Tiller How to adjest slip clutch on tiller

[CFHartman]

I bought a used Land Pride tiller with a slip clutch on it. It only had half the PTO with it. the local dealer wanted almost $300.00 for a new PTO shaft. said that was cheeper than buying half + both drive shaft's. I bought the hole thing at TSC for half. There was no paper say anything about adj. the clutch. In my owners manual it talks of slipping the clutch once a year. any suggestion's will help. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Charlie

 

[Egon]

Do a search on slip clutch threads. There more than one.

Egon

 

[beenthere]

Some clutch's have springs and several bolts that tighten the compression springs. They are the adjusting bolts, and you loosen them equally, until the clutch slips, then tighten them equally, until the clutch holds, but slips under a shock load.

Or the way I re-adjust it, is to tighten just until the clutch doesn't slip when engaging the PTO, then one more turn on each bolt. It is a bit time consuming, but you don't want the faces rusted together, and the clutch not work at the critical time. Also, don't want it slipping when engaging the PTO or when just working under a heavy load. You will see smoke then.

 

[Darren]

Below is a link that will take you to an article on spaders. Within that article is the best infomation I've read on adjusting a slip clutch. Page down until you see the "This Is The Most Critical Issue" line.

Although the article deals with the slip clutch on spaders it applies to any similar equipment.

http://www.ferrari-tractors.com/spader.htm

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Some clutch's have springs and several bolts that tighten the compression springs. They are the adjusting bolts, and you loosen them equally, until the clutch slips, then tighten them equally, until the clutch holds, but slips under a shock load.

Or the way I re-adjust it, is to tighten just until the clutch doesn't slip when engaging the PTO, then one more turn on each bolt. It is a bit time consuming, but you don't want the faces rusted together, and the clutch not work at the critical time. Also, don't want it slipping when engaging the PTO or when just working under a heavy load. You will see smoke then. )</font>

Most equipment with an O.E.M. slip clutch that I have ever owned will give (in the owners manual) a measurement of the compressed clutch springs (in inches?) That adaquately "pre-loads" the clutch to slip at it's designed point.

 

[greg_g]

Use the forum search engine to find last year's thread entitled SLIP CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT. You first have to know your tractor's PTO horsepower, and from there you adjust the length of the compression springs. There's no guesswork involved. Once you know the horsepower, there's a specific spring length that must be achieved.

//greg//

 

[beenthere]

Yes, I agree and have found that manual info to be a good guide especially when new.

However, I've found that over time, either the clutch can be worn in which case it needs to be a bit tighter, or rusted, which means it needs to be slipped first, or may have been too tight.

Good guide though.

 

[Darren]

Besides wear, over time springs can weaken. That's why the article in the link relies on temperature to determine if the slip clutch is operating and to the degree it's slipping (not at all or too much). Using a manual is great ... if you have one. The link provides a procedure to use when you don't have a manual. So even if you were using your tiller, you have a way of stopping periodically and easily checking the adjustment.

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Using a manual is great ... if you have one. )</font>

I have one - applicable to CFHartman's slip clutch. Whereas the article was entertaining, I prefer the method prescribed by the manufacturer.

Assuming it won't be the JD2210, I can provide a recommended spring tension setting - once I learn the PTO horsepower of the tractor to be used with the tiller.

//greg//

 

[CFHartman]

Hi Greg
I just started to write you. Then I went back to my post and seen that you wrote me.
I do have a JD2210 with 17 PTO hp and 23 engine hp. My tiller is a land Pride RTA10-50 it's suppose to be for a 17 to 25 PTO hp.
Charlie

 

[greg_g]

Wow. I know that little Yanmar engine is stout, but LandPride recommends 17-25 hp for the 34" to 58" RTA-10 series (http://www.landpride.com/lp/products/rt_main.html). I take that to mean at least 17 PTO hp for the 34" and 25 for the 58". A little doodling on the scratch pad says that the 50 incher needs about 21.5 PTO hp. Plus, the 385 pound RTA10-50 represents nearly 30% of your tractor weight. What do you plan to use for front ballast?

The next problem you're facing is the PTO shaft itself. Since it's specified for use on 20-55 PTO hp tractors, the minimum spring setting (28.5mm) is too tight for your 2210. When the spring tension is too tight, the clutch doesn't slip soon enough. You'd be better off with a shear bolt.

But if you're willing to experiment, the spring tension scale is 1/4mm per 5hp. That means (theoretically) 28.75mm would be the setting for 15 PTO hp. Using the doodle pad again, your 17.7 calculates out to 28.615mm. If you don't have a metric caliper, that's an overall spring length of 1.267 inches.

//greg//

 

[Darren]

Considering that a spader will go down 12" to 14", depending on the machine, in one pass as compared to a tiller that does almost less than half that with multiple passes, it is entertainment indeed to consider that such a simple procedure works. Of course the fact that a spader will do that in extreme conditions such as hard-baked soil or waterlogged soil unlike a tiller adds a bit more mirth.

 

[deere755]

I adjusted a slip clutch on a grain auger one time with a stick welder but I don't recommend you doing the same.

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Considering that a spader will go down 12" to 14", depending on the machine, in one pass as compared to a tiller that does almost less than half that with multiple passes, it is entertainment indeed to consider that such a simple procedure works. )</font>

Darrin -

Somehow, I'm missing your point. If the slip clutch needs to slip at a given torque to protect the drivetrain, what difference does it make what is causing that torque?

 

[Darren]

It dosn't make a difference. The point is that by using a clutch that's too tight, you run the risk of damage. By adjusting the clutch so that it's warm to the touch (when stopped of course) you know the clutch is operating and not adjusted too tight to guard the driveline.

In other words you're better off having a clutch adjusted loose than overly tight. If it's too loose, it will be too hot to touch unless the attachment is jammed by something with the pto running.