Topic: Howard clutch company

[Thudy-thudy]

Hey everyone I am having a hard time finding a centrifugal clutch for my 18hp Kohler. Noram has one but it's $1100 Canadian. Anyone use Howard clutches at all? Or have another clutch that will work and have it not cost me alot. It has to be belt driven as I'll be running it To a ragb.

[Gui961]

you wont find a good for racing centrifugal clutch with belt. take a noram star and weld a pulley on it. cheap and reliable.  why not run a chain under

[cycloneracer]

Zach Kerber machine makes a chain drive clutch that fits the Kohler.  I think it is $650.  I've ran mine 3 years and haven't touched it. 

A link to his shop is in my signature.

[Thudy-thudy]

Right on I never thought to weld a pulley up on one, makes sense. Anyone ever try just throwing the clutch on the output shaft of a ragb to the live axle?

[Gui961]

i saw someone do that  i was going to do something like that. but unless you run 1:1 ratio . cluch setup would be hard and sproket ratio would be weird. i guess it could be done with a disc cluch like the bully or a zach kerber since they have a ton of ajustment for rpm


i run a noram star with a chain under no problem

[Thudy-thudy]

I do have a 1:1 so it could be an option. When you say you "run a chain under no problem" are you running a chain horizontally to a gearbox then to the axle. Or have you welded a pulley on a sprocket clutch and left the sprocket on. Sorry I'm a newbie. Running a chain like that I think would take alot of rollers to hold it lol

[Gui961]

chain horizontal under. been running like that since 09 in 3 of my machine. good desing and short chain is key for durability. was using the #35 on the noram starr but with more power i started having problem . but never lost one

[Thudy-thudy]

Nice! I am sold then. How short is short to you? Obviously can't be to long. I just measured and center to center I would be between 20 and 22 inches. Id assume shorter and a tight chain is better in this case. I may be able to shave off 2 inches or  so if I start cutting into stuff, but my steering box is real close aswell. Just to give you an idea my ragb will be pretty much under the front of the seat. This is so I can get the mower as low as I can. I could go closer just the gearbox would sit under the bottom of the frame instead of up and in. And I wouldn't be able to go much lower. Thanks very much by the way for your help. I appreciate it alot. You just easily saved me a couple unnecessary steps in my build

[Gui961]

about 12in center . i need to look if i have picture