Rotary Cutter clutch

[flINTLOCK]

I'm planning to fire up my RC in the next week or so to hog some brush at perimeter of foodplots. How do I assure that slip clutch is good to go after winter outside, uncovered??
Don't want to break something on the tractor or the Woods brushbull 72.

 

[woodchuckie]

Here's what my operator's manual says for my bush hog squealer.

 

[kebo]

Here's a better look at a tension chart someone else on the forum was kind enough to post for me in a thread I started about International Machinery bush hogs. My IM502 mower has a slipclutch on it too. Unfortunately, I've not had a chance to take my clutch apart and check it since I bought the mower about three months ago. But,you can take the slip clutch apart, check/clean the clutch plates as needed, and reassemble. Tighten the nuts holding the springs to give the correct spring length shown in the chart (for your size gearbox) and you should be good to go.



http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-international-world-slip-clutch-settings.jpg

 

[David-Davies]

I was told that you have to losen the clutch, then start the RC and let the clutch slip, as it will rust up over the winter, and if you don't spin it, it will not slip when it's should, and you'll brake some thing. As I just got a RT? RV? rototiller, rotovater, I have to spin the clutches as it hasen't run in a couple of years, and I would really like to know how to do this.
Dave

 

[Runner]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but if you mark a line across the clutch plates with a piece of chalk, it will be easy to see if it "slipped" when you hit the PTO switch.

 

[David-Davies]

That is a good idea, but how do you get them to slip? If I take the springs of, putting them back on might be a little difficult. I was thinking of taking all of them off ecept two, then give it a spin to slip the cluth.
Dave

 

[Runner]

You shouldn't have to take anything apart. If you just loosen up the nuts, the clutch should slip when you hit the PTO switch unless the plates are rusted together.

I haven't had that problem yet, but I would assume that you have to take it apart and sand the rust off the plates if that happens.

 

[Willl]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but if you mark a line across the clutch plates with a piece of chalk, it will be easy to see if it "slipped" when you hit the PTO switch.

I do this also, albeit with a paint pen.

Another tip; take the same marker and tag the nuts before you loosen.

Makes it easy to see that 'one' turn on the nut.

 

[anojones]

To tell if the clutch slipped after I loosened the bolts I just drove over some weeds and turned on the PTO- no cut weeds = clutch slipping and no blade movement.

 

[David-Davies]

I looked at that rototiller clutch today. The nuts are only on by a couple of threads past the nuts. This thing has been sitting for a long time. I'm wondering if someone backed the nuts off, and parked it. I'll bet that the clutches are rusted solid. But thank you all for the insight.
Dave