clutches failure

[elmaligno]

Hello colleagues, do you know of any product to clean the clutches? Here in Spain there was a chemical company that manufactured a very good one and closed, and now I have not found a suitable one.
Above all it is useful to test a clutch suspected to be failing without having to replace it to check it, or to clean others that are very difficult to access.

[tsbservice]

Which product you used to clean/spray clutches?
I would assume cleaning aerosol for electronics will do some job.

[Hansoon]

Blow them out with air, soak them with brake cleaner, blow them out again with air.

Hans

[elmaligno]

Which product you used to clean/spray clutches?
I would assume cleaning aerosol for electronics will do some job.

Belius-22

[copyman]

I spray clutches with CRC Electronic Cleaner then blow out with air. I don't even remove clutches from machine. Put a paper towel or rag under clutch, spray clutch, blow off with air, remove paper towel / rag , done!

[blackcat4866]

In my humble opinion, by the time they're throwing rust dust it's too late to clean anything. It's time for new clutches, and usually all the clutches in that pack. It makes no sense to remove a drive pack, replace one very worn clutch, and leave four mostly worn clutches.

Back when they were greasable clutches, cleaning and greasing sometimes helped. But with electromagnetic clutches, no. The last time I cleaned electromagnetic clutches on a KM-8003i I was carrying 3 clutches but needed 5. It was only desperation that made me completely disassemble all 5 of the old clutches, and scavenge enough parts to repair two of them.

[Madnhain]

It makes no sense to remove a drive pack, replace one very worn clutch, and leave four mostly worn clutches.

In my old age and laziness, I just replace the whole dang assy if available.

[copyman]

In my humble opinion, by the time they're throwing rust dust it's too late to clean anything. It's time for new clutches, and usually all the clutches in that pack. It makes no sense to remove a drive pack, replace one very worn clutch, and leave four mostly worn clutches.

Back when they were greasable clutches, cleaning and greasing sometimes helped. But with electromagnetic clutches, no. The last time I cleaned electromagnetic clutches on a KM-8003i I was carrying 3 clutches but needed 5. It was only desperation that made me completely disassemble all 5 of the old clutches, and scavenge enough parts to repair two of them.

The only clutch I don't clean and always replace is the exit clutch. This is the only one I ever see with rust.

I use the electronic cleaner only on mag clutches. Just had a service call yesterday on an old Biz 223 that was printing half pages intermittently. Sprayed the reg clutch with electronic cleaner and canned air and out the door in 10 mins!

[wjurls]

In my humble opinion, by the time they're throwing rust dust it's too late to clean anything. It's time for new clutches, and usually all the clutches in that pack. It makes no sense to remove a drive pack, replace one very worn clutch, and leave four mostly worn clutches.

Back when they were greasable clutches, cleaning and greasing sometimes helped. But with electromagnetic clutches, no. The last time I cleaned electromagnetic clutches on a KM-8003i I was carrying 3 clutches but needed 5. It was only desperation that made me completely disassemble all 5 of the old clutches, and scavenge enough parts to repair two of them.

This!!! Just replace the damn things. Yes, it can be expensive on a big PFU unit but I just had to replace a twice blown PF-706 board (ICP6) due to shorting out clutches. Konica priced the "paper feed clutches" a lot cheaper than the regular "clutch 1" part because there are so many of them in a PFU.

[Max]

Solvent cleaner does a good job.

[copyman]

This!!! Just replace the damn things. Yes, it can be expensive on a big PFU unit but I just had to replace a twice blown PF-706 board (ICP6) due to shorting out clutches. Konica priced the "paper feed clutches" a lot cheaper than the regular "clutch 1" part because there are so many of them in a PFU.

It's easy to say just replace the damn things when you work for a company and not your money but when you are an Independent you do what you can to save the customer and you money. Especially if cleaning the clutch works just as good.

[tsbservice]

Production and office machines are totally different animals. Downtime on production will cost a fortune compared to office machine. So you're both right 👍 ... probably
I think nobody knows half what BC knows I'm with him on this one.

[wjurls]

It's easy to say just replace the damn things when you work for a company and not your money but when you are an Independent you do what you can to save the customer and you money. Especially if cleaning the clutch works just as good.

I am an independent. I ends up costing far more to replace blown boards and in return trips.

[copyman]

I am an independent. I ends up costing far more to replace blown boards and in return trips.

Never blew a board because of a bad clutch or have return trips. My system is working and will continue to spray clutches. If I thought for 1 second it would cause issues I would just replace the clutches. But after 40 years of spraying mag clutches with elec cleaner and working great why change. If you are ok with spending $30 to $50 for a clutch go for it.

[copyman]

Just to be clear like I mentioned in previous post if clutch is throwing rust I replace them but I have taken apart and cleaned CL8 a few times when on 30-03 calls far away from shop and didn't have a new clutch with me. (probably going to regret saying this but still working good more than a year later). C454e & C554e, customer runs about 10k month on each machine.