PTO Clutch Pack

Gary Puckett · Apr 6, 2019

I hope it is ok to ask a modern day tractor question? My son has a Kubota DE331 zero turn mower. The blades are slipping. The belt had been changed. The tensioner pulley and spring are new. The blade
washers are new. I am thinking the pto clutch pack may be the problem. Does anyone have any experience with or thoughts on this? Thanks

jm. · Apr 6, 2019

Early season happening is usually low battery , charge the battery and try it. May just be not enough current to hold it in. DO NOT run it slipping long or you will be out a clutch.

jm. · Apr 6, 2019

Sorry Gary did not pay attention to the model as electric clutch are bad to slip, Your hydraulic pto clutch is usually pretty reliable. Before I tore into it I would change the filter and try it. Also make sure the blade washers are installed properly, real easy to get them on wrong.

Steve@Advance · Apr 6, 2019

It could be the PTO, could also be the belt slipping.

Look at where the belt is riding in the pulleys. It should only be contacting the tapered sides, not running all the way in the bottom. If the bottom is polished, it's running too deep. Either the wrong belt or the pulleys are worn.

Another test, run it under load, immediately feel the pulleys for heat. A slipping pulley will be hot, possibly very hot, so be careful.

Also be sure the tensioner arm is free to move, and is properly aligned. That takes a lot of vibration, seen them do some strange things as they wear at the pivot point.

Don't take this wrong, but any chance the blades are upside down? Seen it before...

Gary Puckett · Apr 6, 2019

Steve and JM, thank you for your responses. One thing I did not point out: the center blade is direct drive from the pto shaft to the gear gear box. The gear box has pulley that drives the two outside blades. I think you might have something on the polished pulleys for the outside blades. I checked the upside down idea also.

Russ from MN · Apr 6, 2019

They used to make a belt dressing that looked like a big crayon, about the size of a tube of grease. Of course you probably can't buy that anymore because it's not idiot proof, and we have an overabundance of idiots! My dad always had a tube of it under the seat of the combine for the big flat belt, and we used some in the Insulite mill when I worked there. Now they use a spray belt dressing, and when you first spray it on the belt slips a little worse, but when it dries it helps. Worth a try! Interesting theory about low voltage causing the clutch to slip!

centash · Apr 6, 2019

I have stolen some liquid molasses from the kitchen and used that with some success as belt dressing.
Ben

rrman61 · Apr 6, 2019

X2 on the blade washers also check the threads on the blade bolts might be time to replace bolts/blade spindles

Russ from MN · Apr 6, 2019

Yes, I have heard of using molasses, and real heavy grease will work.

jm. · Apr 6, 2019

Gary about the ONLY way that deck BELT slips is the idler arm that holds tension on the belt could be froze up. Those double grove pulleys would have to be wore out and the belt bad also. I am not a fan of belt dressing, find and fix the problem works better. You are rite about the center blade being direct so that is the key if it is slipping blade washers are on wrong or wore out.

37chief · Apr 6, 2019

Feel the PTO clutch if it is hot, it's slipping. Stan

PTO Clutch Pack

Gary Puckett

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jm.

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jm.

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Steve@Advance

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Gary Puckett

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Russ from MN

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centash

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rrman61

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Russ from MN

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jm.

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37chief

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