Tiller slip clutch issue?

[galaxie428]

I have a CountyLine tiller from TSC and was tilling a garden for a guy last night in a field that had some stumps. Had I known this, I would have turned the job down. Anyway, I hit a couple of them but was able to push the clutch in before I thought I did any damage. I had been tilling for about an hour and I noticed that all of a sudden by tiller seemed to be cutting through the untilled ground pretty easy. I looked back and the PTO was spinning but the tines were not. I lifted the tiller and the tines started spinning again. It was getting dark but I assume the slip clutch was the issue. What do you think? How do you replace it?

 

[Baby Grand]

First, I'd check the tines to make sure they can rotate freely. Do you have a root, branch, barbed wire, or a section of T-pole lodged in the teeth? Is there oil in both of the gearboxes? I have smoked the clutch and it still worked, so I'd look elsewhere first. I did lose my friction discs last year, after 4 years of use. Finding replacement parts and doing the repair took a while.

 

[Jerry/MT]

First, I'd check the tines to make sure they can rotate freely. Do you have a root, branch, barbed wire, or a section of T-pole lodged in the teeth? Is there oil in both of the gearboxes? I have smoked the clutch and it still worked, so I'd look elsewhere first. I did lose my friction discs last year, after 4 years of use. Finding replacement parts and doing the repair took a while.

Ditto.

Make sure your slip clutch is properly adjusted. Some slip clutches use a high strength pin/bolt between the clutch and the input shaft to the tiller. Make sure that is not sheared. If it is, your clutch was not properly adjusted because the clutch is supposed to protect the gears and so the drive pin should not shear. if you have a splined input shaft to the tiller that is not damaged, then look at the gear train.

 

[rambler]

I'd assume you busted a pin (bolt) in the pto driveline, basically a shear pin, and replace that and go back to tilling.

You said 'had I known this.'

Now, now, we always have to assume the worst in jobs we take on for hire. You should have prepared for tough ground and made sure your slip clutch was working - loosen it, let it slip while looose for a couple seconds, and retighten it to the proper setting so it will work.

Bet you won't forget that step again next spring.

It would be kinda odd for the slip clutch itself to act like you are saying, but possible I guess. The slip washer woulda almost have had to totally burn out or fall apart & fall out for it to do what you are saying it does.

--->Paul

 

[galaxie428]

First, I'd check the tines to make sure they can rotate freely.

I checked that part last night and the blades can turn freely. Once I engaged the PTO, they took off like they normally would. I was actually able to finish tilling but I had to raise the tiller a little. If I put the 3pt all the way to to as low as it would go (it was tilling probably close to 10-12" deep), the tiller would stop tilling though the tractor did not power down any and from what I could tell (it was getting dark) the PTO shaft was still spinning as it should. I did think I could see smoke and I got a smell of something burned.

I did notice that I had been leaking a little fluid out the the top gear box where the splines come out off the tiller but with the tiller being all gear drive, I would not think the gears would slip would it?

I plan on doing a little more investigation tonight after work when I can actually see.

If it was a shear pin, I would not think it would still allow me to till even though it was at a lesser depth would it. Although, that sounds a lot easier to fix if that is all it is.

 

[Don87]

I checked that part last night and the blades can turn freely. Once I engaged the PTO, they took off like they normally would. I was actually able to finish tilling but I had to raise the tiller a little. If I put the 3pt all the way to to as low as it would go (it was tilling probably close to 10-12" deep), the tiller would stop tilling though the tractor did not power down any and from what I could tell (it was getting dark) the PTO shaft was still spinning as it should. I did think I could see smoke and I got a smell of something burned.

I did notice that I had been leaking a little fluid out the the top gear box where the splines come out off the tiller but with the tiller being all gear drive, I would not think the gears would slip would it?

I plan on doing a little more investigation tonight after work when I can actually see.

If it was a shear pin, I would not think it would still allow me to till even though it was at a lesser depth would it. Although, that sounds a lot easier to fix if that is all it is.

Your slip clutch appears to be slipping. Adjust it as per the manual.

EDIT: While your at it, check the clutch discs to be sure they are actually still there(the manual should show a detailed picture of it).

 

[bjr]

I didn't see what size of Tiller you have but I was using a 6" clutch on a 6' tiller and had to get a new drive shaft and 7" clutch. The 6" clutch would stop when deep and go okay when shallow (even after tightening the spring nuts), sort of like you described. My unit is a Kingkutter and I called KK and they said I should be using a 7" clutch and that barely clear the top tin work of the tiller, but I got things "adjusted" and got the clearance I needed. bjr

 

[galaxie428]

It looks like my top gear box is low on gear oil. I removed the top plug and the side plug that the oil is supposed to come out of when full. I stuck a twist tie down in the side plug and did not come up with any oil on the tie. I noticed I had a lot of gear oil that had leaked out from around the PTO spline coming out of the tiller. Must be leaking around the bearing or something.

Anyway, I will pick up some gear oil tomorrow and try it out. I don't know what the inside of that gear box look like but just because it was low on oil would that make the tines stop turning? I am assuming not.

I did adjust the slip clutch per the instructions. I will try it out tomorrow night once I get the oil in it. Unfortunately my gardens are tilled so I don't have much to test it out on. I certainly don't want to get to a customers house and my tiller not work!

 

[Don87]

It looks like my top gear box is low on gear oil. I removed the top plug and the side plug that the oil is supposed to come out of when full. I stuck a twist tie down in the side plug and did not come up with any oil on the tie. I noticed I had a lot of gear oil that had leaked out from around the PTO spline coming out of the tiller. Must be leaking around the bearing or something.

Anyway, I will pick up some gear oil tomorrow and try it out. I don't know what the inside of that gear box look like but just because it was low on oil would that make the tines stop turning? I am assuming not.

I did adjust the slip clutch per the instructions. I will try it out tomorrow night once I get the oil in it. Unfortunately my gardens are tilled so I don't have much to test it out on. I certainly don't want to get to a customers house and my tiller not work!

Not sure how old your tiller is, and did you buy it new?

Either way the leaks need repaired.

 

[Baby Grand]

I checked that part last night and the blades can turn freely. Once I engaged the PTO, they took off like they normally would. I was actually able to finish tilling but I had to raise the tiller a little. If I put the 3pt all the way to to as low as it would go (it was tilling probably close to 10-12" deep), the tiller would stop tilling though the tractor did not power down any and from what I could tell (it was getting dark) the PTO shaft was still spinning as it should. I did think I could see smoke and I got a smell of something burned.

I did notice that I had been leaking a little fluid out the the top gear box where the splines come out off the tiller but with the tiller being all gear drive, I would not think the gears would slip would it?

I plan on doing a little more investigation tonight after work when I can actually see.

If it was a shear pin, I would not think it would still allow me to till even though it was at a lesser depth would it. Although, that sounds a lot easier to fix if that is all it is.

You were slipping the clutch - you smelled the smoke. Once that happens you have to let the clutch cool down. When the friction discs are smoking hot, their coefficient of friction drops, and they will slip very easily, keeping them hot and slippery. I found this out the hard way.

The original cause of slipping is either misadjusted clutch, or too much load - in which case the clutch was just doin' what it's paid to.

Fill up the oil in both bxes to the required level and check it after you've used it for a half hour and see if the level has changed. Then use it some more & check it periodically. If you have never added oil since you bought it, and it neve had the right amout of oil to start with, then you may not have a leak to worry about. If you see the level dropping with use, then it's time to dig into it.