Notices
General NON-Automotive Conversation No Political, Sexual or Religious topics please.

converting to hydro driven mower deck

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 12:07 PM
  #1  
84-250's Avatar
84-250
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 0
From: Munroe falls, Ohio
converting to hydro driven mower deck

I have aquired a 1972ish Jacobsen out-front 72" mower. the machine runs great except for some issues with the deck. the deck is pto driven to a 90* gearbox that turns the 3 blades via belts. due to the design of the gearbox and the 1970's seal materials, the gearbox leaks oil onto the belts and destroys them($50 a belt). i want to remove the gearbox and install 3 hydro motors on the deck and a pump running off the front of the machine. i was looking through northern tool and found a barnes gear pump that can also be used as a motor, but there are 7 differnet cubic inch sizes. the sizes are .065/1gpm, .097/1.5gpm, .129/2gpm, .194.3gpm, .258/4gpm, .388/6gpm, .517/8gpm
so if i want three deck motors then i need three .129ci/2gpm motors and a .517/8gpm pump?
barnes hydro pumps @ northern tool
anything also besides a tank, strainer, filter, and hoses?
 
Reply
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 12:30 PM
  #2  
Torque1st's Avatar
Torque1st
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
That setup would drive the blades at approx engine speed. If one pump stalls out or slows down the other two will speed up and if two stall out the third one will REALLY speed up. It would be best to drive all three blades with ONE motor. You could also use a flow divider to keep all of the motors turning at the same speed.

You will also need an oil cooler on the return line. But you are basically heading in the right direction if you want to go hydraulics. You could put a valve on to stop the blades that would bypass the pump flow thru the cooler back to the tank.

It would be cheaper to just replace the bearings and seals in the PTO drive.
 
Reply
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 01:21 PM
  #3  
84-250's Avatar
84-250
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 0
From: Munroe falls, Ohio
i was thinking of putting the motors in series so they would all be the same speed. to stop the blades i would just shut off the pto which stops the pump and motors.
 
Reply
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 02:14 PM
  #4  
Torque1st's Avatar
Torque1st
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Putting them in series with that pump would triple the speed. It would also blow the seals in the pumps since the return line for the motor would see very high pressure. Hydraulics are simple but yet they aren't.

It is still better to fix the PTO bearings that cause the seals to leak.
 
Reply
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 07:46 PM
  #5  
84-250's Avatar
84-250
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 0
From: Munroe falls, Ohio
how about just one pump and one motor, would it work then?
 
Reply
Old Sep 26, 2005 | 10:54 PM
  #6  
Torque1st's Avatar
Torque1st
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Originally Posted by Torque1st
...It would be best to drive all three blades with ONE motor...
You can do that but you will want a pump and motor sized to use no more than 1/3 of the HP available from your engine. How many HP does your engine produce? What is the RPM your PTO operates at?

You will also need a relief valve set at about 1500 PSI.
 
Reply
Old Sep 27, 2005 | 12:31 AM
  #7  
JD717's Avatar
JD717
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 966
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Florida.
Is it REALLY worth redesigning a machine that worked well in its day? just replace the seals on the gearcase, and be done with it.
 
Reply
Old Sep 27, 2005 | 08:52 AM
  #8  
84-250's Avatar
84-250
Thread Starter
|
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 0
From: Munroe falls, Ohio
the current engine is 23hp but im planning on upgrading to a 27hp within a few years. the pto runs at 3600rpms.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

 Brett Foote
story-3

10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

 Brett Foote
story-5

10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
Old Sep 27, 2005 | 02:13 PM
  #9  
Torque1st's Avatar
Torque1st
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
That is a very high speed for a PTO, you might want to check that.

Plan on using 5-7HP for the pump at 1500PSI to keep it safer and allow for movement of the tractor. There are some formulas to use in the catalog that will help you size the pump when you know the RPM. Flow is proportional to RPM so check to see what the actual RPM you are turning and at what RPM the pump flow is rated. If the pumps are rated at 1800 RPM you would double the GPM output at 3600RPM.

There are PTO pumps available but they are not rated for those high RPMs. They would burn up.

1HP = 1GPM at 1500PSI
So 5HP = 5GPM at 1500PSI
and 7HP = 7GPM at 1500PSI
 

Last edited by Torque1st; Sep 27, 2005 at 02:22 PM.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
omni
General NON-Automotive Conversation
22
Sep 21, 2007 01:26 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:44 AM.

story-0
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level

Slideshow: The VelociRaptor Expedition gains a lift, upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, and trail-ready equipment while retaining the stock 440-horsepower EcoBoost V6.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-12 11:01:55


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-2
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-4
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-7
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-9
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE