Aligning clutch pack

[whynot162]

I have a rhino 324, but the question is kind of generic.
I have the clutch ready to go back in, but how do I align the disks. I can use the PTO shaft that goes into the bushing at the back of the engine to align the PTO disk. But how do I align the drive disk? All of the generic tools I have found only have one alignment, not capable of 2.
Thanks
Doug

 

[greg_g]

As you squeeze the two halves of the tractor together, the first shaft to strike will be the PTO shaft. Use the operator levers to engage the PTO, then send a helper to the back of the tractor. Have him/her turn the PTO stub while you continue to bring the two halves together. Should take only a partial turn to get the shaft splines to line up with the disc slots.

Continue to squeeze the two halves until you feel resistance again, this will be the outer shaft striking the main drive disc. Now send the helper to the crankshaft pulley. Open the compression release, and continue to bring the two halves together. As with the PTO, only a partial turn of the crank pulley should align the disc slots with the driveshaft spline.

//greg//

 

[whynot162]

Thanks, that helps, Never though to those ideas,

But the biggest question was how to align the disks in the assembly. On a car they have to be lined up to have any hope of getting the shaft through the spline, and you do that with an alignment tool.
Is there more room on a tractor? How do I get them lined up when assembling, so they will allow the shaft and disk of both to align? The tool from the parts store only has one place to align the disk. And I do not want to buy one, if it is useless to me.

 

[greg_g]

Without a dual stage alignment tool - which not too many of us own - the major goal is to get the discs centered. The main drive disk isn't difficult, as it's the same diameter of both pressure plates. The PTO disc has to be centered as you're bolting the clutchpack to the flywheel. After that, it's a matter of turning the PTO stub and the crank pulley to align the shaft splines with the disc slots.

Another thing that's important, is that you get the correct stack height (distance between finger tips and forward pressure plate). Too loose, and you can't center the main drive disc. Too tight, and you can't align it with the driveshaft. Stack height is a measurement that you should find in the clutch adjustment section of your tractor manual.

//greg//

 

[whynot162]

I have no manual for the tractor.
So is there any other way to set the stack height? And are you saying that I should be able to slightly move the drive disk to help align it when putting it all back together?

I am new to all of this, and really thank you for your time to help me.
Thanks
Doug

 

[greg_g]

Slightly move? Well - not by hand. That's too loose. But if you tighten the adjustment nuts too much, the springs will compress against the pressure plates with too much force. When that happens, you may not be able to move the friction discs with the rear PTO stub and/or the crankshaft pulley. There is a precise measurement for each different Chinese clutchpack, and it's typically found in the tractor manual. This measurement also ensures proper engagement, disengagement, and 1/2 pedal operation of both clutches when finished.

I know the stack heights for mine, but there's no guarantee your tractor has the same clutchpack as any I had. Given the amount of work involved in splitting a tractor, I think it would be in your best interest to get the proper manuals - and do this right the first time. Farm Boys down in Tennessee should be able to help you out.

//greg//

 

[whynot162]

Thanks, I will call them again, and see if they can give me the measurement. I have already spent all I have, and would like to get the manuals after the 1st o the year.

thanks
Doug

 

[bluechip]

Several years ago, we bought a universal clutch alignment tool from NAPA, it has several adaptors that slide onto a shaft and we can normally use some combination to align the front disk and the handle itself will usually come close to the main disk. it has worked for us dozens of times.

 

[sjb]

In a pinch, I once made a clutch alignment tool for a car using a wooden dowel that fit in the pilot bearing, and wrapping a lot of electrical tape around it to fit the clutch disk.



Stan

 

[Rich Waugh]

When I split my 304 I made a clutch pilot tool from a piece of aluminum I had. I posted the details and drawing here: Clutch Pilot drawing picture by richwaugh - Photobucket

 

[whynot162]

I got it back together, but now when I step on the clutch with the engine running it is hitting. I am assuming it is the nuts on the 3 screws on the end of the arm hitting the bell housing. I replaced those when I did it.
I just got some jamb nuts to see if that helps. I am not getting enough pedal travel.

 

[greg_g]

I am not getting enough pedal travel.

Once the two halves of the tractor are reassembled, you have to adjust the bearing gap. I'm going to give generic numbers here, you should refer to the tractor manual for confirmation. Assuming a 3 fingered clutch, remove a clutch inspection plate and observe the gap between each of the clutch release finger tips and the vertical face of the throwout bearing. Each of the 3 gaps should be virtually the same, the tolerance figure is only +/- 0.1mm. If that's not the case, the clutchpack was not adjusted to spec when assembled. If you do have all 3 fingers within the specified 0.1mm, the throwout bearing carrier must be adjusted to achieve a 2.5mm gap (+/- 0.5mm) between the bearing vertical face and the 3 finger tips. If that's not the case, you can move the TOB with the threaded yoke on the external linkage. If you still don't have enough pedal, you can get more by turning in the pedal stop bolt on the bell housing. If that's not enough, you'll likely have to break the tractor in half again to see what went wrong.

If you've got a six fingered clutch, that changes everything.

//greg//

 

[whynot162]

Thanks for the help.
After changing the nuts from normal nuts to jamb nuts, I got more pedal travel without hitting anything. And then I got the adjustments close.
A little tuning for my preference later, but it is working great now.

thanks
Doug