The slip clutch on my bush hog started slipping. There is a large unusual nut that you can see in the attached photos between the gearbox and the slip clutch. It looks like if I tighten that it will increase the pressure on the plates, but how much do I tighten it? And what kind of wrench fits this thing? It looks like it takes some kind of special spanner. I could put a pipe wrench on it, but I'm not sure which way it turns and it's been on there for ages. Or do I just need to replace the friction plates? Any help appreciated.
Mowing Slip Clutch Slipping, need help
- Thread starter BeezFun
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beenthere
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I'd try a piece of wood and a heavy hammer or short handle maul to drive that nut. Wouldn't use a steel punch.
If it will move, tighten and test. If needed, tighten and test again.
If that doesn't work, I'd take it apart and see if the innards are burned from slipping so much, and need replacing.
If it will move, tighten and test. If needed, tighten and test again.
If that doesn't work, I'd take it apart and see if the innards are burned from slipping so much, and need replacing.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Note: Totally unfamiliar with the type of slip clutch so be leery of advice!
As stated a Hammer should work. Looks like a pipe wrench would also.
I'd suggest backing off the nut and checking things out.
As stated a Hammer should work. Looks like a pipe wrench would also.
I'd suggest backing off the nut and checking things out.
Thanks for idea to try a piece of wood, didn't think of that. This is a Ford bushhog, do you think this slip clutch is original equipment? If it is, maybe I can get replacement disks. I guess I know what I'm doing next weekend.
Ken45101
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Can't say for your Ford unit, but replacement disks are normal wear items that should be stocked locally. I know the one time I replaced the ones on my Woods cutter, I was surprised that they local dealer had them in stock and said "sure, we carry them as a normal wear item". They are not expensive.
Ken
Ken
KWentling
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Similar to the clutch on my Howse mower, but the nut on it was a standard hex style. When mine shelled the friction discs I liked to never got the nut broke free. I finally made a wrench out of 3/4" plate I could hit with a 8 lb. maul. Look to see if there is a set screw locking the nut to the threaded shaft. Mine has one and expect yours will too. Hope yours loosens easier than mine did! Would be a little harder to make a wrench to fit that nut. Maybe a hook type spanner wrench would work on it.
Kim
Kim
Yeah, I looked online and was surprised how many places have the disks in stock, even for something like this that hasn't been produced for 40 years. We don't really have a local tractor place anymore, they expanded right before the economy went bust and they went out of business. So I order online from Messick's.
This nut looks like it was designed to keep people from loosening it. I ordered a service manual that I found online for this bushhog, maybe it will have some suggestion on getting it apart. You're right, there almost has to be a set screw, or else the whole thing comes apart from the other side and this goofy nut is bottomed out at the end of the threads on the shaft and isn't designed to move. I'll take it apart this weekend.
sweettractors
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That is where you tighten the clutch discs. As stated before, make sure there is no set screw in the side of that nut. Many of the Howse users that have a similar setup, report good results with a punch and shop hammer. If I tried something loike that, I would sure to use safety glasses. Ken Sweet
thanks, maybe the manual I ordered will tell me this when it arrives, but how do you know how tight to make it? The only way I know of to test it is go out and mow some tall thick grass to make sure it doesn't slip anymore.
sweettractors
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The only way to set a slip clutch, is to adjust it to where it does not slip in normal mowing situations. If you mow for a while and it gets hot, it is slipping and needs to be tightened a little more. No book is going to give you where to set it. Ken Sweet
Thanks, that's how I knew it was slipping, I accidentally touched it while crawling under the deck to see if the blades were folded back because it wasn't mowing properly. Hopefully I don't need to take this thing apart and replace the disks. One's about 1/16", the other about an 1/8". Not sure how thick they were when I bought it.
ford farm boy
Bronze Member
I had one like that on a old ford . There is a set screw or two in that nut back them out and then take a block of wood or something and a hammer and tighten it up . Just make sure that hp of tractor is not to much for bush hog or you may never get it not to slip. I had it on back of a 8n and worked find then put it on back of a 52 hp tractor and always would slip.
Thanks to all who pointed out the set screw, I probably would not have noticed since all rusty objects blend together. I've got it soaking in penetrating oil before I try to loosen it. Fortunately I'm not in a hurry, pasture doesn't grow much when it's 95 and no rain.
sweettractors
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Check closley, I have seen a setscrew jammed in aganist another. Make sure there is not another one in the hole? Ken Sweet
Are you saying there might be two set screws in one hole, one on top of the other? That would seem like a poor installation because the head of the bottom one is going to be all buggered up by the top one. But I'll check.
sweettractors
Advertiser
Yes, I have seen that done more than once. The Manufacturer does not do it, usually a farmer having trouble keeping clutch tight will put one in on top of another. Ken Sweet
Mission accomplished, soaked the set screw in penetrating oil overnight and it backed right out. It actually wasn't very tight. Used a piece of wood and a hammer to tighten that goofy looking nut. It was easy to turn and rotated about a 1/4-1/2 turn before it got pretty tight. Tightened set screw up. I'll give it a test run this weekend in some tall grass to see if it slips. Thanks to all who helped.
Sounds like you have it figured out. Lucked out on the set screw...I had to drill mine out and retap it. I have a Howse with a similar set up but it has three clutch discs and not two. They are about 1/8 inch thick or so when new. I found some on the web for about $8 a piece...others run about 12-18. You have to know the inside and outside diameter, obviously. When I put mine back together I gave it a good tightening up with a punch and hammer and then tightened it again after the day's use and it tightened up some more. You are compressing some dish looking "springs" that are pretty stout.
Johndeere3720
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Wow, disks for my tiller slip clutch were $60!
My tiller had a similar issue until i basically couldnt use it since it slipped it the tines touched the ground. My tiller was in a barn fire so I guess the disks were already fried. My old disks were so brittle that just removing the first one broke it into 3 pieces. Luckly, the second one was still in 1 piece.
