White smoke coming from shredder...

[robininni]

I was out shredding today with my Land Pride RCR1872 rotary cutter and I looked back at one point and noticed thick white smoke poring out from where the PTO drive shaft connects up to the gear box. I stopped the PTO and the smoke subsided. I decided to see what would happen if I started it up again and so I did and it seemed to run fine and cut fine for the rest of my shredding time. Any idea what might have happened? Could it be the slipper clutch engaging from too heavy a cutting load? The gear box? I did feel the gear box afterward and it was not hot. Also, this shredder has is new and has only been used about 6 hours total. Thanks for your input.

Rob

[gauthier]

Well,would suspect slip clutch,what size stuff you cutting?

[robininni]

Well,would suspect slip clutch,what size stuff you cutting?

grass that's 1/2 foot to 1 foot, sunflowers (3 to 4 feet), random brush (1/8 inch to 1/4 inch stems), and I hit quite a bit of stones hiding in the pasture, some small, some large.

Would the clutch have malfunctioned somehow? It shouldn't smoke should it? Would that be clutch shoes rubbing or something?

[gauthier]

Probably just needs snugging up a half turn on all the nuts,,if its slipping,what I do on my tiller is in spring,loosen all those bolts/nut till you can turn it by hand,than I snug them up,than try it out,,don't take much between slipping and not slipping,hopefully you havn't burnt it up,that might be the big question,you can take them apart,I have never done that,but you do want them to slip at a certain point,,[always like shear bolts on my cutters],,slip clutch is a pain if you worry

[Bear Foot Farm]

Would the clutch have malfunctioned somehow? It shouldn't smoke should it? Would that be clutch shoes rubbing or something?

If it's too loose it can slip and smoke.

If it's like most, there is a LARGE (2-3 inches across) nut on the back of the slip clutch to tighten it

[gauthier]

Mines got 10-12 little bolts / nuts,no large nut.

[Ford tractor]

It sounds like you may have been slipping the clutch due to a blockage or from the nuts being too loose. Is it a new cutter? It could have been set too loose by the dealer. It could also be set just a bit loose, and you may have had "stuff" wrapped around the output shaft of the cutter gear box making it hard to turn and the clutch slipping.

The clutch disc's are around $100 each (pretty sure there are 2). You may have used yours up or nearly so. I can pretty much feel when the clutch is getting a beating. There are different vibrations from the tractor and cutter also different sounds and smells. Even with the hearing muffs on, it's easy to hear the difference at least with mine.

[dex3361]

Post a pic of the clutch and we can advise a bit better. I would start by inspecting the clutch to see if there wear left. I think I saw replacement clutch discs for some clutches at TSC the last time I was there.

[Soundguy]

also.. make sure there is oil in the gearbox.. many are shipped dry.

soundguy

[Gordon Gould]

All advise above seems pretty good but I would think if the clutch was slipping enough to smoke you would smell it and would feel heat. It would be best to check it as avised above though.
Are you sure it wasn't steam from wet grass and stems getting cooked from being all wraped up in there ? That has happened to me.