Argo Clutches Vids

[Rock Doctor]

I was showing a friend how to pull clutch's apart. He has reciently purchased a Conquest (Orange one in the clips), and wanted to see how to do it. I put my headcam on for it, but make no mistake, this is not meant as a "How To Vid". It's just a take it apart, and put it back togeather thing. Someday I will make a proper set of vids, lets call this a practice run

Primary

Secondary

RD

[Beardefence]

Great vid. RD Thanks for sharing your Expertise

[bbass]

RD:
What a great vid. I have both my clutches on my bench, from my 96 Response 8x8, Briggs 18hp, trying to figure out how to get them apart.
I open up 6x6 and there it is all for me to look at, thank you very much.

A question if I may, On my helix I have 6 holes for the spring, it is now in the 4th hole from the left side, holes at top, if I go to the 5 or 6 hole, and shim the other clutch will I get more power, going to run Escargo Tracks??
I have tried the tracks just once, it seems to pull very well, but I though a little more power would help. Waiting for snow.

Your friend
Brian Akerley

[Roger S]

I have a 97 response. I think you want to try going left, a lower # hole. I'd say #2(second from left). The tighter the spring, the longer it delays upshift, at any given load. I run at 2, I think RD said his was in 1.

The shim in the engine clutch will help a lot. The plastic shoes the weights sit in are different on the ends, they have to go in one way. I like to put a spoonful of powdered graphite in the spring chamber.

Experiment and have fun.

[JohnF]

I concur with Roger, go into a lower hole - I also have mine in #2.

The shim affects when the clutches engage and just like certain conditions in a truck with standard transmission you would give it more gas (rpms really) before you engage the clutch. Just like in that standard transmissioned truck the system will have to absorb greater slip but instead of wearing clutch plate, pressure plate, and flywheel surfaces you'll be wearing belts and sheave surfaces. You'll know you need to shim if when it engages it lugs the engine.

I shimmed mine. I don't have welding rod as thick as RD uses so I made a stack of split rings that fit snug on the shaft just under the spring guide. I got out the micrometer and made a stack just over RD's suggestion.

One thing I had to do for myself is understand why I needed to change anything as I don't believe the engineers would totally boff the design. My opinion - but I think the 3 main reasons are:
Natural derating of the springs due to time and use.
Average load/elevation in use greater than the design compromise used for production.
Changes to the engine power curve.

I just got back from having my conquest in the sandhills of Nebraska. Awesome. I can't think of any other way to put that. Awesome. It is one hill crawling machine - both up and down.

IN EDIT

Oops, sorry for the hijack RD. Those are great vids and would have been super handy in giving me a feel for what I was getting into. I had no idea how sprung these things were going to be... I didn't have anyone there to hold down on the driver (primary) clutch spring cover for me and was having one heck of time trying to get a bolt started when it occurred to me that I could thread the large nut on the shaft to hold the tension by spinning it with my thumbs which gave me enough to get a bolt started.

Thanks for all of the vids RD.

[Rock Doctor]

RD:
What a great vid. I have both my clutches on my bench, from my 96 Response 8x8, Briggs 18hp, trying to figure out how to get them apart.
I open up 6x6 and there it is all for me to look at, thank you very much.

A question if I may, On my helix I have 6 holes for the spring, it is now in the 4th hole from the left side, holes at top, if I go to the 5 or 6 hole, and shim the other clutch will I get more power, going to run Escargo Tracks??
I have tried the tracks just once, it seems to pull very well, but I though a little more power would help. Waiting for snow.

Your friend
Brian Akerley

Glad to be of service

I think Roger is right, and I am also considering moving mine back to position 2. You might have noticed when I lifted off the top clutch plate, that it looks like my belt is never reaching the bottom of the clutch. It never reaches all the way to the bottom anyway, but should travel a little farther than it is. That is where my comment about my buddies Argo being faster came from. I would recomend playing with different positions to find what is right for you. (and don't forget to tell us what you come up with)



johnf,
No need to be sorry, I'm here to learn as well. Using the cover nut to hold down the spring cover is a great idea, and one that I had forgot to mention. It's really different doing stuff when you know you are on video, dozens of things running through your head and you don't want to make too many mistakes. Such as when I pulled the clamp off the secondary WITHOUT asking my buddy to hold the top plate.


RD

[Rumbles]

Always great to get an idea of how things function and come apart, thanks for sharing!

[lewis]

Excellent video Rock!

[bbass]

To all who answered my question, thank you very much I appreciate your time and effort. Great site

Brian

[akpride]

Thanks

RD,
Thanks for the help!! Pictures speak a thousand words for sure!

[Newfy Moose]

Great video RD! Thanks. RD have you ever tightened the Secondary spring an extra 120 degrees when installing the helix? I have a weak spring and am looking to increase spring preasure.

Thanks
Newf

[Rock Doctor]

Great video RD! Thanks. RD have you ever tightened the Secondary spring an extra 120 degrees when installing the helix? I have a weak spring and am looking to increase spring preasure.

Thanks
Newf

I have not tried that, but I suspect that you will find it too tight. This is just a guess, but I would think that if you put your spring in position 5 (Loosest), and turned it the extra 120deg, you would be tighter than if you put it in position 1.

Springs are cheep, if you suspect yours, I would say just replace it. Reason: If you do "overtighten" it, the spring will not last anyway. Just throwing that out there.
If you do try it, I would be interested in hearing the results


RD

[Newfy Moose]

Thanks RD,

I am going to give it a try. I will keep all posted.

Newf

[bbass]

Different driven clutch

RD: When I took my driven clutch apart I did not have the three bolts you had to hold your Helix on, I had a screw down top,with a hole on each side.
It had threads sticking up about 1/4" so I screwed it down about half way 1/8". and tighten up the set screw. Don't know if it will do, but I will try it soon.

Your friend
Brian

[Roger S]

Thanks RD,

I am going to give it a try. I will keep all posted.

Newf

A friend has done that in the past on bigfoot models, trying to keep the cvt geared down. From my tinkering, I'd rather work on the front clutch to get there.