Clutch slippage

[hokiebob1]

How can one tell when a clutch is slipping, even so slightly, in the cut? My 353 cuts pretty good, but occassionally seems to "stall" or begin clutch slippage sooner than I think it should. Its a pretty new saw with a new Stihl RS chain.

thanks

 

[rupedoggy]

When your clutch slips it gets HOT! After the cut check it for heat build up. If you look and the clutch drum is blue it has really been slipping too much. Find the problem and fix it pronto. Mike

 

[WRW]

hokiebob1,
You're located in Virginia...same here...bring it by & I'll check it out for you on some trees on my neighbor's place.

The nature of these clutches is, generally, that they hold or they slip depending on the rpm of the motor. If you bog the motor down (too much pressure on the bar), or start the cut before the motor is up to speed, there is less force on the drum from the shoes. Try keeping the rpm up and see if that doesn't make a difference.

And what rupedoggy said, too.

 

[tony marks]

seems to me like it would be like a clutch on an old stick shift truck or something..if the engines reving wot and the chain aint turnin rite. u clutch is going.. i may be wrong but thats what i would think.. usually its just a matter of keeping the rpm up high enuff to fully engage the clutch.. as was said before

 

[hokiebob1]

Thanks guys. Sounds like I probably shouldn't lean on the bar quite as much and keep the revs up. I really was just wondering how you would know if it were slipping even if you DO keep the revs up-sounds like you look at the drum and if its discolored, it needs repair??

 

[WRW]

If the engine speed stays up and the chain speed obviously slows, then it is slipping. If smoke starts coming out of the side cover, or the side cover starts melting, that might mean it's slipping.
Abnormal wear on the mating surface inside the clutch drum would also be an indicator of need to replace the clutch drum.

On a saw that size you shouldn't have to put any additional pressure on the bar to get the saw to cut. If the chain is properly sharpened it should self-feed right through the wood.

 

[Dennis]

Is the saw maintaining rpms? If not, it could be something as simple as raker depth...just another option...

 

[SasquatchMan]

That Stihl RS shouldn't bog down too bad if it's sharp - I've got one on my saw, and it's not too much more powerful than the 353.

Is it possible that the clutch is full of dust and gunk, and that the little sliders can't slide into position all the way?

 

[tony marks]

id have to say u rockin there rock..
its more to using a saw han just pulling the trigger..no offense there bob.. learning is what we all here for..

 

[wiley_p]

Grease the bearing on the output of the crank.

 

[ricksvar]

I tend to think full chisel RS may be too aggressive for your size saw.Semi chisel would probably be better or at least keeping the rakers a little higher on the RS.JMO

Rick

 

[jokers]

Originally posted by ricksvar
I tend to think full chisel RS may be too aggressive for your size saw.Semi chisel would probably be better or at least keeping the rakers a little higher on the RS.JMO

Rick

RS doesn`t take any more energy to cut with, in fact I`d say it takes less based on it`s cutting efficiency.

If hokiebob thinks that there is even the slightest possibilty that his clutch SHOULD slip, he is pushing way too hard. The clutch on a saw is not a safety mechanism, it`s simply a convenient way to disengage the chain in a direct drive configuration when not making a cut.

I`d clean the clutch up real well and start fresh, see what happens.

Russ

 

[WRW]

Grease the bearing? Is there a grease fitting for that?

Is that chain .325 as from the factory? Full chisel should work fine.

 

[hokiebob1]

Thanks Other Bill-yea, the chain is factory specs - 0.325" x 0.050 x 72 drive links. I'm not really sure if it slips or not when cutting, but the chain does ocassionally stall while in the cut when I don't think I'm putting undo pressure on the saw. As for the other comments-thanks to everyone, however, the problem isn't chain sharpness/tension/half throttle.

 

[glens]

Well, obviously, the chain shouldn't stop in the cut like that.  Like Russ said, I'd clean the whole area up real good, including the brake mechanism, and run it.  Aside from smoking/discoloration, you can check for slippage with a heat probe of some sort right after a cut.  I'd say you should be able to touch the drum directly with your fingertip without raising a blister, and that you should even be able to maintain contact, at least for a bit.  Need I suggest killing the motor first and not engaging the brake, thus sinking any heat to it?

What depth do you have the chain "rakers" set to?

Glen

 

[hokiebob1]

The rackers are standard, as its a new chain - I suspect they're 0.025".

 

[Weatherby]

Just a few questions. When you say in the cut are you bucking or felling? Also, are you using the dawgs, or just letting the chain do the work? Are you used to using a bigger saw?

I had a Husky 55 (same cc as the 353) at one point, and it stalled easier than I think it should have, but all I had to do was open the muffler a bit. Plus if your saw is fairly new, it may need a bit more time to break in.

 

[hokiebob1]

The problems I'm having are when bucking trees with a diameter of 12-16" (18" bar). Regarding the dawgs, I'm not using them, just trying to let the chain do it. The saw is pretty new so I'm sure its still in the break-in period. On your 55, how much did you open the muffler to get the improvement? I'm thinking of doing this mod, but from what I see on this site, most mods are on larger saws so I don't want to go too big-though I reckon you can always make it bigger, but its harder to make it smaller!

 

[ricksvar]

Hokiebob1,

353 has a adjustable oiler.Max it out and see if it helps.

Rick

 

[hokiebob1]

Thanks Rick, but already did it. Not sure if it helped or not, as I maxed it out when I received it.