1/2 inch nut in clutch housing

[topfuel7]

My clutch has been making a knock for a while. I took the cover off to check it out before but didn't see anything. I decided to try it again today and found a 1/2 inch nut laying in the bottom of the clutch hole. I figure it has something to do with the noise it is making. It is quiet until you press the clutch in and it sounds like someone tapping on the housing with a hammer. I cant see a thing through the small hole. Can anyone tell me what I should do. Its a 57 loboy with a C-3 mowing deck so I can barely get to it anyway.

[Jim Becker]

A 1/2 inch nut or a nut a 1/2 inch wrench fits? I have no idea where a 1/2 inch nut would have come from. The other may have fallen off the pressure plate, which would not be good.

[Eugene]

That nut that a 1/2 inch wrench fits was probably the lock nut on the screws that adjust the fingers on the pressure plate.

3 fingers on the pressure plate. Hand crank the engine until you see one of the fingers in the inspection hole, check the adjusting screw for the lock nut. 1/3 turn on the hand crank and check the 2nd finger, again and the third.

If one of the adjusting screws is missing the lock nut you will need to adjust the finger then replace the nut. It's a very tight fit but it can be done.

If that nut is not off an adjusting screw - I haven't a clue where it came from. Of course - If I had previously worked on your Cub I could have misplaced the nut. I am either short parts when I finish working on my Cub or I have parts left over. So go figure.

Eugene

[EZ]

I agree, it could be one of the lock nuts for adjusting the clutch fingers. Why? Because I had the same thing happen to me. In my case, I found 2 nuts! The clutch was very noisy when engaged because the fingers were not adjusted properly and they were coming into contact with the TOB mounting hardware. You want to get that fixed right away, I had to replace the TOB, and @ $108Cdn. before tax grab, well you can imagine the rest.

Only thing is, I thought those nuts were 9/16".

Doesn't matter though, see if you are missing any, and do the adjustment according to the manual. You will be pleased at the with the wonderful sound of silence when you depress that clutch.

[topfuel7]

A 1/2 wrench fits the nut. It is slighltly thinner than what a normal nut would look like. Almost like a Jam nut.

[Jim Becker]

Its a lock nut like Eugene and EZ described. You need to readjust the fingers and put the nut back on. You may be able to do it through the hand hole. It would be a lot easier if you have seen one before.

[EZ]

Yup,
Sounds like it. Half the thickness of a regular nut.
You will notice on the clutch fingers an adjusting screw. These screws can be adjusted with an offset blade screwdriver through the handhole. The lock nut is just loosened enough to be able to make adjustments and then once complete just snug the lock nut up.

How does the Throw-out-bearing look?

Good luck.

[topfuel7]

With the deck on plus it being a loboy there is not enough room to get a good look. I have to feel around basically. I think I am going to put it on the ramps and drop the deck down so I can get some more room. I haven't seen one personally but from the pitures I have seen I dont remember seeing any nuts on the fingers. I have also read most of the manuals and I dont remember seeing any way of adjusting the fingers. Does any one have a picture or a procedure on adjusting it?

It probably wouldnt help if I removed the inspection plate at the oil pan would it. Other than I might find some more nuts laying around.

By the way it has the J on it so it is a rockford clutch if there is any difference.

[topfuel7]

I found a good picture on Tmtractors website. The nut looks exactly like the ones on the fingers. Is there any way possible that the screw the nut was on has fallen out as well? I dont see how the clutch is even working without the nut.

[Bigdog]

topfuel7, the nut is a locknut. The adjusting stud is still where it is supposed to be so the clutch is working. However, without the locknut, it can vibrate out of adjustment. As you mentioned, with the mower still in place, access would be impossible unless you are a contortionist.

[EZ]

topper,

The lock nut is only there to "lock" the screw into the adjusted position. So it would still work without the nut, but.........the screw could slowly work it's way out, throwing off the adjustment, or worst case, falling out. You probably are a victim of someone trying to adjust the clutch, and gave up, because they did not know what they were doing.

If one or more of the screws are missing, you may be able to make your own, or order replacements. I'm betting they are still there.

[topfuel7]

Well I have bad news or good news depends on how you look at it. All the nuts are there and look fine. So now I am wandering where this nut came from and why my clutch still knocks a little. I greased the TOB why I was down there and it seemed to help. It only rattles when I push the clutch in and the main shaft is still freewheeling some. If I put it in gear or engage the PTO it usually stops and is quiet. Im thinking it must be the TOB or pilot bushing letting the shaft move around some. Maybe I need to adjust the fingers or something. Anymore suggestions.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

The only other source of the nut I can think of would be the bolt that holds the 2 halves of the throwout bearing yoke together. The nut may have been left from a previous problem.

[Jim Becker]

Beginning to look like the nut is a stray from before it was worked on in the past. The TOB does not contact the shaft, so it wouldn't be the source of the noise. The only things touching that end of the shaft are the clutch disk and the pilot bushing. Since it stops when the shaft is stopped, the noise is probably from the transmission.

[topfuel7]

The nut that holds the yoke together is still there. The TOB wobbles some when it first starts to touch the fingers so I may try to adjust the fingers and see if that keeps it from rattling. Someone told me it could be causing it to chatter if they where off alot and it does wobble quite a bit.