PTO suddenly grinding

[Laneman]

I mowed day before yesterday and all was fine with PTO. Yesterday I tried to mow and
pto grinds when engaging. With lever engaged and clutch pushed in the bushhog keeps turning. Adjusted clutch free play to 1 inch and no luck (single hole adjuster, two stage clutch). Does this mean clutch disc is rusted together? Could it mean the clutch friction disc is worn out? I would think that would just make it slip, not fail to release. If so, is there any trick to free it up?

 

[sotxbill]

yes.. maybe... turn on the pto before you crank the tractor... bring it up to speed... then keep shredding while occasionally pushing the clutch all the way to the floor. This should eventually break the disc loose. If its an early model, MAKE sure you have the clutch arm...pin set for the highest pedal position to activate the second clutch!!!!

 

[Tom in Mo.]

It would not have rusted up stuck in just one or two days. try removing all free play from pedal adjustment. This will give more separation of pressure plate/clutch disc.

 

[Laneman]

It would not have rusted up stuck in just one or two days. try removing all free play from pedal adjustment. This will give more separation of pressure plate/clutch disc.

I was thinking the same thing, how could it stick overnight,I had just mowed the day before. We did have heavy rain that night though. I just hope the clutch is not worn, I replaced it about 6 years ago and it was a nightmare since I have a loader installed.

 

[Laneman]

I did read something about the rear lever on side of the transmission getting loose or worn. I have to look more closely at that. I can see how if it has too much slop the pedal would not separate the cluth plate.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I mowed day before yesterday and all was fine with PTO. Yesterday I tried to mow and
pto grinds when engaging. With lever engaged and clutch pushed in the bushhog keeps turning. Adjusted clutch free play to 1 inch and no luck (single hole adjuster, two stage clutch). Does this mean clutch disc is rusted together? Could it mean the clutch friction disc is worn out? I would think that would just make it slip, not fail to release. If so, is there any trick to free it up?

Not to get deep into clutch adjustment I know how to adjust a clutch and my pedal free play at release height does not have much to do with it. That's for the rookies so they don't burn up the release bearing. Tape a 1-1/2 X 1-1/2 wood block to the top of the pedal to give you a little more travel and go work it.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

Is possible that the lining is starting to come off the disk. The pto clutch is down inside the flywheel so there is no place for the pieces to go until they get ground up small enough to pass between the flywheel wall and the edge of the pressure plate; meanwhile they are just floating around in there jamming up the works.

Another possibility is the disk is sticky from grease or oil leaks , which will also cause release problems.

 

[Destroked 450]

I was thinking the same thing, how could it stick overnight,I had just mowed the day before. We did have heavy rain that night though. I just hope the clutch is not worn, I replaced it about 6 years ago and it was a nightmare since I have a loader installed.

You probably nailed right there
Years ago a cousin borrowed our 800 to mow a few acres, when he got done he washed the tractor off thinking he was doing a good thing
The next day he went to bring the tractor home and the clutch was stuck. With the tractor in low gear and the clutch blocked down we rocked it back and forth a few times until the clutch broke free
For the pto clutch follow Sotxbill’s instructions or start the tractor with the mower attached and pto in gear, with the clutch pedal down work the throttle back and forth to create a jerk as the engine rpm’s change

 

[Destroked 450]

I was thinking the same thing, how could it stick overnight,I had just mowed the day before. We did have heavy rain that night though. I just hope the clutch is not worn, I replaced it about 6 years ago and it was a nightmare since I have a loader installed.

You probably nailed right there
Years ago a cousin borrowed our 800 to mow a few acres, when he got done he washed the tractor off thinking he was doing a good thing
The next day he went to bring the tractor home and the clutch was stuck. With the tractor in low gear and the clutch blocked down we rocked it back and forth a few times until the clutch broke free
For the pto clutch follow Sotxbill’s instructions or start the tractor with the mower attached and pto in gear, with the clutch pedal down work the throttle back and forth to create a jerk as the engine rpm’s change