Seeking advice on John Deere 40

[BigJosh]

Hello,
I inherited a John Deere 40 tractor from my late father, and am hoping to find answers to my questions as they arise.

Firstly, I was wondering if I can run a mower with it but for some reason I have a vague memory of my father telling me something about the PTO not being suitable to run a mower. This conversation would have taken place many many years ago so I may be completely wrong, but figured I would ask to be safe. I don’t want to do anything that would harm the tractor as it has a lot of sentimental value to me.

So can someone can tell me, is it safe to run a mower on the JD40?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Josh

 

[buickanddeere]

Hello,
I inherited a John Deere 40 tractor from my late father, and am hoping to find answers to my questions as they arise.

Firstly, I was wondering if I can run a mower with it but for some reason I have a vague memory of my father telling me something about the PTO not being suitable to run a mower. This conversation would have taken place many many years ago so I may be completely wrong, but figured I would ask to be safe. I don’t want to do anything that would harm the tractor as it has a lot of sentimental value to me.

So can someone can tell me, is it safe to run a mower on the JD40?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Josh

What kind of mower ?

 

[BigJosh]

Sorry, I was thinking a 3 point hitch mounted rotary mower ideally something I could mow the rougher areas my riding lawn mower can’t handle - I don’t have the mower yet so I can’t be more specific unfortunately.

 

[Sleufoot]

Probably the fact that it does not have a live PTO. Tom in Mn.

 

[Jim.ME]

Pictures of the tractor,all around will let people see how it is set up and might lead to better replies to your questions. If you take pictures with a phone you may need to reduce them before they load. The site has a limit of 7MB per post be it one picture or the total of several.

 

[BigJosh]

I won’t be able to get pictures at least for a week.

So far all I use it for is working the garden with an old John Deere “CC” cultivator that came with it. Just looking for more uses.

 

[NY 986]

If a non-live PTO then an overrunning PTO coupler can be installed on the tractor PTO shaft to dissipate inertia/momentum from the mower so the tractor will readily slow down or stop if need be.

 

[used red MN]

I have a vague memory of my father telling me something about the PTO not being suitable to run a mower.

If a non-live PTO then an overrunning PTO coupler can be installed on the tractor PTO shaft to dissipate inertia/momentum from the mower so the tractor will readily slow down or stop if need be.

Hello Big Josh! To clarify if you are not familiar a non-live or gear drive PTO when engaged is driven by the clutch shaft which also drives the transmission to move the tractor. A spinning rotary mower has a lot of momentum that continues spinning after its driving power is removed. When the PTO is engaged and the transmission is in gear when you push the clutch to disconnect driving power from the engine the momentum of the spinning mower will continue to drive the tractor forward through the transmission. This can be stopped by either disengaging the PTO or shifting the transmission into neutral. However due to driving pressure against the drive train sometimes neither of these can be accomplished. Often times this only becomes a concern when you are in close quarters and you push the clutch instinctively to stop only to have the rotating momentum continue driving you forward into something like a building, fence or vehicle. This is why it has been stated that an over-running clutch should be installed on the PTO. This negates rotating momentum from being transferred to the driving gears of the transmission making operation of a rotary mower on a gear drive PTO tractor much safer.

 

[Jim.ME]

I expect it is a transmission PTO, and it is recommended to use an overrunning clutch (ORC) to reduce the chance of the inertia of a turning implement, like a rotary cutter, from driving the tractor back through the transmission, when the clutch is pushed.

Does it have a complete three-point hitch set up?

 

[BigJosh]

Hello Big Josh! To clarify if you are not familiar a non-live or gear drive PTO when engaged is driven by the clutch shaft which also drives the transmission to move the tractor. A spinning rotary mower has a lot of momentum that continues spinning after its driving power is removed. When the PTO is engaged and the transmission is in gear when you push the clutch to disconnect driving power from the engine the momentum of the spinning mower will continue to drive the tractor forward through the transmission. This can be stopped by either disengaging the PTO or shifting the transmission into neutral. However due to driving pressure against the drive train sometimes neither of these can be accomplished. Often times this only becomes a concern when you are in close quarters and you push the clutch instinctively to stop only to have the rotating momentum continue driving you forward into something like a building, fence or vehicle. This is why it has been stated that an over-running clutch should be installed on the PTO. This negates rotating momentum from being transferred to the driving gears of the transmission making operation of a rotary mower on a gear drive PTO tractor much safer.

Thank you, that helps a great deal. I assume that is what my father was talking about.

I expect it is a transmission PTO, and it is recommended to use an overrunning clutch (ORC) to reduce the chance of the inertia of a turning implement, like a rotary cutter, from driving the tractor back through the transmission, when the clutch is pushed.

Does it have a complete three-point hitch set up?

yes it seems complete to me, I use the three point on a homemade potato digger, rear blade, and potato hiller my father made. But these item are only used once or twice yearly.

 

[nlastovi]

Agree with everyone regarding and overrun clutch - don't leave home without it. Also consider what size mower a 20HP tractor can power and can lift. Don't try to take too large of a bite.

 

[roy.lange]

Have woodsRM 59 behind my 53 JD40

 

[Jim.ME]

Have woodsRM 59 behind my 53 JD40

I think he is looking to use a rotary brush hog type for rough areas, not a finish mower.

 

[ET]

I use a John deere no9 mower on my 40w. It works very well.

 

[BigJosh]

Thanks to all who responded, much appreciated.