Branson throw out bearing concerns.

[K5lwq]

Does anyone with a geared Branson hear the throw out bearing rattle when clutch is disengaged? Mine has rattled from the day I brought it home. I asked my dealer to adjust the clutch to see if it would help but it still rattles.

I find it strange that it rattles on a new machine. Thoughts?

 

[ptsg]

Mine rattles a little bit with the foot off the clutch ever since the first day, more like a ticking sound. Once I press the clutch pedal, it goes away. Like you, I was a bit intrigued by that as well but I've seen others doing exactly the same noise. Both in person and in videos.

It does a bit more noise in higher RPMs and kinda goes away if the tractor is under load, like going up a hill or pulling something. Almost makes me think, that is just the damper springs rattling around on the clutch disc.

There is a cover plate under the tractor, I took it off once to check for anything obvious but couldn't find anything.

Here is a video of mine. Let me know if this is the noise you're hearing. During the up shifting is noticeable at higher RPMs, then at around 0:46 mark, it's a very slight climb and the noise reduces a little bit. At around 1:00, it starts to descend and noise increases again. Further into the video, the noise is there as well. On this video, I didn't go past 2500 RPMs.

 

[K5lwq]

Interesting. Mine is just the opposite of yours. When I push the clutch all the way down is when it rattles. As long as I am moving, I don't hear it at all. :confused3:

 

[ptsg]

Well, that makes it even more intriguing. The ones I've heard, it's like mine.

I don't think it's hurting anything. The clutch still feels just fine to me, like the day the tractor got delivered.

 

[LouNY]

Interesting video, nice drive around the neighborhood.
Is traffic always that light

 

[ptsg]

Interesting video, nice drive around the neighborhood.
Is traffic always that light

Yes, most of the time it's this quiet. On the weekends there is a bit more traffic from visitors because this has very nice views over the ocean and forest.

It's a very small village on the top of a small mountain (860 ft high) just behind the big city near the coast.

This is about 50 miles North from where I live, but we have a couple pieces of land there that needs mowing once a year or so.

This is the view towards South, on one of the pieces of land I mow:



And this is the view to the North, from a popular viewpoint:

 

[K5lwq]

I had to travel out west this week so today I stopped in and visited with our Branson regional rep. He is a long time tractor service man for many makes. He was aware of the noise my tractor is making and it is common.

Turns out it is not the throw out bearing but the metallic clutch disk rattles when you press the clutch pedal all the way in. This makes sense to me because in my experience, a bad throw out bearing makes noise when you first push it in and continues till fully released. Mine will quiet down if I ease out on the clutch just a bit.

At least in my case nothing to worry about.

I also got to get his thoughts on another project I am thinking of doing to the Branson. More of that later if I decide to tackle the job.

 

[ptsg]

Cool. Thanks for the update and info on that K5.

I'm definitely interested on your new project. Coming from you, it'll be a good one. :thumbsup: