Groove in clutch

[redtractor]

What caused this clutch to get a groove down the center? It is blued up pretty well. This saw was very dirty and well abused.

 

[Jughead]

hows the drum look?

 

[Warped5]

My thought is that the groove is actually a wear indicator.

 

[redtractor]

Remarkably, the drum isn't blued but it has the matching groove. The brake band is fine and no melted plastics.

My thought is that the groove is actually a wear indicator.

This is off a 372. The 1st I've ever fooled with, so I had no clue. Looked into getting a new one and all of them were normal.

 

[jacob j.]

Typically that happens when the saw is put under a particularly heavy load, such as routinely being forced to cut with a dull chain or heavy milling with a long bar.

After my dad retired from falling timber in the early 90's, he used his big saws to mill Yew wood, which is pretty hard. Every clutch on his saws had a big groove worn right down the middle.

 

[redtractor]

Every clutch on his saws had a big groove worn right down the middle.

So you wouldn't worry about using these components, at least for a little while? This one will stay here and only see occasional firewood use.

 

[jacob j.]

So you wouldn't worry about using these components, at least for a little while? This one will stay here and only see occasional firewood use.

A clutch like that could probably be put back into service for a while with a new clutch drum, as long as the clutch spider isn't cracked or severely worn.