clutch stuck, Ford 1920

[peters]

I recently broke my ankle, so the tractor sat for 3 months. Went to start it and clutch was stuck, could force it in and out of first and second gear. Usually ( in the past ), when this happened I would run it for 30 min and the clutch would break loose, this time it has not. I have a manual ( not hydrostatic ). I also had not placed the little stick they supplied with the tractor in between the bottom of the floorboard and clutch lever. Any ideas ?

 

[brin]

I recently broke my ankle, so the tractor sat for 3 months. Went to start it and clutch was stuck, could force it in and out of first and second gear. Usually ( in the past ), when this happened I would run it for 30 min and the clutch would break loose, this time it has not. I have a manual ( not hydrostatic ). I also had not placed the little stick they supplied with the tractor in between the bottom of the floorboard and clutch lever. Any ideas ?

Be careful with this before you take it to a dealer. I have a NH tC-29 and the same thing happened to me..clutch was stuck and could not get it in gear. I called my local NH dealer and he said he would have to split the tractor to fix it - I asked him how much it would cost and he said a minimum of $2,200.00. I called a local independent farm tractor and equipment dealer that sells new and used attachments and used tractors and has been in business for 30 yrs. and he came out a picked up my tractor and brought it back the next day and charged me $100.00 and told me to keep the clutch pedal depressed every time I stopped using it to prevent moisture, humidity from causing it to rust. Now that is a huge difference..$2,200 vs. $100 so I now keep the clutch depressed when not in use and it has been 2 yrs. and no problem..so there is a way to fix your clutch without splitting the tractor.

 

[mostly_gas]

Peters, There are several threads with stuck clutches and how to free them. Just search using stuck and clutch and see if you are comfortable with doing their advice.

 

[dex3361]

Most of the time you can hold(and keep it down till free) the clutch pedal down and with the transmission in a low gear have some one pull you and it will break free. If that doesn't work you will have to make some preparations for the start put a box blade with the rippers down or something that you can put a good load on the clutch, hold(and keep it down till free) the clutch pedal down and have someone pull start the tractor and then drop the box blade into the ground to separate the clutch from the flywheel. Take safety precautions.

 

[Soundguy]

My sugestion is to go ahead and block the clutch and walk away for a few days.. then come back and check.. many times they pop loose on their own.. if not, go ahead and get it in gear and start it... not super easy.. but with a lil jumper wire you can do so from the op seat.. keep the clutch blocked and drive it around in figure 8's stomping on the brakes.

if that don't do it, you can also use your lil jumper wire to set there and bump the starter over with her in high gear and the clutch blocked and try to pop her loose.

lastly, put a pto load on her like a mower and start her with pto engaged a couple times.

one or more of those have always worked for me in the past... have yet had to split one from a stuck clutch.. though do realize that in some extreme cases.. you don't have much choice.

have enen pulled starters so I could get a poker in there to tap around on the clutch too..

post back.

soundguy

 

[massey driver]

Stuck clutch?? some tractors also have a removeable plate in the underside of the bellhousing so that the secondary clutch can be adjusted.Remove the plate have the clutch pedal depressed and with a long screw driver or flat bar you should beable to reach up in through that area and get between the clutch and the flywheel and free them from each other. You might have to get creative and bend the screw driver or flat bar to get to that area.Like others have said as well put the tractor in high gear and have someone tow or pull the tractor while you have the clutch depressed and while your moving let it out quickly to see if that'll help break it free, Use high gear as this way it'll put more torque onto the clutch plate.It can be done without splitting the tractor.Just need to try and try untill it breaks free.Goodluck and keep us posted.Larry

 

[tractorbro]

I recently broke my ankle, so the tractor sat for 3 months. Went to start it and clutch was stuck, could force it in and out of first and second gear. Usually ( in the past ), when this happened I would run it for 30 min and the clutch would break loose, this time it has not. I have a manual ( not hydrostatic ). I also had not placed the little stick they supplied with the tractor in between the bottom of the floorboard and clutch lever. Any ideas ?

Start tractor in gear.Depress clutch pedal and slam on break.This will separate clutch from flywheel.You should then push into a pile of dirt and let the clutch slip.This will help polish off the rust.I've experienced this many times.If humidity is high clutch will stick in a matter of days.

 

[wood butcher]

I've got the same problem. I've run it up and down the road and slammed the brakes on while holding the clutch in and it just dies. Maybe I need to let it warm up more before I attempt it again. Very frustrating. My Deere never did this and I let it sit for long periods of time without the pedal depressed. Getting a bit frustrated and a bit miffed. :confused2:

 

[Soundguy]

wow.. either your 1920 has a weak engine, or some mighty fine brakes.

even when new, my brakes on my 1920 were nothing more than an inconvienience for my 1920 pulled the motor down just a tad, and the machine would travel along happily..

soundguy

 

[wood butcher]

Soundguy,

Is it possible im not giving it enough throttle? Im clicking along maybe 8-10 MPH at best. Im guessing from your post I need to strap the seat belt on & get it going a bit faster then try it again? Just afraid im gonna screw it up somehow. The brakes are stout on this little dude.

OK...also I just went outside & checked the free-play on the clutch pedal. It's about 5" until I can feel the fingers hit something solid in the clutch...surely the T/O bearing hitting the forks. Could it be that the clutch pedal needs to be adjusted out? The person I got the tractor from said they had the clutch replaced by the dealer but who knows. I've never known the free play to be that far out. Also...to hijack the thread a little bit and since you had a 1920 can you tell me what the levers on the right side near the driver are? I haven't been on the tractor at all to know what the levers do. I assume one engages the 4WD but not sure of the other one. The one near the seat has a red handle on it. The one near your right foot has sort of a T-head on it that's curved. Thanks for your input. It's greatly appreciated.

Jeff

 

[Soundguy]

gosh.. been 6ys since I traded mine.

on mine, there was a 4wd shifter can't remember which side it was on.. wanna say left, a range selector onthe left for sure ( mine had the 12x4 tranny of course ).. pto shifter ont he left as well.

right side.. hmm.. diffy lock, and on the op platform there was an oil check plug/stick.

5" play? that seems like an awfull lot...

i'd investigate that before i did anything else.

when i traded my 1920 I gave the dealer the manual.. so i don't have one to look at for the clutch free play adjustment.

when you clutch all the way down.. does the pto shift in easy.. or does it grind?

soundguy

 

[tractorbro]

I've got the same problem. I've run it up and down the road and slammed the brakes on while holding the clutch in and it just dies. Maybe I need to let it warm up more before I attempt it again. Very frustrating. My Deere never did this and I let it sit for long periods of time without the pedal depressed. Getting a bit frustrated and a bit miffed. :confused2:

actually when I say to slam on brakes what I mean is hit brakes and release.Then repeat if necessary.It works for me before I've traveled 10 feet.But an advanced case of rust will be harder to break loose.One method I tried was drive the tractor across a pothole,small rock or piece of firewood.The bounce will sometimes free it.I was also told by an expert to place tractor in high gear,idle down and bump a small tree with loader bucket.I haven't tried that one yet for obvious reasons.On some occasions I've simply used the loader bucket to rock the tractor back and forth.As others have mentioned, allowing the tractor to warm up for a while probably helps.

 

[tractorbro]

I've got the same problem. I've run it up and down the road and slammed the brakes on while holding the clutch in and it just dies. Maybe I need to let it warm up more before I attempt it again. Very frustrating. My Deere never did this and I let it sit for long periods of time without the pedal depressed. Getting a bit frustrated and a bit miffed. :confused2:

Incidentally,the first time this occured on my 1920 the tractor was still pretty new.About the year 1990.We had no idea what could be wrong.So...we took it to the dealer as Brin earlier warned against doing.The shop guy said "what'd you do? run off into a pond?"......That's how rusty that area appeared to him

 

[Soundguy]

and in my experience.. once you find a clutch that has stuck.. it likes to do it again.. as a habit.. so once it sticks once... start blocking it when not in use..


soundguy

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Also make sure the hole in the bottom of the bellhousing isn't pluged. This hole allows the moisture to exscape.
Bill

 

[Soundguy]

or oil...

 

[wood butcher]

gosh.. been 6ys since I traded mine.

on mine, there was a 4wd shifter can't remember which side it was on.. wanna say left, a range selector onthe left for sure ( mine had the 12x4 tranny of course ).. pto shifter ont he left as well.

right side.. hmm.. diffy lock, and on the op platform there was an oil check plug/stick.

5" play? that seems like an awfull lot...

i'd investigate that before i did anything else.

when i traded my 1920 I gave the dealer the manual.. so i don't have one to look at for the clutch free play adjustment.

when you clutch all the way down.. does the pto shift in easy.. or does it grind?

soundguy

I was thinking 5" was a lot. Seems a bit excessive.

Not sure on the PTO. Runs in my mind that when I first got it I tried to engage the PTO & it ground a bit.

I'll have to figgure out what those levers are on the right side. Surely one is the 4WD but not sure on the other...prob the diff lock. I'll see about getting the tractor warmed up and I will take a look in the manual to see what the freeplay in the pedal should be then I'll try to break the clutch free again. I'll post back & let you know what happens.

 

[wood butcher]

actually when I say to slam on brakes what I mean is hit brakes and release.Then repeat if necessary.It works for me before I've traveled 10 feet.But an advanced case of rust will be harder to break loose.One method I tried was drive the tractor across a pothole,small rock or piece of firewood.The bounce will sometimes free it.I was also told by an expert to place tractor in high gear,idle down and bump a small tree with loader bucket.I haven't tried that one yet for obvious reasons.On some occasions I've simply used the loader bucket to rock the tractor back and forth.As others have mentioned, allowing the tractor to warm up for a while probably helps.

I'll give it a shot & post back. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Soundguy]

post a pic of the levers on the left. might jog my pitiful memory...

soundguy

 

[dqdave1]

Red "T" handle may be parking brake; push in brakes and pull up on lever to see if it locks brakes on.