was a mistype.. i meant 95 (as obvious by my discusion of extra hp)
John Deere 420C, John Deere 350 straight with Gafner loader, John Deere 4020

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Post by Stan Disbrow » Sat Aug 30, 2014 5:03 am

Hi,

Just so you know, I presumed you had figured out the HP you would have at the reduced engine speed. ;)

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:22 am

New tach is $190, cable is $25.
If your shaft is good, I would just get a 100 to 540 adapter, not spendy, I can get you one locally here if you can't find them.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
lurch85
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:11 pm
Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Post by lurch85 » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:17 pm

actually.. in truth... I should say the brushhog itself is not mine. I get to use a buddy's equipment in exchange for fixing his stuff...
He has the shaft that came with it, (probably not more than 45 hp or so, and i'ts starting to look rough) and I use a soft bolt for the shear pin.
I really need to get a shaft of my own for anything else i'm going to use... (redoing some of my dad's old equipment of varying hp requirements)
Hoping to just get a good strong shaft and use whatever adapter is needed. (That was the idea of using the smaller clutches to protect whatever piece of equipment i am using at the time.)
John Deere 420C, John Deere 350 straight with Gafner loader, John Deere 4020

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Post by Lavoy » Mon Sep 01, 2014 9:16 am

I can source new complete shafts, but nothing used.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests