Rotary Cutter Missing Slip Clutch - Replace or Convert?

[buckslayer5676]

Hi all,

There's a used Woods rotary cutter that I can get a great deal on, but it's missing the slip clutch. Apparently the slip clutch had busted and the owner got rid of the slip clutch.

How much would it be to replace the slip clutch? Or could I simply convert it to a shear pin design? The cutter is fairly new, so I don't mind investing some more money in to it and replace the slip clutch...if it isn't too costly.

What would you guys do?

Thanks!

 

[Bigfoot62]

Get a new slip clutch. You won't like the shear pins.

 

[buckslayer5676]

Get a new slip clutch. You won't like the shear pins.

I think I do want to replace it with a new slip clutch. This is probably a stupid question, but do I need to get a slip clutch specifically for that Woods cutter or would it be cheaper and just as effective to get an aftermarket one? If I can go aftermarket, what would anyone recommend?

 

[greg_g]

Several aftermarket slip clutch designs and capacities are available from multiple sources. I'd first examine the factory clutch that Woods puts on that particular model. The parts manual would be a good place to start. Then I'd select the closest facsimile available in the aftermarket.

//greg//

 

[the old grind]

Shear pins are ok till you get tired of snapping & replacing them, or run out of 'soft' bolts and break something serious by using a grade 8 or cap screw as a last resort. :banghead:

IMO it's a good idea to check/readjust a slip clutch once or twice a year. (That 'cheap insurance' thing ..)

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had a HOWSE bush hog with shear pin and cut down trees as large as I could ride over with the Yanmar 4220D and never sheared a bolt as long as I owned it. MY brother in law has a ??? (darn cant think of the name) with a shear pin and it sheared the soft bolts every time he put it in gear even a 1000 RPM so he had to go to a grade 5 just so he could use it. Sometimes it would just shear while mowing along in grass and not hit anything. He may have even drilled it out to take a larger bolt than the 3/8" that it came with.
I have slip clutches on my implements but I wouldn't hesitate to use a shear pin for protection. At least there is no adjustment or rusted and frozen clutch disc to worry about with a shear pin. They worked for 50 years or so till they came out with the slip clutch.

 

[buckslayer5676]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm going to start out by contacting a Woods dealer to see how much a slip clutch replacement would cost and go from there. I have a feeling it's going to be quite expensive.

 

[the old grind]

I've been looking here to convert my brush hog from shear pin to clutch.

Agri Supply - Search

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...pe=&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true

http://www.surpluscenter.com/Power-Transmission/PTO-Shafts-Jack-Shafts/

I'd like to think a clutch is le$$ than a new gear box. Maybe so. Good luck.

 

[buckslayer5676]

I've been looking here to convert my brush hog from shear pin to clutch.

Agri Supply - Search

Tractor Supply Co. - Enjoy browsing:Agriculture

Surplus Center

I'd like to think a clutch is le$$ than a new gear box. Maybe so. Good luck.

Thanks for those links...

As predicted, the Woods dealer is coming back with some pretty high quotes on the slip clutch part. They said $283 for the slip clutch and then another $35 for the "cross" or Ujoint (I'm not sure if I need one of those yet or not). Then there would probably be some shipping charges involved as well.

Not sure I want to invest over $300 into it for just the slip clutch, but maybe aftermarket is the way to go if it's considerable cheaper.

For aftermarket slip clutches like in some of the above links...what are the biggest things to look for? Unfortunately I wouldn't have the older slip clutch to reference for dimensions, etc.

Also, I'm contemplating purchasing a Woods tiller (model GTC52-2) from this same dealer that is quoting me the parts price on the slip clutch. I asked if I could simply take the slip clutch from the tiller and put it on the rotary cutter and they said the ujoint is the same part #, but the slip clutch itself is a different part # and said "it wouldn't work".

Anyone think the tiller slip clutch would work on the rotary cutter?

 

[the old grind]

As 'breakaway' devices of a sort, imagine two otherwise identical slip clutches with different 'horsepower' ratings. One has stiffer springs to allow adjustment for attachments that use all of those "60-90hp". One with lighter springs can be adjusted to the lower requirements of our 48" or 60" tools and CUTS.

If properly adjusted, the clutch will protect the weakest component, and that's usually the implement. Chose right for the implement and excess power won't be able to trash it. That said, I'd rather not have my tractor 'down' to replace internal gears or other PTO components, so if I dare to muscle a 72" "40-60hp" tiller thru loose garden soil with my barely 30 PTO hp I'd want a lighter duty clutch/adjustment to spare my tractor when 'that' boulder pops up.

My issue with using the same clutch/shaft on two implements might be that a different release adjustment could better suit one or the other if o'all shaft length or 'fittings' aren't a disqualifier. Slip clutch attachment styles (splined, square, round, yoke) might or might not allow one's clutches to be so universal. 'Adapter' extensions could make a difference two ways.