Cub Cadet 2554 Garden tractor clutch

TJ in KY

Member
I have a 2005 GT 2554 garden tractor that the blades keep disengaging. I started mowing and after about 5 minutes of mowing the blades stopped.( not overly heavy or tall grass) I backed up a little and restarted the blades and they ran for about 10 seconds. restarted again and quit after about 5 seconds. tried again and the blades would not start. I let it sit a while (10 min) and the same thing happened. I looked for loose wire or connection going to the electronic clutch and all seemed ok.
Is this how the clutches fail? It smelled a little hot. Is there a high temp cutout or something on them? Part number in the book I have is 717-04180. I checked Messicks and it has been replaced with a part # 917-04180 for $472 (ouch). I found same part number on Amazon for about $130. are the comparable? I am assuming it is not serviceable and I need a new one.
Any help would be appreciated.
 
(quoted from post at 19:17:36 06/23/19) I have a 2005 GT 2554 garden tractor that the blades keep disengaging. I started mowing and after about 5 minutes of mowing the blades stopped.( not overly heavy or tall grass) I backed up a little and restarted the blades and they ran for about 10 seconds. restarted again and quit after about 5 seconds. tried again and the blades would not start. I let it sit a while (10 min) and the same thing happened. I looked for loose wire or connection going to the electronic clutch and all seemed ok.
Is this how the clutches fail? It smelled a little hot. Is there a high temp cutout or something on them? Part number in the book I have is 717-04180. I checked Messicks and it has been replaced with a part # 917-04180 for $472 (ouch). I found same part number on Amazon for about $130. are the comparable? I am assuming it is not serviceable and I need a new one.
Any help would be appreciated.


It would be nice if you had an Ammeter to check the current draw of the clutch, (typically 5 Amps or maybe a bit more) at initial startup, and then when warm.

It's possible the clutch coil is either going "open" when it warms
up, or shorting and drawing excessive current when warm and tripping a circuit breaker (IF used on your specific machine).

It's also possible a switch or relay or other component in the operator safety circuit is failing when warm.

Another possibility would be a weak circuit breaker, or a loose or dirty connection at a circuit breaker causing excessive heat, making the breaker trip. (Once again, I'm ASSUMING your specific machine has a circuit breaker in the PTO clutch circuit.)

Bottom line is that before sending the big $$$ for a new clutch, I would monitor it's current draw, and if it doesn't go "open" or draw a lot more than 5 Amps, I would look elsewhere for the problem.
 


TJ,

Check when the clutch stops that you are getting 12 VDC to the clutch . Check with the motor running just like if you was mowing , except set parking brake and check on level ground . Also , put gear shift in neutral . May have to put something heavy in seat depending on your mowers safety devices . With pto switch on ,unplug clutch and test with test light or meter for 12 vdc . If it's getting 12 vdc check for bad connections that can prevent it from getting the full amps needed to run . If it's getting full voltage and amps , then it has to be the coil or at least on the coil side . If no voltage or low voltage / amps check safety switches and connections on mower side . Also , first off make sure that you have a good high amp battery . The higher the amperage the better . Make sure all battery connections are tight and clean . A bad battery can cause the same problems as well as a bad charging system, so check that too. When under mower testing clutch watch out for all moving parts , belts , etc. as well as anything hot . Also , with trans in neutral make sure that it can't roll off .

Whizkid
 
First thing I check when that happens is battery and charging system. That is exactly what happens if there isn't adequate voltage or amperage to keep the clutch engaged.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I started checking voltage this morning and had 12.7 at battery, and 12.7 at clutch. I took apart the connector at clutch and cleaned connections and cleaned the connections at the other end of that pigtail. Took it out and mowed less than 200 feet and it quit. checked voltage at clutch and nothing. No fuses were blown but found one, a 25 amp, that had some black corrosion on the fuse fins. I cleaned up the black deposits on the fuse and put it in and mowed for 15 minutes and it did not quit. The grass was too wet to continue but I think that I may have it fixed thanks to you guys. I hope to be able to finish mowing tomorrow, we just had another shower here a few minutes ago. THANKS AGAIN. Tom
 
You talking about the electric clutch??? Go on Ebay. There is an outfit in florida and another up north some place. The replacements work fantastic. Had one for four years now. Those clutches draw about 5 amps and that fuse in the power line is right off of your ignition switch. So if that fuse craps out your whole machine dies. Use some vaseline or dielectric grease and smear a little into all of those connections and then stick the fuse in and the relay socket plugs. Fixes so many potential problems.
 
Had my Cub 2514 which I bought new for about 10 years and with 500 hours now it did a blade disengagement when mowing in a ditch. Engine stopped shortly after that. Re-started and moved about 10 feet and stopped. Did this 3 times while moving out of the ditch to level ground where it started running well again. For some reason I thought I should check the oil and it was on the "add" line on the dipstick.

Seems that the angle I was running at drained enough oil away from the pump pickup and the engine decided to protect itself. Filled the oil back up and the problem went away.

Never saw that one before and I was surprised that the blade clutch would kick out. I replaced the bearing in the clutch at about 350 hrs but other than that I have had no issues with the tractor at all.
 

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