Frozen Clutch

[John Schmincke]

Starter was removed last night. I can see the flywheel and part of the clutch. Anyone have a engine crank they might like to sell? Im going to try Olds suggestion of spraying the clutch with brake cleaner. I have no way at the moment to pull the tractor so I tried rocking it back and forth to see if the clutch would break free...battery wasnt strong enough to start it in gear so any suggestions while the starter is off would be helpful.
Have a nice weekend.
 

[sHan tn]

i dont know about the brake cleaner, if i rember right brake cleaner will eat away and sofen the clutch facing, i would try some wd40 first.. wen you get it loose the wd40 would burn off the clutch with out much harm that i could think of, ive unstuck some by jacking one wheel up and hand snaping it back and forth...
 

[old]

NO on the WD40 it is a lube of sorts and will cause more problems and not help one bit. Brake cleaner is the only thing to use
 

[old]

Any hand crank that has the T on the end will work if long enough but that said if the fan belt is as tight as it should be you can turn the engine with the fan blades I do it all the time. To make it a lot easier remove the plugs that way it will have no compression to worry about holding it back from rotating. Also charge up that battery. DO NOT use WD40 like the other guy said or you will be splitting the tractor and replacing the clutch
 

[John Schmincke]

Guys...Guys...have a beer on me. I'm using break cleaner, just picked it up at Napa. The gear on the starter seems free enough. Dont know why most times the starter freewheels but the gear doesnt come to the flywheel. Gotta bump the starter many times to get the gear to engage. Thats what takes the battery down after a while. Well, while the starter & genny are out, the battery is up and on a trickle charger.
 

[sHan tn]

well you do as you please and i hope things work out for you, IF you want to learn any more about it do a Google search for "brake fluid damage clutch disk" and read up....

good luck
 

[John Schmincke]

Hell, I dont know but I have a CNC router that I use WD40 on when I wipe the guide rails to clean, lubricate everything on the XYZ axis. WD40 is a lubricant. Seems to me a oil product and a clutch just dont go well together. Again I am no expert or I wouldnt be asking questions. Break cleaner gets in there, cleans and dries...makes sense to me. Besides, I dont use my tractor very much. It might take me months if not years to burn the WD40 off if thats possible. As mentioned though, I do appreciate your input.
 

[John Schmincke]

Okay, I just caught another idea you mentioned just to show you how behind I am with this tractor. You mentioned jacking it up and hand snapping it loose. Last night I was rocking it back and forth trying that same thing but that was moving the whole tractor. Well, I ran out of gas pretty quick after a 3 or 4 sessions. I will try what you mentioned though...thanks!
 

[old]

Spray the bendex with brake cleaner also and that may help with the problem your having with it since if it has a lot of old oil on it they will hang up and not engage like it should
 

[John Schmincke]

Okay. I'll see about that but meanwhile, I think I'll have the starter checked over by the pros while I redo the genny and try to free up the clutch. i'm selling a few guns as I feel this winter will bring more snow than expected...need snow chains just in case....
 

[old]

NO ONE says to use BRAKE fluid you use BRAKE CLEANER spray Not brake fluid best read what is said not what you think your reading. WD40 is a lube and a lube and a clutch does not mix unless it is a wet clutch please read before you say things. I said brake cleaner spray which is made to clean brakes and other such stuff and leaves no residue behind and drys clean but does a good job of removing oils brake fluid and other such things that cause problems
 

[old]

BRAKE cleaner spray i made to clean grease oil and other such things and WILL NOT hurt a clutch disk in any way shape or form. NOTE BRAKE CLEANER SPRAY read the can some time it is also good for cleaning electrical stuff
 

[sHan tn]

OK it looks like i made a big mistake!!!! wont be the first im sure it wont be the last.. i READ the post as BRAKE FLUID not brake clean,,,, yes brake clean if safe for clutch and brake pads...

NOW the rest of the story..... i was reading TWO different web sites with one having a story on using brake FLUID to eat rust and crud as a solvent, for out in the field/woods... (and i dont agree with this either)

THEN i cam here and read this post... seen brake cleaner and instantly confused the two sites... so i would like to apoligise to OLD for dragging this out :)

shan
 

[John Schmincke]

Another thing is with the tractor up on a jack, you can turn a rear wheel but snapping the clutch is not doable. The other wheel just turns in the opposite direction. I read about this a few years ago and forgot obviously....even after installing snow chains on my IH for 30 winters and being away from tractors alltogether for 6 years. GEEES!
 

[sHan tn]

i only lift 1 wheel leave the other on the ground to make traction so the power goes to the tractor transmission..