Dealer told me the clutch will freeze

[DonWorrell]

I just bought a 3325. When I signed the papers for me and the bank to both own it; I was told by the mechanic that I will drive my tractor at least 1 hour a month winter, spring, summer and fall.

He told me if I let it set up over the winter the clutch could freeze closed and not operate. I have never heard of anything like this. I have owned tractors for 40+ years. We owned an Oliver 70 to run the belt and only used it when we filled the silo the clutch never had a problem.

Anyone else know anything about this. Brakes I might be able to understand cause in a 3325 they are dry and in the tractors I owned they were wet.

Don

 

[RobJ]

It is possible but I've never heard it happen that quickly. What happens is the clutch place will stick to the flywheel. Rust and the fibers of the clutch place and metal. Pressing the clutch releases the springs but the place is still stuck. If you leave it in a high humidity place then it could happen more often. And running an hour is way to long, any rust and operating the clutch will shine up in about 5 minutes.

I had an old 56 CJ-3B that did this a couple times after sitting up for months. Sometimes I would hit the starter while in gear to pop it loose, others we would have to pull it.

 

[dbelisle]

I had a Kioti DK40 that had a wire clip put on the clutch peddle. The clip was installed by Kioti at the factory to hold it open for extended non use and that was the reason given.

Dave in NH

 

[DonWorrell]

My dealer told me to hold the clutch pedal down by wedging a piece of wood to hold the clutch down.

Does this sound right? I am concerned about spring tension weakening.

Don

 

[Bedlam]

My 1980 1700 came with a small block of wood on a nylon string. Its purpose was to push the clutch in and slide it under the linkage. thus keeping it disengaged. I think it lasted about three months before it got ripped off.I never rusted it or had a problem . But I used the tractor almost daily.If your like most youll use it often enough to not have to worry. good luck.
Allan

 

[wrenchturner]

It happened to me. I have a Satoh Beaver and for several years I never had a problem. Then one spring after the tractor had set for 4 months the clutch would not release. I drove around with the clutch depressed and in gear thinking it would break loose. Even tried to push over a 36 inch oak tree. Finally split the tractor and literally peeled the clutch disc from the flywheel with my fingers. It happened again years later. This time I held the clutch in and kept jabbing the brakes. A cluster gear, 2nd gear, lots of work and $500 dollars taught me an expensive lesson: Place a board between the steering wheel and clutch over winter. By the way, the same thing can happen to a car if you leave the parking brakes on for several months. I believe the reason this happens is due the the metal particles that is place in the clutch lining rusting to the flywheel due to moisture condensation.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I started my JD 2010 in gear and had to run it into a tree to break it loose.
Larry

 

[Bird]

My dealer told me to hold the clutch pedal down by wedging a piece of wood to hold the clutch down.

Does this sound right? I am concerned about spring tension weakening.

Don

Don, this is apparently a common problem. I've mentioned in the forums before that over 50 years ago that would happen to our 1940 John Deere L. So we always parked it behind the barn where we had plenty of room in front of it. I'd start it in neutral (hand crank in the front end) and let it warm up a bit, but no way you could get it in gear; they'd just grind. So then I'd shut it down, put it in low gear, crank it to start it, and get out of the way when it took off. Then I'd climb on from behind, push the clutch pedal down, give it full throttle and stand on the brakes as hard as I could. It would pop loose and everything would be OK until the next time we left it parked, not in use, for several days. Of course it was parked out in the weather all the time.

My 1999 B2710 Kubota was delivered with a wooden block notched to use to hold the clutch pedal down, and the manual said to do just what your dealer told you to do with that wooden block. But since my tractor was always parked inside the shop building, never out in the weather, I never used that block and never had that clutch stick.

 

[2deeskip]

I was looking at new tractors today (still thinking about it) & I believe it was the Massey 2310 that had a little swing up clip at the clutch peddle arm & a decal that said to lock the clutch open if storing the tractor. No, I remember now, it was a Branson tractor.

 

[wrenchturner]

I never left my tractor outside, however after using it I would occasionally wash it. When I broke the gears in my transmission by jabbing the brakes with the clutch depressed, I had been trying for at least 30 minutes by bumping trees etc. When I put the tractor back together, I put sealant between the bellhousing and engine.