Flywheel has 0.030" groove at mating face to clutch. Ok to reuse?

[HoyeTractor]

That picture is a bit of an optical illusion. The area where the clutch disc rides is actually protruding - not recessed.

FWIW all of our used 336 flywheels are flat all the way across. They do not have the lip like shown below in the service manual.

 

[ruffdog]

If the OP is talking about the whole wear area being wore .03", not just a narrow groove....resurface it!

 

[777funk]

If the OP is talking about the whole wear area being wore .03", not just a narrow groove....resurface it!

Yes, it is as if the clutch were an end mill and the flywheel were on the table and you plunged the clutch down 0.030" into the flywheel then jogged the machine back up.

 

[California]

How the heck can a clutch get that much wear when the Powershift internal clutch packs (like an a/t) are what gets the tractor started moving?

The tractor clutch simply spins the Powershift input shaft, which then spins the internal pump that actually engages the clutch packs.

Was that thing powering a sawmill or something off the (direct drive) PTO?

 

[winston1]

How the heck can a clutch get that much wear when the Powershift internal clutch packs (like an a/t) are what gets the tractor started moving?

The tractor clutch simply spins the Powershift input shaft, which then spins the internal pump that actually engages the clutch packs.

Was that thing powering a sawmill or something off the (direct drive) PTO?

Lot's' of people "ride" the clutch. I have a neighbor that has replaced his clutch twice in ten years. He rides the clutch.

 

[RickB]

Lot's' of people "ride" the clutch. I have a neighbor that has replaced his clutch twice in ten years. He rides the clutch.

At the dealership I worked at in NY we had a customer that took a clutch out of a Ford 4630 every 16 months or so. Did it 4 times. Had another new tractor we delivered on Friday and had to winch on the rollback on Monday because the owner took the clutch out in 6 hours of run time.

 

[777funk]

How the heck can a clutch get that much wear when the Powershift internal clutch packs (like an a/t) are what gets the tractor started moving?

The tractor clutch simply spins the Powershift input shaft, which then spins the internal pump that actually engages the clutch packs.

Was that thing powering a sawmill or something off the (direct drive) PTO?

This machine has 4500+ hours on it.

 

[rScotty]

When resurfacing flywheels/brake drums and disks, you may not worry about removing a groove concentric to movement. If 99.9% of the surface is flat, runs true, and is not cooked with hot spots, then it should be fine. Back when I ran a brake lathe, you didn't remove a bunch of material just to get that one groove out of the surface.

That's what I do too. Understand that anytime you take a shortcut it is a gamble, but this is a gamble that a lot of old mechanics do . I try to take a good look at the groove itself. If the groove is smooth and concentric and the rotating parts are NOT WARPED or too badly rust pitted then my hope is that what's going to happen is that the system is just going to eventually have more surface area at the expense of a somwhat shorter life for the friction disk.

Problems can happen when friction disk material gets stuck in the flywheel or pressure plate. Then things get grabby and that tears at the friction disk and eventually forms a concentric goove if you are lucky. Like ruffdog says, that's happens with hotspots. In fact, it probably is why the hotspot got there in the first place.

Tearing off some grabby friction material from the friction disk can be an even worse grabby problem if it happens in rust pits - particularly if the rust pits are large - like the diameter of a pencil eraser and out at the outer perimeter of the disk (think torque). My own theory is that rust pits eventually become concentric grooves if you are lucky
. Anyway, that is how I decide to turn friction surfaces like rotors, flywheels and such.....to get rid of hotspots and pits. Smooth concentric grooves are OK.

That's assuming that there is no warpage. Put a dial indicator on it and spin it slowly. If it is more than a few thou then it needs turned. If it is only a few thou then just using the clutch will often bring it back to flat.

And it depends on what you want out of the job. A clutch that works or one that is smooth like butter and engages beautifully.
rScotty

 

[rScotty]

How the heck can a clutch get that much wear when the Powershift internal clutch packs (like an a/t) are what gets the tractor started moving?

Probably rust and rust pits.
What do you want to bet that the brake drums are the same way or worse?
rScotty