frank_z
Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2005
- Messages
- 25
- Location
- Washington State
- Tractor
- YanmarF18D,Kubota B1550D/Farmall 200/JD120
A couple of years ago I purchased a used Kubota B1550 with a bad clutch cheap thinking that I could easily fix it and have a small tractor to mow pastures around the hobby ranch. To make the story short, I replaced every component in the drive train between the crankshaft and the transmission myself once, and the process was repeated twice in dealers shops. The results we always the same: after less than 50 hours of operation the friction plate would shatter and the broken parts would jam up the clutch mechanism making it impossible to shift gears. I got tired of throwing money at the tractor and sold it at a BIG loss fully disclosing the problems to the new owner. He, like me, bought the tractor thinking that it could be easily fixed, especially with the machine shop facility he had at his disposal.
Well, after several months, I received a phone call from the new owner, and he said that he found the problem -- the tractor was bent! The stamped steel bellhousing or the engine adapter plate was bent to the extent that the drive shaft was out of line with the clutch about 0.5 inch (he said the allowable is 0.015 inch)!! This caused a terrible bind on the shaft and clutch plate causing parts to wear out fast and the plate to fatigue after several hours of operation. He confidently said that he was preparing to straighten the assembly with his 200 ton hydraulic press and replace all parts ---again.
I'm glad that the tractor is in the hands of one more capable to fix its problems than me -- and wish him the best of luck with all the repairs. Thanks to the several TBNers who tried to help me with advice duing my fruitless attempts to fix with this problem. I'll pass on the results of these new repairs to you when I hear them.
Incidently, if you're interested, I replaced the Kubota with a Yanmar F18D gray market tractor.
Frank Z.
Well, after several months, I received a phone call from the new owner, and he said that he found the problem -- the tractor was bent! The stamped steel bellhousing or the engine adapter plate was bent to the extent that the drive shaft was out of line with the clutch about 0.5 inch (he said the allowable is 0.015 inch)!! This caused a terrible bind on the shaft and clutch plate causing parts to wear out fast and the plate to fatigue after several hours of operation. He confidently said that he was preparing to straighten the assembly with his 200 ton hydraulic press and replace all parts ---again.
I'm glad that the tractor is in the hands of one more capable to fix its problems than me -- and wish him the best of luck with all the repairs. Thanks to the several TBNers who tried to help me with advice duing my fruitless attempts to fix with this problem. I'll pass on the results of these new repairs to you when I hear them.
Incidently, if you're interested, I replaced the Kubota with a Yanmar F18D gray market tractor.
Frank Z.
