??Slip clutch use??

[Vitosbrother]

Hey Everybody,

I posted last week about buying a tractor that was used and didn't come with any manuals. I have them on order but they probably won't be here for another week the dealer said.

So my question is:

I purchased the tractor with a Frontline 6' brushhog, 5' finish mower (king cutter), and a countyline post-hole digger. I also received a slip clutch, but when I was playing with it last night (figuring out how to hook up a brushhog for the first time), I can not figure out when & what the slip clutch should be used with. It seems to me the brushhog and post-hole digger use shear pins, and the finish mower has the belts and pulleys.

Everything else I have does not use the pto, ex. disc, lanscape rake, rear blade. I bought everything she had, so I am lost. It was the husband's tractor, but he is not around to ask questions.

Any ideas guys?

thanks
Justin

 

[MHarryE]

Has the slip clutch ever been used? My KK finish mower has no option shown for a slip clutch. My LandPride rotary cutter has a shear pin as standard and slip clutch as option. I bought mine with slip clutch. Is it possible the person bought the clutch intending to install it on the brush hog but never got it done, or that he picked up the clutch for a good deal intending to install it but found out he bought one that wouldn't fit. See that often at auctions. Normally the slip clutch is on the input shaft of the cutter gearbox and the PTO drive shaft connects to the slip clutch. That's the way mine is on my rotary cutter and also on everyone else's I have seen here who has posted a picture for some reason or other.

 

[dex3361]

A slip clutch is usually used instead of shear pins. Is the slip clutch made with the Pto SHAFT? Or is the PTO a separate unit? Someone may have bought the slip clutch to install on one of the shear pin shafts. Post some pics so we can see what they are and that will help with advice.:thumbsup:

 

[Vitosbrother]

It doesn't seem to be used. The cutter is a Frontline RC20-72. I posted some pictures. I know the guard is on so you can't see for sure, but it is just a U-joint under there.

When I spoke with the dealer, he seemed adamant that the cutter had to have a slip-clutch. So I just wanted to get some opinions from you guys on what your thoughts were.

 

[BeezFun]

A slip clutch offers an advantage over shear pins in that it puts much less shock on the system when you hit something, including a rock with the PHD. You do of course have to adjust it, and replace the disks when they wear out from slipping. It looks like the slip clutch you have was intended to be used with the other half of a PTO shaft. My slip clutch is mounted on the bushhog gearbox shaft, and the cross on the slip clutch is attached to one half of the PTO shaft. So the slip clutch can't be removed (easily) from either the gearbox or the half of the PTO shaft.

Given your situation, I'd just go with shear bolts until you get used to everything, then if you want to, get the right adapter and/or PTO shaft to allow you to use that clutch. My personal experience with PHD is that the shear pin can be so hard to replace that it's much easier to use a slip clutch in very rocky ground. When the pin breaks you have to get the holes lined back up, use a punch to drive the part that's stuck in the shaft out. Then hold the holes in line while you drive in the new pin, then the threads are beat up so you can't get the nut on. And remember this happens when the auger is stuck 3' down in the hole.

 

[Don87]

The slip clutch should go on the end closest to the cutter.

The way to set it up for the first use is to loosen the 8 nuts on the springs a few turns, then drop the cutter onto a brush pile or something( this will keep the blades from rotating, causing the clutch to slip).

Before loosening the 8 nuts, measure the distance from the nut, to the metal plate(more than likely it's already set to factory torque), then after you get the clutch to slip, retighten the nuts to the measurement you first took.

Do this procedure every spring, or after the cutter has been idle for long periods, as the clutch discs can freeze together.


Edit: after retightening the nuts on the springs, use a marker and draw a line across the discs to see if it's slipping when in use. You may need to tighten it more if it slips too mmuch.

Without the manual for that specific clutch, that's how I would handle it.

 

[SPYDERLK]

It doesn't seem to be used. The cutter is a Frontline RC20-72. I posted some pictures. I know the guard is on so you can't see for sure, but it is just a U-joint under there.

When I spoke with the dealer, he seemed adamant that the cutter had to have a slip-clutch. So I just wanted to get some opinions from you guys on what your thoughts were.

Looks like the slip clutch is designed to clamp to a smooth keyed shaft. Probably will fit right on in place of your shear bolt mechanism and work fine if the shaft hasnt been worn by a lot of shearings. Youll probably have to lose the guard on BH tho. ... A great upgrade. Shear bolts on a bushog being used to its potential are a nuisance.
larry

 

[Vitosbrother]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will dig in a little deeper next weekend and see what I can find out.

I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!

Justin