OverlyRun
Silver Member
Last season I added a slip clutch to my 60" Land Pride Rotary Cutter, but never adjusted it...just used it and didn't worry (there is still a shear bolt in the drive line ---where the clutch attaches to the gear box on the cutter). I didn't shear any bolts and don't recollect the clutch ever slipping. At the end of the season I loosened the bolts and tried to slip it (or break it free) by cutting with the bolts loosened. It didn't slip...so it was probably rusted up.
This winter I loosened up the springs and took it apart, popping the plates apart with a screw driver. I reassembled, spent 14 bucks on a pair of calipers so I could measure the spring length and tightened things in this past weekend before I started mowing.
Not only on account of the extreme height of the grass, but probably also because the clutch was adjusted too loosly, the cutter occasionally slowed down in the tall grass. I was too thick to realize that this was the slip clutch doing what it was designed to and so I simply slowed down and took the thick stuff more slowly. But later in the day I I looked back at one point and the clutch was smoking! Enlightenment washed over me at the same time I worried I had destroyed the clutch.
I was through for the day in any event, but will adjust the springs tighter before tackling the rest of the field next weekend.
Question: how can I tell if I have burned out the clutch? Mine came with exactly zero instructions.
Chas
This winter I loosened up the springs and took it apart, popping the plates apart with a screw driver. I reassembled, spent 14 bucks on a pair of calipers so I could measure the spring length and tightened things in this past weekend before I started mowing.
Not only on account of the extreme height of the grass, but probably also because the clutch was adjusted too loosly, the cutter occasionally slowed down in the tall grass. I was too thick to realize that this was the slip clutch doing what it was designed to and so I simply slowed down and took the thick stuff more slowly. But later in the day I I looked back at one point and the clutch was smoking! Enlightenment washed over me at the same time I worried I had destroyed the clutch.
I was through for the day in any event, but will adjust the springs tighter before tackling the rest of the field next weekend.
Question: how can I tell if I have burned out the clutch? Mine came with exactly zero instructions.
Chas