What am I doing wrong with this Cub pto clutch?

Have been trying to get my 124 up and running to mow this summer and ready to snow blow this winter. The clutch went bad and I bought the parts. Easy fix I thought. I went through the internet to find drawings and repair stuff. The job was easy and it came off and went on alright. However running the mower the pto almost disengaged and then wound up and that was it. I had to shut off the mower as it did noting. I still can't get this thing to operate. Not sure what I am doing wrong but I'm lost what to do now. 60.+ dollars worth of parts + my labor ends up with noting working. I'm stumped. Any ideas? Thanks guys.

Must admit that from your description I am having a hard time figuring out what is going on with the clutch, Sounds as if it barely would start the mower and then would not run it at all?

Setting the clutch up per the manual requires a setting gauge and the springs need to be good. Buy new springs if you don't know. See the provided link and the gauges are available through various Cub cadet suppliers. Buy the guage, set up the clutch. Then you also need to have the linkage for the lever adjusted correctly. When right and with deck attached the clutch should pull the engine down a bit or squeal the drive belt if engaged briskly.

Lacking that gauge you can feel your way through getting the clutch to work properly. The three through bolts are what adjusts the clutch. If you have them too loose it will not drive. If you have them too tight it will not release. The range of adjustment between those two extremes is a couple turns. Start by removing the unit from the tractor. loosen the locking nuts a few turns and then back out the bolts until loose, you should be able to move the disk. With the clutch laying front side up on a bench pushdown with your hand on the top to steady it and run each bolt down until they are just snug, right at the point of compressing the spring but not past that point. Each bolt must be equally bearing upon the springs at this point. Now run each bolt in one turn and lock it in place with the nut. Once back on the tractor you adjust the operating lever. Adjust via the manual or lacking that you adjust it so the pulley will easily turn when off and also when on the PTO is on the button on the lever is clear of the button on the springs.
Setting up a CC PTO clutch

Thanks for the commit. I have the gauge and new parts. That's the 60 dollars worth of stuff. I set it up per the manual and gauge. However you say springs as more that one. Are you referring to the three in the posts or the star spring out front? All are new so it shouldn't be them.

As to the mower running or not. The tractor started with the mower running. Slowly ant it looked as though the clutch was working but shortly after the mower ran up to speed and would not disengage. I had to shut off the mower to get it to do so. The pto button would engage but not do anything. I shut it off so as not to damage anything more. One of the Philips screws bolts (I'll call them) is loose but the others are snug. I can push the button in but can not spin the clutch by hand. Looks like I'm back to taking it apart again.

Any though on using lock tight to hold the nuts on the back. Yes I used the jam nut as well but the nuts are thinner than the wrench I used and they may not have seated well. I didn't notice at the time it was out there being any issue. I've checked the gauge on it a number of times and even with it on the tractor the position is the same. So I'm still lost. I guess this afternoon I'm taking the thing off again and for the third time trying this again. I'm sure at some point I'll get this right. Third times a charm right?

Sorry for being vague, springs means all of them, the ones on the bolts and the big flat one. I ground a cheap wrench thin enough to hold the bottom nuts, no locktight is needed.

Both adjustments affect the clutch that could cause it to not release. The linkage or the three through bolts, no way I can tell from my vantage point which it is. Start with the linkage to the handle because it is easy. Moving the handle from the run position to the stop position does the button and fingers move in slightly? If not it could be that you need to shorten the turn buckle in the rod to move the lever father towards the engine. Or if the button and spring is bottomed out (toward the engine) then your problem is you have the through bolts too tight. When adjusting the through bolts remember as I said in my fist post, there is only about two turns between having them so short it wont disengage and them being so long that the clutch slips.

Thanks again for the help. The mower is back operational. I went through the whole process once more. Resetting the clutch spring clearance and putting the locking nut on tightly with the proper wrench. Did manage to find a wrench thin enough to work real nicely. Put everything back together on the tractor It clearly works now. I think there is some minor adjustments needed as it will almost stop the clutch. I believe the problem is the pressure on the center button. I will check clearance once things work in.

I forgot how nice this mower cuts grass. It looks very even and nice. Nice job for something around 50 years old. Wish I did as good a job 50 years later.

I still mow part of the lawn with a highly optioned 124 and 42" deck myself. The only issues I run into is we mow the grass much higher now than that deck was designed for. With the low lift blades it doesn't lift the grass from the tire tracks as it should. But set it down to 1 1/2" and your right, as good a cut as one could hope for.