Pics of Slip Clutch

nvpliers · Jun 27, 2011

Land Pride Tiller. Brand new and did a clutch run, but two plates were seized good - wouldn't budge. The tiller probably sat in the dealer lot for a good while. Tried several times to get it to free up by clutch running it a few times. Even tried some of the "tricks" suggested on other related threads. No luck. So took it apart and cleaned it up.

This is my first experience with a slip clutch. Some questions:

1) How often do these clutches seize up?

2) Has anyone had a tiller sit idle for say a few months and the clutches still slipped? For me, the tiller is not an everyday implement, and will have stretches of idle time. I'm scratching my head wondering if it wouldn't be better to switch out the drive-line for a shear pin version....if that's even possible.

3) The manual does not suggest this, so I'm thinking this probably is not a good idea....but if you were going to store the tiller over the winter, would it be a good idea to just remove the drive-line, and store in a more controlled environment....OR

4) If you were going to store long term, would it be a good thing to back off on the spring bolts, to allow the plates to "breathe" and prevent seizing? Not sure if this would create more problems by allow junk to get in between.

But I figured I'd ask, since there are many out there much more familiar with the Slip Clutch than I am. Thanks in advance!

Samandothers · Jun 27, 2011

On my bush hog I let it set over winter. I loosen the bolts on the clutch and then start it. After popping the clutch a time or two or running in high grass it would break loose. I then retighten properly.

Jerry/MT · Jun 27, 2011

nvpliers said:
Land Pride Tiller. Brand new and did a clutch run, but two plates were seized good - wouldn't budge. The tiller probably sat in the dealer lot for a good while. Tried several times to get it to free up by clutch running it a few times. Even tried some of the "tricks" suggested on other related threads. No luck. So took it apart and cleaned it up.

This is my first experience with a slip clutch. Some questions:

1) How often do these clutches seize up?

2) Has anyone had a tiller sit idle for say a few months and the clutches still slipped? For me, the tiller is not an everyday implement, and will have stretches of idle time. I'm scratching my head wondering if it wouldn't be better to switch out the drive-line for a shear pin version....if that's even possible.

3) The manual does not suggest this, so I'm thinking this probably is not a good idea....but if you were going to store the tiller over the winter, would it be a good idea to just remove the drive-line, and store in a more controlled environment....OR

4) If you were going to store long term, would it be a good thing to back off on the spring bolts, to allow the plates to "breathe" and prevent seizing? Not sure if this would create more problems by allow junk to get in between.

But I figured I'd ask, since there are many out there much more familiar with the Slip Clutch than I am. Thanks in advance!

I store mine under cover with the tension bolts/springs loose over the winter. Never had the cutch plates sieze.

ametcalf · Jun 27, 2011

My 20+ year old 6' bush hog and my 25+ year old 6' tiller are kept in an old tobacco barn (which means there are plenty of gaps for the wind and weather to blow through). I really have not done anything special and the slip clutches have always worked the way they should. Had a guy burn one up one time when a branch locked up the blades on the bush hog and he drove it back to the house to ask me why that thing (the slip clutch) was smoking so much. Same guy that did not know whether to put gas or diesel in the tractor so he put in gas and said, "I hope that's alright." (I know, I am a slow learner and kept him around too long.) Thankfully we caught it before the gas made it through the two fuel filters to the injector pump.

nvpliers · Jun 27, 2011

Thanks all for the input.

Jerry/MT....Samandothers: Thanks for the suggestion on backing off the spring bolts. It would have been nice if the manual would suggest it.

ametcalf: It sounds not as bad as my first impressions about slip clutches. Thanks, and hello fellow Kentuckian!

Barry Bowen · Jun 27, 2011

Samandothers is dead right on about how to care for these clutches. These clutches are common on balers, tillers, etc. Loosen the springs up, and intentionally slip the clutch. This frees up and removes rust etc. Then tighten back down to need strength, and you are good to go. If stored outside this should be an annual thing when you use it for the first time for the year.