JD 630 clutch slipping

[jhansen17]

If presence of oil on RH side of engine continues you may have to replace the seal(item 36) part # AF2659R

https://partscatalog.deere.com/jdrc/sidebyside/equipment/80169/referrer/navigation/pgId/122557

Good to know, Jim. Thanks. If I need to do that, how big/involved a job is replacing that seal?

 

[Tx Jim]

You're welcome. I think R&R of seal is relatively simple task after clutch pulley has been removed.

 

[David Wayne]

Did you replace that seal? It is more involved than just removing the clutch, you have to remove the first reduction gearbox and a couple gears to get at the bearing housing. When you get the bearing housing off look at part #29 on that same diagram, it is a little seal for the oil passage and can become clogged from swelling and starve the main bearing of oil. I currently have the crank out of my 630 to replace mains for this reason.

David

 

[rScotty]

Did you replace that seal? It is more involved than just removing the clutch, you have to remove the first reduction gearbox and a couple gears to get at the bearing housing. When you get the bearing housing off look at part #29 on that same diagram, it is a little seal for the oil passage and can become clogged from swelling and starve the main bearing of oil. I currently have the crank out of my 630 to replace mains for this reason.

David

How in the world did you find that part to be the problem? And what would cause it to swell? That's what would bother me. Although I know if it is an O ring installing them with vaseline will cause them to swell. I imagine the same goes for anykind of seal made out of the same type of rubber.
rScotty

 

[David Wayne]

I found referance to it on line and threading a short piece of brass tube (think top of an old lamp) into the frame to go through the o-ring/seal to keep it open. Both sides of mine are plugged solid with what appears to be carbon or hard rubber. That is also the passage for oil to the rods, I dodged one there the rod bearings seem fine. I will start a thread later detailing the restoration and various repairs I have done.

David

 

[rScotty]

A brass tube? How does that work? & how would you get it in there? This is the first I've heard of a problem with that.
Anyway, I hope you do start that thread on the 30 series. I haven't done any restoration on our 530. Mostly just patchwork repairs here and there due to it living outside in the weather all its life. It's probably getting close to time for a tuneup and lube changes.
rScotty

 

[jhansen17]

Well I finally got a chance to dig into this a little more. I removed the adjusting nuts and everything that would come off after removing those. I don't really know what I'm looking for when assessing facings, but what I see/feel so far seems pretty smooth. I'll snap a few pics to post to see if the group can help any on the basis of those.

I've seen in some places how to use square nuts and bolts as pullers to remove the fixed clutch drive disk (A5642R) to get at the second facing behind that disk. Can someone recommend what size nuts/bolts are best to use?

 

[rScotty]

Everything there looks fine. In fact, far better than mine did when I took it apart. But all those parts look to be fine. Mine wasn't slipping, it was rusted and stuck.

I ordered new friction disks (Steiner tractor) and a new one shiny disk with the teeth on the inside. Was going to order springs, but cleaned up the old ones instead.

I did not take mine apart any farther than you have yours. Then reassembling I noticed that someone years before had put an extra friction disk into mine. I removed it and only used the parts just exactly like it shows in the manual.
Adjusted it so that it was too tight for the clutch lever to engage and then loosened the springs until the hand clutch lever engaged with a snap... and then a bit farther to make it easier to do.
Worked fine.
If I didn't know better I would say all yours needs is to get the adjustment right between the spring nuts and the over-center mechanism in the clutch lever. The parts look fine.

There are some more parts if you disassemble it farther - But I only know that because I see them in the parts book. I've never done that.
rScotty

 

[jhansen17]

Everything there looks fine. In fact, far better than mine did when I took it apart. But all those parts look to be fine. Mine wasn't slipping, it was rusted and stuck.

I ordered new friction disks (Steiner tractor) and a new one shiny disk with the teeth on the inside. Was going to order springs, but cleaned up the old ones instead.

I did not take mine apart any farther than you have yours. Then reassembling I noticed that someone years before had put an extra friction disk into mine. I removed it and only used the parts just exactly like it shows in the manual.
Adjusted it so that it was too tight for the clutch lever to engage and then loosened the springs until the hand clutch lever engaged with a snap... and then a bit farther to make it easier to do.
Worked fine.
If I didn't know better I would say all yours needs is to get the adjustment right between the spring nuts and the over-center mechanism in the clutch lever. The parts look fine.

There are some more parts if you disassemble it farther - But I only know that because I see them in the parts book. I've never done that.
rScotty

Follow up question: On the three bolts/studs where the castle/adjusting nuts go, is there more than one hole for the cotter pins to go in? Where I have the castle nuts adjusted to currently it almost appears that they are too far down the threads for the cotter pins to hold them (if that makes sense). Unless there are other holes further down, it makes me wonder if I don’t need to pull the part to get at the clutch facing in the back to inspect it. Seems like maybe it’s worn so thin that I have to tighten the castle nuts beyond where they’re intended to be.

 

[rScotty]

Follow up question: On the three bolts/studs where the castle/adjusting nuts go, is there more than one hole for the cotter pins to go in? Where I have the castle nuts adjusted to currently it almost appears that they are too far down the threads for the cotter pins to hold them (if that makes sense). Unless there are other holes further down, it makes me wonder if I don’t need to pull the part to get at the clutch facing in the back to inspect it. Seems like maybe it’s worn so thin that I have to tighten the castle nuts beyond where they’re intended to be.

That makes sense how you describe it. I don't think there is more than one hole. It would weaken the thread too much. If you look at how it is fastened, the threaded portion of the bolt that takes the stress of the springs is held by most all of the threads of the castle nut - and then the hole that locks it from moving is on the unstressed outer side of the nut.

A clutch really shouldn't wear that much. I wonder if yours has the right stack-up of plates. It shows them in proper number and order in the owners manual - not the shop manual....the owners manual !!

The first step is to compare your outer plates with the JD picture. Make sure you have the right number of stacked friction and steel plates and are not missing some. That's sure possible from the way you describe it.

I've never taken mine as far apart as you may have to do. Before I did that, I would be strongly tempted to measure how much thicker the outer plate stack up needs to be and just add more plates to that outer stack until the height was right. You could try that. It won't hurt anything, they are just plates - some with and some without friction material. Mine ran with an extra plate for decades (maybe originally to offset some wear) and I'm thinking it was not all tht unusualy way to offset wear.

What is important is that you get the clutch hand lever operation correct so that it releases and locks properly with a easy snap of the wrist each way.. .. To get there I think you could measure the thickness you need and order plates one at a time and try. At the least it is a cheap way to get it going while you decide when you are going to take it apart and make it good as new again...