Clutch Repair

[GWThomason]

I have a JD 770 23 hp tractor that I bought used. It's been running great until yesterday. I was cutting the field and stopped to move some tree limbs. When I got back on the tractor it wouldn't move. The PTO works fine and the engine throttles great. Just no power to the wheels. I stopped by the JD dealership on the way home and they said it sounded like the clutch plate for the tractor had gone bad but the one to the PTO was still good. They estimated $2500-$3000 to repair it. I didn't pay much more than that for the tractor. Is the clutch replacement something I can do myself?
Thanks, GT

 

[banjodunn]

G'day and :welcome: to TBN.

I would think it unlikely that your clutch would go just like that if you have not had any probs with it before, I don't know your machine but is it possible that you have knocked a range or shift lever into neutral when you got off/on?? As I said I would find it highly unlikely for your clutch to have gone not impossible but highly unlikely.

If you have the tools and a bit of mech knowledge then it is not that hard to change it yourself don't know what the cost of a clutch is but i'm sure someone will chime in on it .

Good luck

Jon

 

[GWThomason]

Thanks

 

[Cliff204]

Excuse me folks, but I am new on here and have a problem. I would like to post my own question about my John Deere 210c stuck in first gear, but can't figure out how to start a new post. Can you help?

 

[GWThomason]

Not real user friendly. Go to forum in top left under the home button. Choose parts/repair and then select post new thread. Also kind of top left.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

G'day and :welcome: to TBN.

I would think it unlikely that your clutch would go just like that if you have not had any probs with it before, I don't know your machine but is it possible that you have knocked a range or shift lever into neutral when you got off/on?? As I said I would find it highly unlikely for your clutch to have gone not impossible but highly unlikely.

If you have the tools and a bit of mech knowledge then it is not that hard to change it yourself don't know what the cost of a clutch is but i'm sure someone will chime in on it .

Good luck

Jon

2x on what Jon wrote. Does the clutch use mechanical linkage, hydraulic cylinder, etc?

 

[Cliff204]

Thanks, I got it posted, now I just hope someone can give me some advice. Thanks again.

 

[deloresh]

I am having the same problem with my 3930 Ford. The difference is, my has gradually gotten worse. I don't want to spend that much to fix!! I'll trade first!!

 

[deloresh]

Jon, my tractor is doing almost the same thing...however, it didn't happen all at once but is happening gradually. I can change to a lower gear and it will begin pulling again. Clutch?

 

[Qapla]

We have the opposite problem with our MF240 - it won't release. On ours, we have been having problems with it for a while.

To replace the clutch, you need to separate the tractor so you will need a way to support the front and back halves while it is apart.

We are planning to buy or new clutch from "Kentucky Clutch" - they are very knowledgeable and have the best price - we have used them before.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Do you know if the clutch is just stuck to the flywheel?

If that was the case and you can pull it and get it unstuck then I would just slip it a bit and slick up both parts.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day Deloresh sorry for the late reply, if your clutch has got worse over a period of time then yours is prob on the way out, the biggest killer of any mech clutch that I see over here is not enough free play adjustment when you get down to 1/2" freeplay then it is time to adjust, you really should have about 3/4 - 1" of freeplay ( this varies from make to make ) but your op manual should tell you, so check your freeplay first you might be able to salvage some more time.

I have lost count of the amount of clutches I have seen that could have been saved due to a simple 10-15 min job as compared to several thousand $ to replace a clutch, of course not all clutch jobs are that expensive but some can be more.

As I said earlier if you have a bit of mech skills and the right tools then it is normally not a bad job you just have to be aware that everything is at least twice as heavy as a car.


Qalpa IIRC you have an inspection cover under your tractor bellhousing remove the 4 bolts and get a torch and look at the linkage operation as Gale said yours may be just stuck to the flywheel if the linkage looks alright then put it in top gear, drive around with your foot on the clutch and stomp on the brake pedals hopefully it may just unsieze if it does then slip the clutch a few (4 or 5) times to polish it all back up again. If it sitf for a long time with no use then it might be a good idea to block the clutch pedal down while not in use to prevent it happening again.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL if you are working on any clutch as the older ones contain ASBESTOS please treat ALL clutches as if they do as the fibres and dust can be fatal DO NOT blow the dust off with compressed air I like to use cheap cans of brake cleaner to wash the dust off and use a face mask.

Jon