Teamster 2000

[houstonmule]

We just purchaced a use Teamster 2000 and don’t even have it home yet. Anyone know if it can run a small square baler? The old video said it can run things that 30hp tractor can.

[Donn Hewes]

With every ground driven PTO there are two main questions and a few smaller ones. The two big ones are; Is the cart heavy enough to keep from spinning a wheel against the power it is being asked for? More PTO power the heavier the cart must be. Second; how many horses will be needed to pull it? Again, the higher the Power required the more horses will be needed to pull it. The teamster 2000 I saw many years ago was a good looking machine with some weight to it. It might pull a baler, maybe only on flatter ground. The problem with a baler is if it works 95% of the time, it really isn’t working at all. I think it is hard to do with ground drive and the best I have seen is the ground drive baler conversion.

Probably four horses to pull it on flat ground, and that is putting the bales on the ground. Six or eight to put the bales right on a wagon. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[gwpoky]

We have an option to purchase a teamster 2000, but he has not given us a price yet. Houstonmule how has yours worked out? are hope is to put a 9 foot sickle on it, we do most of our hay loose so a baler is not an issue at this time. Thanks

[Livewater Farm]

George I own a teamster 2000 bought used 5years ago paid $ 3000 FOR IT WAS A WORTHWHILE PURCHASE i USE 2 HORSES ON IT TO RAKE WITH A 10 ROTARY RAKE AND A 17FT 4 ROTOR TEDDER I PUT A BENCH SEAT ON IT AND REPLACE BATTERY HYDROLICS WITH A MANUAL HYDROLIC PUMP HATED RUNNING OUT OF BATTERY POWER THE MACHINE WAS REALLY BUILT TO USE 3 HORSES ON MOST EQUIPMENT IS HEAVEY BUT PULLS EASILY THE PTO HOOK UP IS MUCH EASIER TO GET AT THEN THE I&j forecarts and the large 3rd dolly wheel moves and turns without much effort I like mine but was very pricey at new price of $5ooo
I hear the Amish use them on corn pickers and other such equipment
Bill

[gwpoky]

Thanks Bill, I think this gentleman is thinking between 2-3K, I am going to go look at it when the snow melts a bit. Like I said I really want it so I can run a 9 foot sickle with three to four head. How is yours for traction? When I look at the rims on the I&J it seems to me that the smaller rims on the 2000 might be an issue? Any other things I should look at when I doing my inspection? -thanks

[Livewater Farm]

the smaller wheels havent been an issue the wheel size has to do with rotation for 540rpm on the ford rearend used for the drive system(ford viesta rearend I was told) I have studded tires on mine you can also but chains on the tires if traction becomes an issue I feel the weight of the cart helps with the traction also I intend to put a hand rail on mine so when standing while driving I have some thing to lean against the electronic foot pedels can be a pain if not operated correctly and will short out at least in the early models I removed mine and replaced with hand pumped hydrolics the design of the cart puts you up above your horses so you have a good view of both the teams and the field I have the promo video put out back in the 80s show 3horses running a 7 ft haybine and 5ft brushhog
Bill

[Andy Carson]

Here are some random conceptual thoughts about ground drive PTO carts. It seems to me that using car/truck rearends has potential for doing much lighter work, but if you want to do heavy work, I think a more “ground up” redesign might be more effective.

1. I agree with Donn that power of these carts is proportional to traction. Traction is, however, only proportional to weight if the wheels/drive system are identical. I believe it is essential to maximise traction in these systems because extra weight simply means more work hauling up hills (if you have them). There was much research done at the beginning of last century on how to transmit power most efficiently from engines to tractions, and this just works in reverse for transmitting power from traction to rotational work. It is clear that pneumatic tires are more efficient than steel wheels at transmiting power because of thier ability to float rather than dig in. If one uses pneumatic tires, I think that having good tires is important. Thinking outside the box, crawler tracks have even better traction per pound, about 50% more, compared to pneumatic wheels. I have never seen a tracked ground drive forecart though… It might work fantastically. One would have to think about how to turn, but I think that’s a solvable problem… Try to make those “wheels” slip! 😉

2. Because the power is generated from traction and the traction varies over terraign, I would think these carts would benefit greatly from a big flywheel. It’s going to be rotating rather slowly, though, so it would need to be big and heavy at the edges. I am thinking “combine sized”, not “baler sized”. Weight is a good thing here, though, because it also generates traction. If the flywheel is heavy enough to make up for fluctuations in the traction, it is going to be (actually it has to be!) hard to get started. A clutch would likely be needed. This could go a long way towards solving an intermitant tire slip problem.

Brainstorming…

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Andy, ground drive problems are fun to try to solve. We are looking forward to our farm Hack (look in the events thread) where we plan to convert a wd 45 tractor to a ground drive PTO. Similar to the one Neal Perry did. as for a clutch, remember your cutting, baling, or other parts must be moving as soon as you start. No time to start moving and then let out a clutch. I think flywheels will not help much because of this, might help when slowing momentarily in corners or something like that; but I think that is a lot of extra weight to carry just for that. Fun stuff.

[gwpoky]

Bill,

Can you upload those promo videos?

[Livewater Farm]

George it is an old vcr tape Iam not technical enough even to post photos
Bill

[Paulk]

Donn I dont want to hijack the thread but I have a friend that built a wd45 power cart several years ago that he runs a bush hog, sickle mower etc.with. I have only glanced at it but if you need help or an idea I could look at it or talk to him about it. If I ever get my sled finished and my regular forcart built I might build a wd45 cart since I have one with a bad engine already.

[Donn Hewes]

Do you know if he used any kind of front wheel or wheels? How well does he like it? I guess those are my two questions at this point. It should be a fun project.

[Paulk]

He left the front wheels on the tractor and attached a tongue to the front of the frame rails. Then he removed the steering shaft so the wheels are basically dolly wheels. That is how I remembered it anyways, and if I can get a hold him I might try to go get some pics and look it over.

I know he likes to use it breaking new mules since it has brakes if things get hairy plus he can vary the load applied to them. He really doesnt use it as a farming tool but more as a conditioning and training tool.

[Jonathan Shively]

The greatest thing about the WD45 rearend would be the hand clutch.  It actually runs in an oil bath so it can be “ridden” unlike most clutches.  So for ground drive, you can get up to speed and gradually add the pull by releasing the clutch slowly without damage to the clutch.

[gwpoky]

I have a WD45 rear end in my shop with a plan to build a cart out of it, still planning on that, but this teamster 2000 came up and I might go for it depending on the price.    How is the three point hitch on the 2000 what is its capacity and balance?

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