Tore the drive shaft in half on my chipper

Just2quickz28 · Aug 7, 2008

So like the title says I was out chipping up some brush from my pile and I guess my Slip clutch on the drive shaft was not functioning properly and the drive shaft tor apart at the yoke closest to the tractor. I guess the only good news is that the only damage looks like the mounting for the PTO safety cover.

I am concerned why the slip clutch did not work properly or even stall the tractor. Tractor seems fine nothing bent PTO output shaft is fine (I put my post hole digger on to be sure)

I am wondering if I should replace this with another slip clutch drive shaft or use a shear pin style, or would I just be replacing the pins too often?

638 · Aug 7, 2008

I would replace the drive shaft with a heavy duty one and loosen the slip clutch up until it slips and then readjust the clutch. A clutch will stick together (rust?) if not slipped occasionally.

ron

easygo · Aug 8, 2008

Holy COMPOST!!! What diameter wood were you chipping when that happened? I don't have a slip clutch on mine and (knock on wood) had no problems to date, but your pictures make me think of getting one. Is it possible that there was previous damage to the drive shaft? A fair size ding could weaken the structure I guess.

Just2quickz28 · Aug 8, 2008

Well I guess its my fault, being a newb to tractors and buying the chipper used I did not realize that the slip clutch needed servicing. Anyone have slip clutch servicing instructions as I did not get a manual with the chipper.

Easygo, the wood was about 3-3.5 inch in diameter max on the chipper is 4inches, but I did find the remaining pieces of a large eye bolt in was was left of that log. I must have not seen it as it went through and once its in the shoot I was not going after it.

easygo · Aug 8, 2008

Sorry to hear of the eye-bolt, that will do it in a hurry. If you do a search on slip clutch on TBN there were several discussions on them. I guess you are in for a new set of knives as well. All thing considered you are only out some $ and time but uninjured!!!
I bought my tractor and all of the attachments used and I never had a problem that was due to the equipment's fault.

Just2quickz28 · Aug 8, 2008

Actually the knives don't look all that bad, seems only one has any marks on it. I will probably just take them out and sharpen them up.

Well Like you said out a bit of money and some time but still here I guess it could have been much worse. I wish I had known about the slip clutch servicing might have saved me some money. Learn as you go right

Charlesaf3 · Aug 8, 2008

wow. I do think that's the best point of failure you could have had - ie cheap and easy to repair.

There must have been a weakness in the metal there already though. I would have thought you would have stalled the tractor first.

KennyV · Aug 8, 2008

The center slide piece for your shaft is available, cut to length and weld back to your front coupler.
I doubt that a slip clutch would have prevented a large eye bolt from damaging the pto drive shaft. Chippers have too much inertia for anything to just slip when trying to chip metal. It probably will slip if the over load results from an over feed rate. In any case the shaft acted as a fuse and failed, that is not a big problem. Repair it and motor on, but watch for metal. KennyV.

Just2quickz28 · Aug 11, 2008

Well there was some damage to one side of the yoke and the universals where pretty worn out so it turned out cheaper to buy an entire new shaft than all the pieces to fix the old one. I still will have to remove the yoke on one side of the new shaft to mate to the slip clutch. But overall not too bad heavy duty shaft for about 115$ and a little bit of my labor.