This might be a stupid question

[veresjwv]

I own a 2009 L3400, and was wondering if one of you wise TBN'ers could tell me why on earth I have a slide bolt with a return spring mounted next to my clutch pedal that would enable me to lock the clutch pedal in the engaged position (down).
I can't think of a reason why I would want to do this - this seems like it would be dangerous. My manual doesn't even mention it and I have searched this forum but can't find anything on it. I hope it's not that it is so obvious that I am missing it. (Stupid Question)
Any info would be greatly appreciated - Hopefully I will be educated once again by TBN.
Thanks...... Joe

 

[ttstraw]

My 2920 came with a small block of wood that has a sticker on that says basiclly if you are storing your tractor for long periods of time to depress the clutch and wedge it between the pedal and the underside of the floor board so it keeps the pedal in a depressed mode. Looks like you have a fancy button instead of a piece of wood. My guess is it must be better on the clutch to store it that way.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Go to the forums about old tractors and you will find out soon enough. In certain climates with the right humidity and inactivity of a tractor the clutch disk has been known to rust itself to the flywheel. Trying to force it loose using the clutch pedal at times has either bent or broken componets. Best way some people have found was to put tractor in a higher gear to try to bust it loose or use some other methods such as spraying cleaners or lubes into the housing. If all fails tractor must be split to fix. So the simple solution was just to lock the clutch pedal down so it does not rust to flywheel.

David Kb7uns

 

[veresjwv]

Thanks you but this brings up another question... I failed to mention my tractor is HST.
Does this still apply?

 

[Thomas]

Check your operator's manual..back of manual page 68 under Tractor Storage..show pic. also what for.

 

[bpattie]

I own a 2009 L3400, and was wondering if one of you wise TBN'ers could tell me why on earth I have a slide bolt with a return spring mounted next to my clutch pedal that would enable me to lock the clutch pedal in the engaged position (down).
I can't think of a reason why I would want to do this - this seems like it would be dangerous. My manual doesn't even mention it and I have searched this forum but can't find anything on it. I hope it's not that it is so obvious that I am missing it. (Stupid Question)
Any info would be greatly appreciated - Hopefully I will be educated once again by TBN.
Thanks...... Joe

Joe, I have an 08 L2800 and I believe we have the same manual. Look under a section called Storage, page 72 at the very back in my manual

 

[veresjwv]

Joe, I have an 08 L2800 and I believe we have the same manual. Look under a section called Storage, page 72 at the very back in my manual

Gentlemen - Thank you for pointing this out to me. There it is right on Page 72 of the manual!!! I never even thought of looking there, I have had no intentions of storing it (too much work to do). The manual says "extended period of time". How long of a time do you suppose that is and the way I remember clutches is a fork, through out bearing, pressure plate, and clutch plate. Would this not weaken the springs on the pressure plate? Maybe I am getting to deep into this and also showing my age.
Thank you for educating me.
Joe

 

[kthompson]

Thanks you but this brings up another question... I failed to mention my tractor is HST.
Does this still apply?

It still has a clutch. Not being smart for you used the term "clutch pedal" in your first post. Just you don't shift it near as often so it is easy not to think of it the same. You use it to put shift ranges and pto and possibly 2 to 4 drive and such. Some of this varies with models.

 

[veresjwv]

It still has a clutch. Not being smart for you used the term "clutch pedal" in your first post. Just you don't shift it near as often so it is easy not to think of it the same. You use it to put shift ranges and pto and possibly 2 to 4 drive and such. Some of this varies with models.

You are 100% correct and I know it has a clutch..... I am just not real familiar with HST and thought it may be a different type or engineered differently.

 

[Crash101]

Your 3 speed ranges are geared and as such require the clutch.

 

[Bird]

My 1999 B2710 HST tractor came with the block of wood mentioned above, but I never used it. Of course my tractor was stored inside and didn't go very long between usages.

But in the early '50s, we had a 1940 John Deere L that was parked outdoors behind the barn when not in use, and sometimes sat unused for quite some time. So sometimes when we went to use it, the clutch would be firmly stuck. I don't think OSHA would approve our remedy. The tractor was a 2 cylinder gasoline, hand cranked engine, 3 speed transmission. Of course we cranked and started it in neutral, then if the clutch was stuck, we could not get it into gear, so we'd let it warm up in neutral so it start again very easily, shut it down, put the gear shift in "low" or 1st gear, yank on the crank in the front end to start it, jump out of the way so it didn't run over us, then climb on from the back as it went by, open the throttle wide open while standing as hard as possible on both the clutch pedal and the brake pedals. That always popped the clutch loose and all was well until we left it unused again for extended periods of time.

 

[General Lee]

My 2920 came with a small block of wood that has a sticker on that says basiclly if you are storing your tractor for long periods of time to depress the clutch and wedge it between the pedal and the underside of the floor board so it keeps the pedal in a depressed mode. Looks like you have a fancy button instead of a piece of wood. My guess is it must be better on the clutch to store it that way.

Same here on my B3200 (block of wood)

 

[Bota boy]

Another reason may be the long trip from the factory and the salt spray. Just a thought. David.............

 

[powerpace]

In 1974 I had one of the earlier Kubota tractors in my landscaping business. Used it almost every day till about December. Let it sit for two weeks. Clutch stuck. Breaking a tractor in two in the middle of winter is no fun.
That same tractor also had an engine sieze due to someone not cleaning the oilbath air filter in a timely manner. Kubota bought the engine back after replacing it to study the ill effects of abuse. Just bought a '09 B3200, nice tractor! I put the block in the pedal after every days use.

 

[EE_Bota]

Maybe I am getting to deep into this and also showing my age.
Thank you for educating me.
Joe

Asking lots of questions and being curious about things does not show your age, it shows your youth.

 

[jimmer2880]

We had a late 80's MF. On that tractor, if we didn't lock the clutch out after every use, eventually, the gears would end up grinding when shifting. After splitting the tractor twice, we just got into the habbit of doing it all the time. It was much easier doing it when we got off for the day than splitting the tractor

 

[brin]

I have a New Holland TC-29 and it only sat idle for a week at a time and had no provision to lock the clutch down, nor did the owners manual address the issue but one day I started the tractor and could not get it into gear. I called the NH dealer and he said the clutch was stuck and they would have to break the tractor to fix it and it would cost about $2,200.00....So I called a local independant farm tractor dealer that sold mostly used tractors that I have known for a long time and he came and got the tractor and fixed it and brought it back the next day - charged me $100.00 for the pick up and delivery and the fix...He said to keep a block of wood wedged so it kept the clutch depressed whenever I was not using it..even if just overnight...Trust me I lock that clutch pedal down at the end of each use. I just post this to pass on what could have been a very costly error...it may never happen to you but what if it did and it sure does not take long to insert that wood..better safe than sorry.

 

[alchemysa]

The same problem can happen with brake drums on older vehicles and trailers. I discovered not to store my Suzuki Sierra (Samurai) with the hand brake on. The wear pads will stick to the drum and can even seperate from the metal shoe. I use it for beach drives and launching the boat so admitedly the conditions are pretty harsh.

 

[Drumlne07]

Out of curiousity... I know its not a kubota but when i owned my 40's 8n, i never ran into this issue. The tractor would be left out in the yard with out use for up to a month too, any season. Was this a common issue of these parts sticking?

 

[pdowling1]

Our old Farmalls never had this problem either. Sat outside all winter, never an issue. I suspect it has to do with the clutch lining material. Just my uneducated guess