Clutch latch slop

[Knowledge_is_key]

Hello fellow mechanics. I have a machine where i can push the starter bellcrank forward a little bit, moving the clutch latch. I was wondering if there's a way to get rid of the slop? I'm afraid it might move a bit then trigger a cycle. Any ideas? Is it a dash pot adjustment?

[cuda96]

Make sure the spring is the correct one (12-100105 for A's and 12-102105 for A-2's), and that it is not stretched.

[Knowledge_is_key]

Yeah It's the right new spring.

[MASTERMIKE]

What exactly is your question?

You can move clutch latch.... Are you seeing play in it because of egged out holes?

Mike

[Knowledge_is_key]

When the clutch latch is latched, I am able to push the bellcrank forward a little and it makes the latch move. When I push on a different machines bellcrank there is no play at all when disengaged.
when the latch comes to its stop I can see it move back a little. I just want to make sure it doesn't slip off and engage the machine.
All the clutch release lever assemblies are new. I took it all off to replace the clutch actuator.

[MASTERMIKE]

Sounds like you are talking about the stop....

If you pick up on clutch lever and let it fall, with machine locked out and tagged of course, do you see the stop try to slip?

If so, you can replace it or carefully file it to repair if its not to bad...

Mike

[drhookmec]

[QUOTE=Knowledge_is_key;484469]When the clutch latch is latched, I am able to push the bellcrank forward a little and it makes the latch move. When I push on a different machines bellcrank there is no play at all when disengaged.
when the latch comes to its stop I can see it move back a little. I just want to make sure it doesn't slip off and engage the machine.
All the clutch release lever assemblies are new. I took it all off to replace the clutch actuator. [/QUOTE]

This is the sign of a worn clutch latch,
Did you replace the latch when you had it apart??
If so maybe the one you put on is no good or you got the wrong one as there are 2 kinds (see image below)
The one on the left measures 3" from the x-washer pin hole to the shelf.
The one on the right measures 2 3/4" from the x-washer pin hole to the shelf.
The longer one is for an older style reset lever assy.

Using the longer one on a newer style reset lever can cause this problem.

It will eventually start recycling the machine so i would change it now
before it becomes a problem.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

As drhookmec stated...this is a sign of a worn clutch latch. Could be that someone in the past thought there was an issue with the latch and tried to grind it off. These have a specific radius ground into them and it is very subtle. If it is changed, you can get fail to triggers or what you are seeing. Either is a headache.



This is not an actual diagram of the latch but a representation of what needs to happen. The first is the proper version while the second is one that represents a latch that has been ground "flat". What happens in this case is the corner that is outside of the radius would need to push the latch down for it to get around the corner...possibly causing a failed to trigger as it would also be pushing all of the linkage down...against the plunger lever spring...which is trying to force the clutch latch up. If you case, you may find the same corner worn farther past the radius that is in the first image and that is what you are seeing when the clutch latch wants to start moving rearward.

[mikeb]

Steve, awesome diagram! Couldn't have thought of a better way to explain it!
I have, on rare occasion, come across worn latches. Mostly what I find is a groove, or rut, that the roller on the clutch reset lever has worn into the latch. This usually causes the machine not to cycle, as the solenoid can't pull the latch out from the groove. I personally resurface the latch. This is something most people would recommend against. The reason for not resurfacing is that most often the surface of the latch would be ground down to a 90 degree angle, and then the issue would go from occasionally not latching, causing the machine to recycle, to fail to engage the clutch, solenoid not strong enough to pull the latch out from under the roller on the clutch reset lever. two things I check for to make sure I haven't rounded the surface too much are:
1) The latch fully seats under the roller.
2) If I bump the clutch reset lever, or actuator link, with the handle end of my screwdriver that it doesn't unlatch, and cause the machine to recycle.

[Knowledge_is_key]

Yea. Someone must have pulled a bad clutch latch off a machine decided to file it back to where they thought it should be. Hence causing my problem. I changed the latch and all is good now.