The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

To run a rotary mower with single stage clutch on FMD is it necessary to use one?
Will only be cutting light brush under an inch with a light 5' mower. The mower does not have any clutch on it either.

You're probably ok without it but I think it will be worth having one in in the long run. I don't think having a live clutch or not will make a difference to this.
Sandy

The problem with a single blade mower on a Major is having to have the pto engaged to use the hydraulics, at low revs the mower acts as a flywheel and tends to 'overtake' the engine causing it to hunt and without an over-run clutch on the pto it will break the shear bolt in the pto shaft, if a shaft with a shear bolt is fitted. Not a safety issue but a pain in the hoop when you have to keep stopping to replace shear bolts!

Thanks guys. I know there is one (or two) around. I'll dig around till I find it.

While your combination may work well, there’s always the possibility of problems should you need to stop suddenly. With the mower acting as a large flywheel, dipping the clutch won’t stop forward travel and you could easily find yourself halfway over a hedge or through a wall before all motion ceases.

Old Hywel wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:52 am

While your combination may work well, there’s always the possibility of problems should you need to stop suddenly. With the mower acting as a large flywheel, dipping the clutch won’t stop forward travel and you could easily find yourself halfway over a hedge or through a wall before all motion ceases.

Exactly this. Without over running clutch it is a extremely dangerous setup.

For emergency stop , open, then close throttle, depress clutch and simultaneously pull out of gear. Done it hundreds of times with balers, slashers and mowers.