154 pto clutch

[john2189]

My 71 pto clutch plates are worn, some of the tabs are worn by 1/2, others are worn more. Seems to work ok. How long does it take to wear those tabs? I have no experience with these. Just wondering if I should have a set on hand.
John

[Eugene]

I would wait until the PTO quits. You probably need more parts than the disc pack repair kit.

[SONNY]

If it is working o.k., no point in spending money on it YET, it may run forever! --These little clutches are astronomicly expensive to fix! --- I did one many years ago and will never do another one. I just junked a 185 because the clutch was out.

[john2189]

If it is working o.k., no point in spending money on it YET, it may run forever! --These little clutches are astronomicly expensive to fix! --- I did one many years ago and will never do another one. I just junked a 185 because the clutch was out.

Yes, seems like everything is expensive for the numbered cubs.

[SONNY]

They are great little mowers, don't get me wrong on that! --I use a 185 that has the creeper gear in it and can crawl along the steep roadside in front of our house, Regular lawn mower just slides down to the bottom of the ditch!
For now there are some parts left, just pricey when you find them. The pto clutch on these was not made by IH! They are a "special made" FOR IH, so thats why they are so problematic and expensive.
I still think IH should have come up with a decent design of their own. They could have made something later to replace the problem child, but never did!

[john2189]

They are great little mowers, don't get me wrong on that! --I use a 185 that has the creeper gear in it and can crawl along the steep roadside in front of our house, Regular lawn mower just slides down to the bottom of the ditch!
For now there are some parts left, just pricey when you find them. The pto clutch on these was not made by IH! They are a "special made" FOR IH, so thats why they are so problematic and expensive.
I still think IH should have come up with a decent design of their own. They could have made something later to replace the problem child, but never did!

Wonder who made them and what else for.
Might be worth changing it to an electric pto somehow

[SONNY]

I was thinking Clark company from Chicago made them. I have the box somewhere that my rebuild kit came in if I could ever find it. The service instructions with it never once mentioned IH. The only thing they did say was that you are NOT allowed to use their clutches in ANY aircraft application. I also don't know if the company is still in business or not!
One other thing the instructions stated was that this kit was ONLY to be used to service the 4" model of their clutches.

[john2189]

Nothing came upon google

[BigBill]

I rebuilt my pto clutch on my number 1/154 at the cost of the two bearing that hold the engagement arms. I believe the most wear is at what rpm we engage the pto at. I let the engine idle, then pull the pto knob one quick short engagement to start the mass turning, then pull it fully on. We need to understand this pto probably has never been touched since it was new. The 60” finish mower deck isn’t a brush hog. The grass we’re cutting needs to be free from tree branches or anything that can jam the blades. If we let the grass grow high it won’t cut it in one pass you need to do two passes. We buy these awesome mowing machines that probably never had maintenance done to them too. It’s so awesome to mow with them.

I purchased my bearings to fix my pto from Hamiltonbobscubs. I’ll never touch it again in my lifetime. It’s worth fixing right.

[john2189]

I will fix it right. Mine will need the metal plates with the tabs. The wear plates look good enough to reuse.

[SONNY]

Check the part thats wearing the tabs off! --- Might be a bunch of wear on that too that would need attention!

[john2189]

That cup thing looks like not much wear on it. I’m going to run it till it won’t run no more

[BigBill]

I don’t think there is anything wrong with the design. Again I let the engine idle, then jog the pto knob engagement. To start the mass spinning, then fully engage it. If we engage the pto at a higher rpm the clutch plates will growl. On the machines that use the same type of clutch we knotch each clutch plate drive fingers in a row before we disassemble them so they all go in the same spot during assembly.(rebuilding machines)

Run it till it don’t run but start buying parts to rebuild it, I have almost a complete 154 on a shelf and a complete parts 154 I got cheap. Stripping it to restore it. My son is taking over.