G1 Secondary clutch falling off... again!

[mikeb1967]

Hello. I have a problem. I have a 1986 G1-AM cart. I put a Jakes 6" lift, 20" tires and BU power spring for better low end. Well, the darn sec clutch has come off for the forth time. Same M-O each time, I get it the castle nut good and tight, place the retaining pin, drive around to test for about 10 min. and bing, bang, boom there goes the castle nut torquing off the cotter pin and the power spring, the key and the inner and outer sheaves go flying. The only thing i have not tried is loctite. What am i doing wrong? Why won't this thing stay on, is it the power spring? Please help if you have experience in this matter. MikeB
PS. I still have a couple G1's left and a ton of parts if anyone need em.
412-818-2643

[DOOmsman]

Is the woodruf key in there?

[mikeb1967]

Yes, the key is in. The weird thing is i can not see how in the world the castle nut is getting enough torque to completely shear the cotter pin. The only thing i noticed is that i did not insert the "driven clutch washer" in between the 2 sheaves. Perhaps that washer prevents the torque from transferring to the outer sheave and then to the castle nut. I still can't see how the castle nut is turning to shear the cotter pin as long as the key is in place. Isn't that the purpose of the key...to prevent the outer sheave from being able to torque? Thanks for your help. MikeB

[BigBlockMan]

You are correct in your thinking on the key, You have a burr or other problem why the pulley is not seating on the taper of the shaft. Carefully check tapered shaft and tapered hole and also keyway in shaft and disc. Theres a bugger in there somewhere. Once the sheave is seated on that taper and key you could actully remove nut and the disc will stay put .
MAKE SURE TO CLEAN DIRT FROM SHAFT KEYWAY BEFORE INSTALLING KEY. It will prevent key from completely seating in shaft which will hold disc taper from seating on shaft taper.

[mikeb1967]

Hello. Well after finding out that i neglected to insert the nylon washer between the sheaves i believe i have a good working theory as to why the castle nut is torquing off. And, as with many great calamities it is a perfect storm of errors. First, by not adding the nylon washer between the inner and outer sheaves i am allowing all the torque to be transferred to the outer sheave and to the key. The key that i am so lucky to find each time is now just slightly lose and allows just the perfect amount of lateral motion. With that play the increased torque from the power spring is completely transferred to the metal to metal contact of the sheaves without the nylon washer and the cheap cotter pins that i have been using are no match from all that torque! A perfect storm of errors. I would luv to hear your opinions on this matter. I will test out the solutions to this problem tomorrow and hopefully move on with finishing my cart. Thanks for your input. MikeB

[BigBlockMan]

It should work fine with nylon washer removed. Done thousands none have came loose. I had a guy call me a couple times he assured me there were no problems on shaft or in bore of sheave. I told him to clean shaft and bore and color it with a sharpie, Now install sheave WITHOUT key and turn sheave a little while pushing it on lightly. The high spot showed itself which he dressed off with a file, Problem solved. Has nothing to do with nut or cotter pin.

[sho305]

The key and taper transfer most of the power to the transmission, the helix only less than half through the ramps and splines. Its just not on there right. The power spring does indeed cause problems like this, most tell you (or should) to get a brand new nut with new nyloc in it. To each their own but I wont touch one of those and I'll laugh at people trying to put them in (just fun not serious). I'll find other more proper ways to make the clutches work like I want. Also put the spacer behind it if it has the snapring, because the big spring will often break those off....its just not made to work that way. Some people have stripped the nut and shaft with big springs, so be careful with it. I've run mine for around 10yr with no washer in the center. I've had it off a dozen times or more to clean or adjust it, never had a problem, just slap it back on by hand. If its been on a long time it takes a puller or a large hammer blow in the right place to get it off.

[Gregster]

Originally Posted by mikeb1967

Hello. I have a problem. I have a 1986 G1-AM cart. I put a Jakes 6" lift, 20" tires and BU power spring for better low end. Well, the darn sec clutch has come off for the forth time. Same M-O each time, I get it the castle nut good and tight, place the retaining pin, drive around to test for about 10 min. and bing, bang, boom there goes the castle nut torquing off the cotter pin and the power spring, the key and the inner and outer sheaves go flying. The only thing i have not tried is loctite. What am i doing wrong? Why won't this thing stay on, is it the power spring? Please help if you have experience in this matter. MikeB
PS. I still have a couple G1's left and a ton of parts if anyone need em.
412-818-2643

The guy that I bought my G1 from had the EXACT same problems, the solution is...................take some fine emery cloth and make sure there is absolutely no burrs on the shaft, then use a wheel nut in place of the castle nut (threads are the same) It never came off again, but before that, it would pass you in the field! Hope this helps

[blizzrd]

Was this ever resolved? My outer sheave just flew off while driving it leaving me stranded. Now I have to try and find a key and the nut. Key is easy to find as it's a pretty standard part for lots of clutches but the nut is getting hard to find.

[sho305]

I bought a new nut from a dealer for my G9, but I don't know if G1 is different.