Woods 42 Help Request

[SONNY]

The blade should spin for a long time after clutch is pushed down! -- Mine runs long enough to speed shift into reverse or first which ever direction I want to go. Then dump the clutch and blade dont loose much rpm during the shift. ---- IF you miss the gears,-----well its a long wait before you can get it back in! lol!
During this shift time the ratchets in the hub are really chattering. ---- if not for them the momentum would push a cub down the road for a long ways!----or till it sucked you into something you didnt want to hit!

[lyle11]

I removed and disassembled the Overrunning Clutch. It doesn’t appear that it would matter, but for the 42-CL6 mower it says the counterbore in the Drive Hex should face the “bolt cover plate” which I assume is either the “Rachet Cap” which is the top that bolts on with 4 bolts or the “Weather Cap“ which is the round plate that covers the top. (There is no part labeled the Bolt Cover Plate in the parts list. It would be more clear if they used an actual name of a part as they labeled it.)

Anyway, the Drive Hex is approximately 3/16” longer than the bottom and top or the pulley once assembled. So, I can’t see how the pulley assemble won’t move up and down 3/16” short of adding some type of spacer that forces that Weather Cap to push down on the pulley on the top to hold it down. The Weather Cap conforms to the shape of the top of the pulley but is a “cap” to protect it from dirt, not something that is designed to force down on the pulley.

As for the function of the overrunning clutch, it works great. It does exactly what it is supposed to do. The issue is the belt coming off and lots of vibration near the OC pulley. With this 3/16” up/down movement believed to be creating the vibration that leads to belt popping off.

If this 3/16” movement is not normal, how do I remove it?

In the pictures below, I am lifting the OC pulley in one view and leaving it down in the other. You can see about 3/16” of the top of the Drive Hex exposed in the pulley down view and it is flush when I lift the pulley. I just want to be very clear what I am referring to.

I might make this a separate topic under Overrunning Clutch since it might attract someone with that specific expertise.

Thanks

52816497-4FCF-4506-8E17-36C732E1A207.jpeg (26.7 KiB) Viewed 390 times

BD8E39F3-FCCE-4EE6-8292-1311D9585D4F.jpeg (26.52 KiB) Viewed 390 times

4869EDEB-27AB-436C-B10B-186BEE516D88.jpeg (55.54 KiB) Viewed 390 times

[Dale Finch]

Curious (and maybe you already stated this), but have you tried a new belt? I ask because I have had a similar problem in the past. A belt was thrown, due to alignment/tension/rapid deck level change (don't remember exactly which of these), and although the belt APPEARED to be in like-new condition, from that point forward, it would jump off at the slightest bump. The folks here pointed out I should try a new belt. I strongly resisted this idea for 3 reasons:
1. It LOOKED good
2. The cost of replacement belts
3. Stubbornness!
Well, I did finally replace it, and it was fine...no more problems!
Turns out the cords INSIDE where you can't see them, had been damaged from the initial belt loss, causing a "weak spot", and just did not run through the pulleys well.

Just a thought, but it certainly worked for me.

[Gary Dotson]

My first Cub (many years ago) taught me the same lesson that Dale learned. My belt, too, looked pretty good but would jump off the pulley, before you could think about it. I bought 2 new belts (I thought it was going to be hard on belts) put one of them on and never looked back. Three years later, when I sold the tractor to my neighbor, I gave him a new belt for later use.

[Dale Finch]

Gary, I laughed when I read your post, because at the time I was fairly new to working on my cubs, and bought TWO belts also. The 2nd belt is still in its cardboard wrapper!!

[lyle11]

I’m okay with buying a new belt, but I’d really like to know if the up and down movement of the pulley on the OC is normal. I created another thread specific to the OC and asked if it is normal for the pulley to move up and down (3/16”) along the Drive Hex. So far I don’t have anyone responding who knows the answer.

I created a video of the OC pulley as it is engaged and the deck being raised and lowered but I don’t think we can post videos. There is a lot of belt vibration by the OC pulley, primarily in the left side.

If I don’t get an answer on this forum, I’m wondering if there are
support people at Woods who can or will answer questions about a Woods 42? I would think if they still sell parts they would have someone to answer questions. This OC is used on multiple Woods mowers so it’s not really a Woods 42 question, but Clutch 3179 question. Or, maybe another Woods part seller can answer my question. I don’t recall the name of the place but I bought Woods 59 parts from a place about 15 years ago.

Once I get an answer to this question I’ll happily buy a new belt.

[Jim Becker]

. . . I don’t think we can post videos. . . .

Put your video on youtube and use the "youtube" button to put it in your post.

[Dale Finch]

I have 3 Woods 42 Mowers, all with the OC. I will go out and see if they have the kind if movement you are describing. To clarulify, if I stand on the deck, grab the spindle pulley and pull/push it up/down, is that the movement you are getting?

[Dale Finch]

I'm on my way out to check the spindles, but another thing struck my pea-brained memory...when rebuilding an overrunning clutch one time, the manual described the washers to be used under the rain cap (the round cover with the single bolt holding it on top). I found it very confusing WHICH washers to use, and HOW MANY. To be honest, I cannot remember the answer. I just know if you have it wrong, it doesn't work right. You might read that section in the manual, and compare it to what you have under that rain cap.

[Dale Finch]

OK! On all 3 of my Woods 42 spindles, if I grab the pulley and pull up, they move roughly 1/16-1/4" up, and when I let go, drops back down (difficult to measure).

Now this does not mean it is correct, but these Mowers have been used for over a decade to mow our pastures. Hope this helps!

[lyle11]

Thanks Dale. I really appreciate it. It sounds like you answered my question. I don’t see how it could be any other way because the Drive Hex that fastens to the spindle is about 3/16” longer (taller) than the pulley assembly. Short of missing a spacer or part that doesn’t appear in the diagram, it looks like it has to be that way. I was told there should be no up and down pulley movement but I don’t think that’s the case.

Maybe this small up and down movement of the pulley is by design to allow the pulley to track better as the mower deck changes position.

As for the 3 or 4 washers, looks to me like all they do is fill the open space in the Drive Hex at the top of the spindle. If they aren’t there, the cover will get caved in when you tighten the bolt that holds it in place. The pulley movement is on the outside of the Drive Hex and these washers have no effect on it.

I have never created a YouTube account to post a video, but maybe I’ll do that next and show the “wiggling” of the belt behind the OC pulley.

I want to give it another try before I order a belt. My belt is a Woods brand with the proper part number per the manual. It is too short for any position other than the mower moved to the most rearward position. So I don’t have the option to move the mower much. Not sure if a belt would stretch with use enough that you would at some point have to adjust the mower push channel position to have the proper orientation and tension. I don’t see how you could move the mower back and forth much and maintain the required idler position without buying a slightly longer belt than the one I have.

In my tiny bit of experience mowing with the 42, I really like the Woods 59 because of the way it sticks out past the tires and allows me to get close to a building, etc. But I plan to use the 42 for grass that gets out of control at my other place.

Not sure if it’s the smaller 42” more or a less worn engine (probably both) but I mowed my neighbor’s foot high grass with the 42 and it mowed with ease. My 59 wouldn’t do that in 1 pass. I’ve owned this Lowboy for years but never used it. Just made it look nice and ran it periodically. Looks to be superior to my 48 FCub. Transmission much smoother and much better power. Hope I can get this figured out so I can use it.

[Dale Finch]

I just had another thought ( , riiight!)...I wonder if the vertical movement is what allows the ratchet to ride up over the "ramps" (??) of the clutch mechanism?

Anyway, I do remember I had to change the count or size (don't remember that part) of those washers. At one point it wouldn't disengage the drive, so I either put in smaller or fewer or...? Memory is shot!

I REALLY think at this point you might go ahead and try a new belt. You can get a non-Woods belt that's less expensive, but make sure it is heavy duty and as wide as the Woods. Others can give you the proper #.

[lyle11]

I installed the belt and ran it again. I’m beginning to think Eugene is correct and I have some kind of problem with the spindle. Here’s what happened after testing it out for just a few minutes. It’s very noisy and the OC seems to be jumping all over the place. It’s not a grinding noise. Hard to explain. Just loud and lots of vibration.

After just 15 minutes I looked at the OC and the Drive Hex has lifted on the spindle about 1/4” creating an indentation in the top of the Weather Cap under the Weather Cap Bolt. Also, the grease seal at the top of the spindle has shifted up on one side. Something is making it pop up.

On my Woods 59 the spindles have sounded noisy for over 15 years. But I grease them regularly and they work fine. This spindle in the 42 seems solid just manually turning it.

I thought I would feel some obvious looseness or grinding when manually turning the spindle, which I don’t. I really should replace the 2 keys that secure the Drive Hex and it goes on tight.
One of the keys has a slight distortion. The OC pulley doesn’t seem to wobble but is constantly moving up and down within that 3/16” range of the OC, which is what led me to question the OC.

Does what I’m seeing appear to be an problem with the spindle?

Hard to see but the oil seal raised up about 1/8” on one side and OC moved up about 1/4” on the spindle.

Thanks

[Eugene]

I’m beginning to think I have some kind of problem with the spindle.

Remove the deck from tractor. Stand up on it's side and dismantle the spindle.

See what it going on. My guess, bad bearings.

[SONNY]

Bad bearings