Clutch vs Shear Pin

[jjmjones]

New to mowing with a rear rotary mower. Is the extra expense of a clutch worth the $? Mowing about five acres of mixed terrain-some hills, some rough areas with heavy brush and rocky.

Thanks

 

[Rob-D]

I have a Woods with the clutch. I like the clutch because I can adjust it to my needs. That is, I loosened it to work in my field with the obstacles I face. If I have bigger stuff to cut I can always tighten the clutch more or loosen it more. Actually I keep it quite loose with no ill effects. You can hear it slip if it's too loose.
Some people complain that clutches can stick if they are outside all winter and rust up but with the way I use them I don't have this problem. I don't see a need to set them up to slip with the blade locked. This seems to me to be the most severe condition and most people never need this much tension.

In short I'd go with the clutch over the pin.

Rob

 

[Deerlope]

A slip clutch is 1000 times better than a shear pin. You will not have the down time with a clutch that you will have with a pin.

 

[ZDB]

I have good luck with both, although my KK72" rotary mower destroyed the pto drive line when I hit a dirt berm with it. The factory shear bolt never failed. The shaft and yokes twisted up and broke.
I now have shear bolts in the mower that break like they should.

 

[Rob-D]

I have good luck with both, although my KK72" rotary mower destroyed the pto drive line when I hit a dirt berm with it. The factory shear bolt never failed. The shaft and yokes twisted up and broke.
I now have shear bolts in the mower that break like they should.

That's why I advise not cranking down on the clutch. Leave it a little loose and you won't have that problem.
Rob

 

[Ford tractor]

That's why I advise not cranking down on the clutch. Leave it a little loose and you won't have that problem.
Rob

Have you priced the replacement friction discs? You may rethink after you have to replace them....


I've always thought it's best to adjust the slip clutch correctly according to the book. Even though a correctly adjusted clutch will stick easier than a too loose one and will require dedicated maintenance to ensure it will work when needed.

 

[Rob-D]

Have you priced the replacement friction discs? You may rethink after you have to replace them....


I've always thought it's best to adjust the slip clutch correctly according to the book. Even though a correctly adjusted clutch will stick easier than a too loose one and will require dedicated maintenance to ensure it will work when needed.

My clutch doesn't slip, it has enough grab to do my field. I'm not damaging it and it's not wearing out.
Rob

 

[TripleR]

We used shear bolts for much of my life and I got tired of replacing them, so I now only buy them with a slip clutch and yes I use them hard.

 

[ModMech]

If I broke enough sheer pins in my life I might move to slip clutches, but having only broken 2 that I can recall, the $85/impliment is not worth it to me.

I have a few pins in the toolbox on the tractor, but honestly the only ones I have needed were for the snowblower auger when a large stick got into it.

The other "bad" thing about sheer pins is if you don't realize they failed and continue operating, even for a few minutes, you can do serious damage to the joint by galling/wear.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My clutch doesn't slip, it has enough grab to do my field. I'm not damaging it and it's not wearing out.
Rob

Exactly. I keep mine tight enuf that they only slip in impact situations that would be catastrophic to the implement. If I feel them warm any in normal heavy duty use I tighten them up.
larry