Deck shakes and cuts off when trying to engage

[hunter19707]

What is the battery voltage with the engine running?
Any chance you could see what the voltage is coming into the PTO clutch when you try to engage it?

Aaron Z

I will check this out today. What should the voltage be with engine running? If not at the proper voltage, what would be the problem? Voltage regulator? Battery?

 

[hunter19707]

Does the engine bog way done and smoke ? If yes to smoke is it blue or black. Also what rpm do you engage the PTO? If near idle try more RPM

I tried engagement at 1/2, 3/4 and full throttle to no avail. Keep the ideas coming though.

 

[aczlan]

I will check this out today. What should the voltage be with engine running? If not at the proper voltage, what would be the problem? Voltage regulator? Battery?

Voltage at the battery should be ~13.5VDC with the engine running and should stay there when you engage the deck.
The voltage at the clutch should be at least 12VDC when it is engaged.

If the clutch voltage is low, I would trace the voltage path back to the battery and see where it drops down.

Aaron Z

 

[devildog1]

I tried engagement at 1/2, 3/4 and full throttle to no avail. Keep the ideas coming though.

Hunter, check the wire connections on back of pto engage switch, then follow them down to clutch, checking all connections for melted terminals and or melted contacts on back of pto switch. It sounds like you have a bad connection from pto switch to clutch.

 

[hunter19707]

Thanks for the responses! I'm going out to work on it now, I'll report back later with my findings. BTW, I never mentioned my model of mower, it's a 2006 Cub Cadet Zforce 50".

 

[hunter19707]

Voltage at the battery should be ~13.5VDC with the engine running and should stay there when you engage the deck.
The voltage at the clutch should be at least 12VDC when it is engaged.

If the clutch voltage is low, I would trace the voltage path back to the battery and see where it drops down.

Aaron Z

OK, voltage at the clutch is 14.09V with the PTO switch engaged. Voltage from the battery is 14.12V with engine running.

 

[Scotty370]

I'm missing something here Hunter. If the Unit shakes, bogs, and stalls, it sounds like the clutch is engaging, and points me toward the deck bearings, rope, rag or even the dead animal under the deck! If it were electrical, I would suspect that the clutch just wouldn't engage, and you'd get none of that "shake, rattle, and roll"........I'm stumped! Keep us posted. Is their a 'blade-brake' in the mix? ~Scotty

Afterthought: Is this belt, or shaft driven? Binding shaft u-joint?????

 

[hunter19707]

I'm missing something here Hunter. If the Unit shakes, bogs, and stalls, it sounds like the clutch is engaging, and points me toward the deck bearings, rope, rag or even the dead animal under the deck! If it were electrical, I would suspect that the clutch just wouldn't engage, and you'd get none of that "shake, rattle, and roll"........I'm stumped! Keep us posted. Is their a 'blade-brake' in the mix? ~Scotty

Afterthought: Is this belt, or shaft driven? Binding shaft u-joint?????

Belt driven. Looking through the service manual, it has no reference to a blade brake. I have ordered new bearings, will try those out as soon as they come in.

 

[hunter19707]

I took the clutch off to measure the air gap again. Is the belt pulley on the clutch suppose to turn freely with little or no resistance?

 

[Scotty370]

I'm a JD guy, but I'd say "Yes" until you engage the electromagmetic clutch, and then it should 'lock-up'...........! But with the scenerio that you're laying out, it seems like your clutch is free, until it's engage, then when the clutch engages, it's meeting some other resistance.......~S