Taking off and putting on a PTO Clutch on a Craftsman GT3000 garden tractor

[Valhalla3]

Hi - I have isolated a problem with my main 30 amp power fuse having been blown on my tractor. It looks like it is the PTO clutch. With nothing running and just pulling the PTO switch on, I hear the PTO clutch solenoid clicking on and then off when I shut it off. But if I leave it on for about 15 to 30 seconds, the 20 amp fuse starts getting warm to hot. I have a 20 amp fuse in there for now, because I don't have any 30 amp fuses.

Is replacing the PTO clutch an anxiety producing process? Can any of you give me a rundown or step by step process for doing this with any caveats I should know about? I don't really have the best place to work on it, nor a good way to elevate the front of the tractor to work on it. But if the job isn't too bad, I can deal with it I think. Depending on the stress level involved, I want to determine if it would be better to take it somewhere...but that could mean not eating for a month.

Thanks!

VH

 

[Topzide]

Some drop right off after removing the bolt, others you feel the need for C4!
Remove the belts and remove bolt to see what happens, you might get lucky. If not, soak with penetrant oil and try again. Don't work with impact too hard. Can break things inside motor. If stuck, also use a bar to apply downward force with a hammer. Good luck.

 

[LittleBill21]

remove deck, remove electrical connector, remove bolt on pto, drop clutch pulley and prolly key down, then reverse, pto clutch can be heavy, tractor shouldn't need to be lifted. make sure its the pto, they are several hundred dollars sometimes.

 

[Willman]

Yes it sounds like a shorted/ compromised coil in the clutch
Always make sure you have a good charged battery, never jump start a mower than operate the clutch on a dead battery, will almost guarantee taking out the alternator (especially under load of grass cutting)

When installing new clutch never seize the shaft

 

[Richard001]

All above a good suggestions. However, one should make sure that the clutch is bad and not some other issue, like a wire shorted to ground.

Pull the connector off of the clutch and the turn on the clutch. See if you still are having blowen fuses and/or fuse heating up.

And

Valhalla3 welcome to TBN​

Richard

 

[tomplum]

I've not ever seen a PTO clutch solenoid on a Craftsman tractor. What I have seen are damaged diodes on the PTO harness. They are not shown as a separate item on an IPL. You basically have the take the harness out of the loom from the switch to find it, or you can unsnap the connectors at the switch and clutch and see if the diode is working. Not all will have them, but if they get damaged and will overheat the PTO switch. Most clutches of this style also shouldn't exceed 3 OHMs in a perfect world.

 

[RandyT]

Unplug the clutch and put the leads of an ohm meter across them. Should never be below 1.7 ohms and more likely should be in the 2.3-3.3 ohm range. And like tomplum said some of the wiring harnesses have what they call a clamping diode in the wiring harness which is prevent spike current from getting back to the ignition system killing it But normally when that goes bad they either go open which you would never realize or short closed which in that case is a dead short and should blow the fuse immediately.

 

[Richard001]

Unplug the clutch and put the leads of an ohm meter across them. Should never be below 1.7 ohms and more likely should be in the 2.3-3.3 ohm range. And like tomplum said some of the wiring harnesses have what they call a clamping diode in the wiring harness which is prevent spike current from getting back to the ignition system killing it But normally when that goes bad they either go open which you would never realize or short closed which in that case is a dead short and should blow the fuse immediately.

Good suggestion. Also the OP should check from the clutch connector to ground. It should read completely open. A short of the coil to the metal part of the clutch will cause the fuse to blow.

Unfortunately, there is no fix for that problem other than replacing the clutch.


Richard