New clutch issues

[Kernopelli]

I had been milking the last out of my old clutch all summer and finally had to bite the bullet and replace it. I split the tractor this weekend and installed a remanufactured unit. Everything went pretty smooth, especially considering it was a first time procedure for me. The clutch works well, i.e....it disengages/engages and I had to readjust the pedal (which I expected) but I had to tighten it up instead of letting it out. It is also takes about 2-3 times more pressure to engage the clutch than it ever did before. It is also VERY abrupt i.e...there is very little "slip" when engaging. I mowed with the tractor about an hour after getting everything back together and it does seem to have "loosened up" a little (easier to slip the clutch /not as abrupt engaging) but still it worries me. I expect everything to work better than before but the increased pressure at the pedal seems excessive. also, the whole time I've been nursing the old clutch I had to occasionally "tighten" the pedal linkage (I assume to compensate for a thinning clutch surface) and to have to tighten it up a lot more after installing the new one seems backwards. I thought I would have to be "loosening" the linkage now since the clutch surface is now at its full thickness.

Any ideas or opinions on this?
Thanks.

 

[john_bud]

The engagement could be due to a slightly warped flywheel or the material could just be more grabby. There are many flavors of clutch materials and they are used to balance between friction disc wear, heat, flywheel wear etc.

The pressure is probably stronger springs - that would also lead to more abrupt engagement.

I wouldn't worry too much, it will be loose again in a few thousand hours!

jb

 

[Kernopelli]

Thanks for the reply. You are probably right. The issue with having to adjust the pedal so much was my main concern but it is an entirely different clutch than what was taken out and all this is probably normal. This being the first time I've dealt with splitting a tractor I've been a little freaked out about messing something up. I'll be catching up on a lot of mowing over the next few days so maybe I'll see some improvement with a little more use.
Thanks

 

[JC-jetro]

Nothing to worry about. Your legs are calibrated with much less stiff pressure plate fingers due to many hrs of use. The specs on the re-manufactured clutch pressure plate might be slightly different that what you had, along with the disk material. The rubbing surfaces are getting to know each other. You'll be good to go after some use.

JC,