MF50 engine support

[RalphL]

I am getting prepared to split my MF50 to replace the clutch. I am using a large floor jack to lift up under the transmission coming in from the rear of the tractor. I plan to lift the front axle and put blocking under each end of the axle. My question is whether it is ok then lift under the oil pan to lift the engine when it is time to remove the bolts to separate the two halves. I am concerned about the engine wanting to flop to one side or the other.
 

[JerseyJoe]

You"ll need to put wedges between the front axle and the axle support,that keeps the engine in the upright position.I always try to use a block of wood between the jack and oil pan,spreads the weight. Joe
 

[Tony in Mass.]

Exactly what Joe says. Even if you just split wood with an axe or hatchet till they fit tight. But yes the oil pan will take it.
Remember to chuck ALL the tires- so 8 chunks of firewood, till you decide what will move where. I leave the back half stationary for engine jobs, but for just a clutch, you will keep things alot more level and parrallel moving the back away. A nice flat floor makes this easier- btw, get a plastic $3 NAPA Chevy/GMC pick up clutch aligning tool, same exact specs- 'cause of the 2 plates, this one lines up the hole centers AND splines perfect, or this job can become a real drag.... good luck.
 

[Dan S (NY)]

Check your new clutch disk thickness. I just put a new clutch in a 35 and the new clutch disk was thinner than the old one I took out. (The old one was contaminated so I didn't want to reuse it.) The thinner disk will affect the release finger height adjustments. In my case, when I used the adjustment tool shown in the service book I ended up with quite a bit of the finger height adjustment bolts sticking out the backside of the clutch fingers and I new it would probably crash into the PTO disk rivets if I left them that way. I then looked on Big Deans CD and found the following:

"When you don't have the proper tool to set the finger bolt height Screw the bolt in till the threads are flush or 2 to 3 thread below the thickest part of the finger. Then measure from the PTO disc & set the bolts to where the top of the heads are all 3 the same height from the PTO disc After you have the clutch bolted to the flywheel and the Tee bolts removed. If the bolts stick through to far they will hit the rivets on the PTO disc causing it not to release. I have set them like this many times & the clutch work fine."
- Quoted from Big Deans CD

After adjusting the bolts using Big Deans instructions and joining the tractor back together I can feel both stages of the clutch through the pedal as expected. I will have to wait until I can start it up to see if it works correctly.

Dan