Thanks Gary, so far as the lube problem for the clutch hubs goes, I agree it is bad if you oil it (dirt in oil makes valve grinding compound) and bad if you don't (gets corroded and sticky). I think something like Dri-slide or a similar product may be the answer. These are squirtable liquids that dry up almost instantly, leaving graphite or molybdenum disulphide powder behind.
aussie's Greenfield has a serious clutch slip problem - this could be caused either by jamming of the clutch hub, or by a linkage problem. I'd like to see him check out the linkage and ensure it's working properly before suggesting he strips the clutch shaft and cleans/replaces the parts on it. I certainly agree he may have to end up taking the whole thing apart, but I'm hoping to find that the problem is easier to fix than that. (I suppose I have an ulterior motive, too: no one has worked on the clutch linkage or posted pictures of it yet, and it would make a nice addition to the archive.) Of course it is up to aussie what he does: he may just look at the clutches while operating the pedals, and see them sticking even when the linkage is free. So long as we find out what is wrong in the end, get pictures of it, and aussie gets his mower back into top shape, it's all good.
