Help removing the clutch on Bcs 720.

[Hiptfarms]

I picked up an abused 720 last year and am finally getting around to working on it. The clutch is seized and the engine is toast so I picked up a cheap Predator engine to put on it. Today I pulled the old Briggs I/C 7 hp off along with the clutch. The problem is I cant seem to get the allen screw loose so I can slide the cone clutch off. The set nut loosened fine but for the life of me I cannot get the Allen screw to budge. I've tried spraying silicone spray on it and nothing. I tried a small amount of heat and still nothing. ( I was scared to put too much heat on it). Now I'm letting some automatic transmission fluid set on the it in an attempt to let it loosen.

Any suggestions?

 

[WesKootenay]

Hmmm, never had to do this but it looks straightforward enough
https://earthtoolsbcs.com/pdf/ENGIN..._cone_w._cylindrical_shaft-REVISED_6-1-16.pdf
Maybe EarthTools can help? They've seen it all.

 

[Hiptfarms]

I have spoken with the guys at Earthtools. I'm still working on getting this dang thing to turn loose. Ive tried 2 kinds of easy out tools. Reverse threaded bits. Some heat. Now I'm trying to just drill the set screw out but I keep breaking bits. 4 so far. Unfortunately there's a piece of one of those bits that is stuck down inside the set screw so I'm having a bit of a time trying to drill that out. Joel suggested trying two pry bars at the same time to just pry the clutch off. I must not be nearly as strong as he is because I can't get it to budge yet. I'm still working on it though. I may wind up buying a new clutch but I still need the mounting plate that is behind the clutch. Nothing is ever easy.

 

[WesKootenay]

Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with this.
Probably too late now but, did you try a hand held impact driver, like this:



Mine has got me out of a lot of trouble.
Hope things work out.

 

[Hiptfarms]

Thanks but yes I think I'm too far gone for the impact st this point. I figure that my last resort may be to cut the shaft off the engine. Maybe then I can at least salvage the mounting plate behind the clutch.

 

[Hiptfarms]

Well I never was able to get the cone clutch removed. I tried 3 types of extractors, mapp gas torch, drilling the set screw. I tried prying it off with pry bars in opposite sides. No luck. So, I took it to a local tractor mechanic shop. They spent 2 hours trying all manor of tricks. Ball separator combined with gear puller. Pry bars in conjunction with a pneumatic wrench. Shop press. They finally used an oxy/acetylene torch and cut the shaft off. They then welded a thread rod piece to the shaft piece and used a pneumatic wrench to apply pressure to the shaft by way of a stack of washers and a nut. After two rounds of this method they got the shaft out of the cone clutch. Unfortunately the cone pusher piece that is on the end of the clutch accidentally was throw across the shop and has yet to be found. So I plan on sending the clutch to Joel at Earthtools in hopes that it can be rebuilt. This was a heck of an endeavor. I hope the clutch on my 850 behaves a lot better than this one when I drop the engine on it. It, too, is stuck. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all....

 

[Ford850]

Were these stored outside? I've never had a problem with mine, but it is stored in a barn and out of the weather. Until reading about these issues, mine was stored with the clutch engaged 50% of the time. I recently cleaned up my 605 getting ready to sell it, and after washing then spraying it off with a lot of water I left it dry in the barn but forgot to depress the clutch lever. A week later I noticed that lever so I squeezed it to lock the clutch (thinking of these threads) and the clutch was seized temporarily. It released in a couple seconds with a loud BANG. Lesson learned. But I'm assuming it was caused by the heavy washing with all the moisture.

 

[WesKootenay]

This is an amazing story, if you had videoed it, it would go viral - well among BCS owners anyway :thumbsup:

Hope the rest of this job goes OK.

 

[Hiptfarms]

I bought the 720 from a guy last year who I assume was keeping it outside. His said his wife said it had to go along with a 3 in 1 chipper vac. I bought to two of them for a steal so I can't complain. 150.00 dollars. I already turned the chipper vac around and sold it for more than I paid for the units. I hated to have to cut the shaft from the Briggs mostly because I wanted to experiment with trying to rebuild it as a learning experience. I guess I'll have to wait for another engine to operate on.

 

[WesKootenay]

Let us know how the Predator re-power goes. Should have a lot more power and quieter than the B&S.