Repairs blades will not engage

Colonel

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I have a 36" walk behind with 79 hours, the blades will not engage know. what should I check?
 

KennyV

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Welcome to the Forum..Colonel
What 36 inch mower is it??
:smile:KennyV
 

Colonel

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Sorry I guess that would help, it is a 2004 Scagg 36" walk behind w/13 horse Kohler engine. Its starts and runs perfectly, I was running across the lawn in 4th gear trying to finish before the rain hit. I had a area were moles had been quite active and it was bumpy. when i ran across that area the blades disengaged and haven't worked since. I have checked every wire and plug connection and checked the air gap. Not being very experienced on clutches the gauge slide in just fine, it is a very narrow gap. I'm stumped the mower is very new and well maintained, the clutch should not be bad with only 79 hours. mowing crews are very hard on their equipment with minimal problems.
 

KennyV

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The clutch is most likely OK...
Did you check if you have 12 volts at the wire going into the clutch... Also check that the ground path for the clutch is good...
If there is a fuse on the clutch wiring, measure it with an ohm meter, they can fail due to vibration but still look good... :smile:KennyV
 

Colonel

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The clutch is most likely OK...
Did you check if you have 12 volts at the wire going into the clutch... Also check that the ground path for the clutch is good...
If there is a fuse on the clutch wiring, measure it with an ohm meter, they can fail due to vibration but still look good... :smile:KennyV

Kenny:
Thank you for your reply, I have not checked voltage. I will do that to see if that is the problem. I have not noticed an inline fuse? Would it be located somewhere else other than inline? I did check the air gap and that was fine, al of the wiring is intact, all of the plugs are tight, so much so they were impossible to disconnect. Unplugged at the switch and reconnected it all looked well. Although this mower is a 2004 model it has 79 hours on it and is in great shape. Ha Ha other than the blades won't engage.

Steve
 

kennyt

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Ok, I also have a 36" scag w/b with 15 kohler that I cant get the blades to engage. I am a mechanic and am completely baffled. The clutch fried Connected directly to 12 volt battery, wouldnt even click. Ohmmeter showed bad. Ordered new clutch, installed and before plugging it up, I started the mower and was getting 38 volts at plug. checked the rectifier and it was 38 Ac on one side and 46 on the other leg ac. Showed ac on the middle plug on the rectifier. Figured the rectifier bad, replaced have about 13.6 volts DC now. plug up clutch. No go. Pto Switch ok also. Any one got any ideas??
 
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Kenny-T,

Suggest you post your question in a separate thread. You're more likely to get replies to your problem.
If I had an answer for you I'd give it to you- but I don't know what the solution is. Sorry.
 

KennyV

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Hello kennyt and WELCOME to LMF...

Check your ground connections... with 13.6 volts at the clutch terminal & a ground on the new clutch it has to energize, or it has an open winding...

Your rectifier failure is what burnt up the old clutch... to prevent a repeat put a fuse in the circuit... That is a very costly outcome from a failed rectifier...

Coyote Machine is right, you should start a new thread, it may get lost piggy backed on this one...:smile:KennyV
 
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