# Brush Bandit 100 clutch will not disengage



## arboristdean113 (Apr 9, 2011)

I just bought a brush bandit model 100 a few weeks ago. Didn't pay alot for it, but it runs good except the clutch will not disengage. The guy I bought it from said he put a new clutch in it and needed to be adjusted. So started taking it apart and the guy put a new plate in it but thats about it. Its a ford straight 6 in it. The clutch thats in it is just a standard ford clutch, do these chippers need a heavy duty clutch?


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## ArborquipSP (Apr 13, 2011)

Most clutches I have seen on a ford 6 are made by a company named Funk. I think John Deere bought them and are still making parts for the PTO. The clutch disc, pressure plate and pilot bearing are ford parts and should be bought at a Ford industrial dealer. The clutch plate should have springs in the center hub for shock load if it does not then it most Likely will wear out the splines on the shaft ( very expensive part). 

When you say won't disengage what exactly did it do? Would the handle go up and down fully or not completely? The guy most Likely took the throwout bearing apart and did not put the plates on right or the pressure plate fingers are worn down to much so the throwout bearing does not contact it soon enough. Or he put some will fit bearing on it and it's not the right size. 
That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. 

Scott 


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## dean1130 (May 8, 2011)

Found out the clutch pto is a funk and the rest of the parts are ford. The bandit dealer said they do not make funk anymore and have to go with stein. But to fix it they say it would be around $1500.00. Which is more then i want to spend on it. I bought it with the clutch engaged. It wouldn't disengaged. The lever would go up and down. So we took it apart and no parts are broken... I will try and post some pics to see if you can tell if the disc is not right. Also do they make shims for the pressure plate?


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## dean1130 (May 8, 2011)

here are some pics. what we think is wrong, it either throwout bearing is not right or the disc is to thick


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## ArborquipSP (May 8, 2011)

Funk parts are still available only through john Deere. Can you take a side picture of the arms on the throw out bearing with the handle up and down. I mean if the clutch was disengaged and engaged. I have put the pins on wrong for the handles shaft and that caused the clutch to either not engage or not disengage I can't remember. As for the clutch disc it looks ok and the finger on the pressure plate look good also. I think the throw out bearing was assembled incorrectly so it is not getting it's full throw in both directions. 

Scott

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## dean1130 (May 9, 2011)

Here are some more pics.


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## ArborquipSP (May 10, 2011)

I can't tell by the pictures but is the handle making a full 90 degrees of travel? It should be straight up when clutch is disengaged and horizontal if clutch is engaged. If not I would bet the person who disassembled it before did not put the small arms hooked to the handle shaft on correctly ( they will go on in more than one position). For instance the right one may be on the left side causing the roll pin to contact the beveled part of the link arm before it should. I think the link arms should be going the same direction as the shaft when the clutch is disengaged. I would pull the two pins holding the handle shaft to the arms and slide the handle out and try moving parts around. The only reason I know this is because I have done it. Because on these clutches nobody keeps parts in stock so you take it apart and not make it good and put it back together in one to two weeks and you scratch your head and put it together. But this guy should have pulled it back apart after he saw it did not disengage!

Scott


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