John Deere shredder boggin' down

[More Liberty]

I've got a 2018 John Deere 4044M tractor. Recently while shredding, the shredder bogs down in grass after its been running for awhile. It's frustrating because I'll go over grass that's not that long and the shredder RPMs go down. I checked the hydrophilic fluid and it's at the proper level.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[bloodstick]

Are the blades good and sharp? I run a 6 ft on a deere 4052

[CabezaBlanca]

Slip clutch or shear pin?

[M16]

Sounds like you need to tighten the clutch if it has one.

[fbchunter]

Could be many things. Goig too fast, dense grass even if it’s not tall, or check as mentioned above. We have a 2014 tractor just a hair smaller, I have a 6’ frontier from John Deere and an older 7’ howse. Both will Bog the tractor down in thick Bahia grass on my place. I actually think the old howse does a better job and is less stress on the machine. I just have to slow down

[fbchunter]

Sorry thought you meant the engine rpms go down. Didn’t realize you said shredder rpms

[CabezaBlanca]

Does the tractor RPM's go down with the shredder?

[DRettele]

If the tractor RPMs drop too then check the usual suspects - fuel filter, air filter, etc...

[More Liberty]

Does the tractor RPM's go down with the shredder?

No the engine RPMs stay the same

[SaltwaterSlick]

then it's your clutch slipping. tighten the bolts a bit. It will have 6 or 8 bolts under that plastic shroud at the gear box on the shredder. If it continues to do that, you'll burn up the clutch. You've probably gotten it pretty hot already and I bet you could smell something that smelled hot, right?

[Bowtech38]

then it's your clutch slipping. tighten the bolts a bit. It will have 6 or 8 bolts under that plastic shroud at the gear box on the shredder. If it continues to do that, you'll burn up the clutch. You've probably gotten it pretty hot already and I bet you could smell something that smelled hot, right?

Winner winner

[More Liberty]

then it's your clutch slipping. tighten the bolts a bit. It will have 6 or 8 bolts under that plastic shroud at the gear box on the shredder. If it continues to do that, you'll burn up the clutch. You've probably gotten it pretty hot already and I bet you could smell something that smelled hot, right?

I dont recall but Ill take your advice

[BrianL]

Did you see smoke coming from the PTO shaft area? I know on my older shredder, once you slipped it enough for it to smoke I had to change clutch pads out because they would no longer tighten tight enough. But you don't want it too tight!

[bboswell]

then it's your clutch slipping. tighten the bolts a bit. It will have 6 or 8 bolts under that plastic shroud at the gear box on the shredder. If it continues to do that, you'll burn up the clutch. You've probably gotten it pretty hot already and I bet you could smell something that smelled hot, right?

this and it doesn't take a lot of adjustment to make a big difference. If you over tighten you will loose the protection of the clutch and risk damage to the drive train both the mower and the tractor.


I you have a manual for the shredder it should give a torque spec for the clutch bolts

[Anythinghunter8]

interesting learned something new so these new tractors have engine RPM gauges and PTO rpm Gauges?