TO-35 question...

[nyquil junkie]

I'm going to look over a TO-35, a '58 so they tell me. Is there an inspection plate on this yrs bellhousing and can it be used to inspect the clutch disk?

Thanks!

 

[Cougsfan]

If I can remember, I will look tomorrow when I go to where my TO-35 is parked. I don't think it does, but I could be wrong. I am not sure what you can see how much it is worn even if it does have an inspection plate. Keep in mind it is a dual stage clutch (Step down part way to dis-engage the drive, and then step again further to disengage the PTO. Personally I'd rather just test the clutch operation with the tractor running. In my experience, the most common clutch problem they have is they slip because of oil from a leaking seal on the rear main or from the transmission and/or pto input shaft. So if you see oil coming out of the weep hole on the bottom of the bell housing, you might be concerned.

 

[shaeff]

With how similar they are to the MF35, I'd say there probably is. On the bottom of my MF35, there's a 4-bolt plate that you can remove and look right up inside. Don't lay directly under it, as if the weep hole is plugged and it's leaking oil into the bellhousing, you'll get covered. Ask me how I know.

 

[WilliamTO-35]

On my 1955 TO-35 ( single stage clutch) , there is a 4 bolt inspection plate that lets you look at the clutch . I used the opening to spray lots of mineral spirits onto the clutch disk to clean it off . Apparently, oil leaking from the rear main seal had heated up , and acted like glue . I pushed the clutch pedal in , and the tractor kept going , (right into my garage door !) Adjusting the clutch movement at the foot lever did not help . Now, about 25 years later, I've had no further problems with the clutch. It may be that using 20W-50 oil in the engine to reduce excessive oil usage and spark plug fouling reduced the amount of oil leaking from the main seal.

 

[shovelmike]

I have a 55 TO35 Deluxe, dual clutch, tough old tractors. When I bought mine in '80 there was trans-hydraulic fluid dribbling out of the timing mark access hole in the bell housing....it's midway up the housing, so the clutch was immersed in oil, but no slippage at all. An old friend with a tractor repair shop did the split and repair for me. No more trouble for all these years.
I would check fluids, test drive it fairly extensively, and look for any leakage. Put it under some load and check for slippage.