Woodland HM126 replace Centrifugal Clutch

[Pete McLaughlin]

I got my HM126 in 2013 and since then have cut about 60 -13 foot logs to 1 inch boards. With the latest log the blade stopped in the log so i knew that the clutch was worn out.
I purchased a new clutch from Woodland and removed the clutch bell housing after removing the bolt from the center of the crank shaft but now cannot see how to remove the centrifugal clutch and shoes.

Anyone done this?

Pete ???

Ps the shoes on the old clutch are worn down to about 1/32" thickness so i  got all i could out of that clutch.

[btulloh]

It should be ready to slide off now except for being stuck. I replaced mine and it was stuck pretty good. If I remember correctly, it was the key that was causing the problem. I think i used a punch to tap the key inward a little. Sorry I can't remember the details. Wasn't too difficult but took some fiddling.

I believe the keyway was a little out of spec in the shaft. I probably filed a little off the keystock before I put it back together.

My clutch had used up the pads pretty good before it started slipping.

[Pete McLaughlin]

OK, in my efforts to get off the old clutch if found it was easy to pull off the pully and clutch bell or drum assembly but this left the spring loaded clutch shoe assembly on the shaft. 
I could not get a wheel puller to fit between the shoes and the cowling bolted to the side of the Kohler engine.
Since the clutch friction material is a solid casting, that is, not a material glued or riveted to a steel base, the spring loaded clutch assembly is a throw away part. It is not rebuildable.
So i used an angle grinder to grind off the rivets and pulled the shoes off the assembly. This made room for the wheel puller claws to get behind the remaining clutch assembly and remove it.
When the clutch assembly was off i found that the assembly is a sliding fit on the engine shaft, easily pulled off by finger pressure. The binding frictiion is entirely in the key way and key. The key is driven into the keyway to hold the clutch assembly on the engine shaft. Next time i will use a vice grip to pull this key out of the key way and get the clutch assembly off the shaft.
So the dissembly process is 
Pull off the pully housing by hand
Use vice grips to pull out the key from the key way.
Slide off the clutch assembly by hand

Hope that helps you.

[Angryvet]

I went to change my clutch last night and found this thread.  I couldn't ever find anything that really gave closure.  I'm replying for closure if someone else makes their way here.  You will need a gear puller.  They are wicked cheap at any auto parts store.  I assume you can get the clutch hub off so I will start there.  I put the bolt back on and took the jaws of the puller and placed them around the wings of the clutch.  (note: the bolt lets the puller have something to push against without damaging the threads inside the shaft)  With minimal effort.  I mean minimal effort.... it came right off.  

Mine was worn to within 1/64th of an inch.  I'd say I got the full use of them.  Good luck.  

[btulloh]

Good info. Should be useful to anyone changing out their clutch in the future. 

Welcome to the forum.