How to check slip clutch?

[emery]

My rotary cutter has slip clutch on 3 pt drive shaft. After it has sat in the barn all winter. How can I tell if it is set operate properly or if it needs maintenance do to rust or bonding of the plates that would defeat its purpose? Thanks

 

[beenthere]

Re-adjust it according to the procedure in the manual. Usually requires loosening the adjusting bolts until the clutch slips, and then re-adjusting the bolts until it "just doesn't slip under mowing conditions". Sometimes there is a pre-set number of turns to go after the slipping stops. Hopefully this helps you figure yours out.

 

[kyoders]

emery,

I don't have a good all-purpose procedure, but here's what I do. I first back off the tension bolts until I can slip it by hand. I've found that if there's much rust build-up, I need to go back this far to break the rust. I then tighten the bolts all the way back down an equal amount to get a reference point (I've been thinking about using a torque wrench to determine when they are all equal, but haven't tried it yet). I then back them all back off an equal amount to where I think they were set before. I haven't come up with a way to "mark" the old position, so this is just a guess.

I then find a patch of dirt and try it out. If it tills the dirt, I stop and back each bolt off a bit more and try it again. What I'm looking for is the point where it just stops tilling and starts to slip on it's own. Once I find that point, I tighten each bolt another 1/2 turn. I've found that this is pretty close to the right setting for my tractor. After using it for a while, I sometimes find that it is slipping more than it should, and will tighten each bolt another 1/4 turn. If I find that the engine is lugging, then I back the bolts off a 1/4 turn.

Keep in mind that I have a BX22 with only 16 PTO HP. Most of the slip clutches seem to be designed for larger tractors, so the settings that work for me are usually pretty close to having no tension on the springs. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Kevin

 

[Whiskey]

Emery:

I found the procedure on Landpride's web site under there light duty 6' cutter spec's there is a printable "owners manual" and it has step by step instructions on how do adjust there mower I spose you can use this same way of adjusting your's or at least it's a starting point.

Whiskey

 

[emery]

thank you guys, I will give the re-tightening procedures a try. I will definitely check that online web site.

Has anyone ever tried using a long rod to try and 'slip' clutch with 3pt unattached from tractor and the device mechanism 'locked' in place?

thanks again.

 

[JohnMiller3]

First, take a caliper and for a starting reference get average spring heights before any adjustment or removal…

 

[JohnMiller3]

The method I found that works best… is to fully disassemble the unit, using a dead blow hammer to break apart any seized components, taking emery cloth and lightly taking the glaze off the clutch plates…

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Has anyone had any success using a torque wrench for the final tightening? It seems that the spring tension could be adjusted equally and with more consistency. One fly in the ointment would be as the clutch plate/friction-disc wears you would have to increase the spring tension to get the same slipping point. You could stick a piece of masking tape near the clutch with your last torque setting for reference. Once you get the hang of it, it might be easier to correspond foot pounds to a slipping point. John's tip to periodically resurface the plate surfaces with emery cloth is a good one. It's like a reset button.

 

[em14]

John,
That's seems like alot of work when you could just loosen the bolts a little, let the clutch slip to "clean" the surfaces and then just readjust and go to work ....
Leo

 

[Mosey]

JohnMiller3 - How to you get pictures to post within the text instead of just as an attachment?