PTO donkey engine?

[richy_B]

We've got quite a few pto machines that we run off various tractors - I've been wondering about trying to buy/build some donkey engines which we could use to keep the tractors free. Has anyone done this?

 

Not huge power demands, probably 25-30 hp each. Preferably all diesels.

[GarethM]

Cheap Chinese tractors are probably the best idea or a ex farm scraper tractor that's rusted through on the tinwork.

 

There are power packs, mostly petrol and you'll need a small fortune to buy and run.

 

Depending what you want to run, hydraulic might be a better option and cut out the gearbox losses.

[Alan Smith]

I tried to go down this route.  I had an old Lister/Petter diesel saw bench that I adapted to run a hydraulic log splitter. It was woefully underpowered and didn't really work.  The biggest issue however was arranging a clutch as it was impossible to start the motor with it connected to the hydraulic pump.

 

 I still think it could be made to work with maybe a decent 3 cylinder Yanmar or similar mounted on a trolley with maybe it's own hydraulic pump and spool valves etc. and a PTO shaft. 

[GarethM]

23 minutes ago, Alan Smith said:

I tried to go down this route.  I had an old Lister/Petter diesel saw bench that I adapted to run a hydraulic log splitter. It was woefully underpowered and didn't really work.  The biggest issue however was arranging a clutch as it was impossible to start the motor with it connected to the hydraulic pump.

 

 I still think it could be made to work with maybe a decent 3 cylinder Yanmar or similar mounted on a trolley with maybe it's own hydraulic pump and spool valves etc. and a PTO shaft. 

The hydraulics have to be open centre, so zero resistance until you engage a lever valve.

 

But every layer of complexity adds another point of failure, a one cylinder hatz runs a hydraulic 13 ton splitter all day on a sniffle of fuel.

 

What are you thinking of running, electric is always nicer but it's then even more inefficient if you're then running a generator.

[doobin]

Which kind of machines?

[Botty Cough]

Bolt an old land rover engine to the kit

[dan blocker]

Would of thought you could buy a decent old Major, International etc for £2000 and it gives you flexibility.