Slipping a Slip Clutch

Almost all rotary cutters have some kind of protection for the gearbox and the tractor PTO if you hit something in the field that you shouldn't and it doesn't move. I have another video on how to change the first form of protection, a shear bolt, this video looks at how to maintain the second form, a slip clutch. A slip clutch does just what it says, if you hit something, it slips, to stop everything underneath. That is, it does if it's working properly. Once a year you need to burn or "burnish" the clutches to make sure everything is functioning. This video goes through that process.

Usually when slipping a slip clutch, you loosen the bolts that hold the clutches in place and then engage the PTO multiple times to make sure they're not rusted together and then bolt everything back together. On this cutter, the owner's manual recommends putting a paint pencil mark across the clutch plates, then after multiple PTO engagements, the line shouldn't be straight any longer. That's exactly what happened, so I tightened the bolts back up and the cutter is now field-ready.

Every brush hog, (or bush hog) is different, so your design may be slightly different than the one in the video. Always consult your owner's manual and follow their guidelines to properly prepare a slip clutch for field operation.


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