Need Help - John Deere 3020 gas - won't move

[Lost Creek Ranch]

Had tractor stop while driving on highway. I had a friend tow it with truck and chain about 1/4 mile to another guy's driveway. During towing I had it out of park and the clutch pushed in as well. Got tractor running, but now it will not move at all when I put it in gear and let clutch out. The shifter seems to work properly both at synchro on top and on side of transmission below foot platform. Can clutch be ruined by towing? I am stumped.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

How fast did you tow it? If it was in a low gear and towed with any speed you may have grenaded clutch disk.

 

[Paul_IN]

Agree with Roger. The shifter position for towing is between 3rd and 4th station. I suggest removing inspection cover from bottom of clutch housing.

 

[Lost Creek Ranch]

How fast did you tow it? If it was in a low gear and towed with any speed you may have grenaded clutch disk.

I pulled it part way down ( I'm not sure how far) from the Park position but left it in the left side, not into any gear position to the right. I also had the clutch pushed down. The tow speed was not that fast - it was a small truck, I would guess about the speed I would travel in 5th gear maybe. Definitely not near as fast as when I drive it in 6th or 8th gear.

 

[flying belgian]

Agree with Roger. The shifter position for towing is between 3rd and 4th station. I suggest removing inspection cover from bottom of clutch housing.

Are you saying all neutrals are not created equal on a 3020? I did not know that.

 

[flying belgian]

Why didn't you just pull start it when you had it hooked to the truck?

 

[NDIHC]

Even with the clutch pedal pressed, if the transmission is in a gear, the input shaft and clutch disc are spinning at whatever rpm it would take to move the tractor at the speed it is moving. If the transmission is in 1st gear and the tractor is moving 10 mph the input shaft would probably be spinning at 10,000 rpm. That'll grenade a clutch disc. I've had cars come in where they say they pulled off the interstate and when they went to take off at the top of the off ramp the car wouldn't move. 100% of the time it was an exploded disc because as they pulled off of the interstate they pressed the clutch pedal, dropped into 1st or 2nd gear in anticipation of what gear they were going to want to be in at the end if the ramp, and coasted up the ramp. In first gear at 70 mph the input shaft and disc were spinning at 15,000-20,000 rpm.

But since you had it in neutral that shouldn't have been the cause.

 

[Paul_IN]

Are you saying all neutrals are not created equal on a 3020? I did not know that.

Yes, using tow position avoids possibility to damage top shaft gears from lack of lubrication or over speeding input shaft.

 

[used red MN]

Agree with Roger. The shifter position for towing is between 3rd and 4th station. I suggest removing inspection cover from bottom of clutch housing.

Are you saying all neutrals are not created equal on a 3020? I did not know that.

 

[Dieseltech]

I've always said the SAFEST way to tow a JD Synchro trans is in EIGHT GEAR, and clutch pedal TIED DOWN. This way you KNOW the trans driveline is turning the INPUT SHAFT which TURNS the trans LUBE PUMP to oil the shafts/gears. I've seen too many gears welded to the shaft as operator THOUGHT it was in the correct tow position when it WAS NOT.

 

[Lost Creek Ranch]

Even with the clutch pedal pressed, if the transmission is in a gear, the input shaft and clutch disc are spinning at whatever rpm it would take to move the tractor at the speed it is moving. If the transmission is in 1st gear and the tractor is moving 10 mph the input shaft would probably be spinning at 10,000 rpm. That'll grenade a clutch disc. I've had cars come in where they say they pulled off the interstate and when they went to take off at the top of the off ramp the car wouldn't move. 100% of the time it was an exploded disc because as they pulled off of the interstate they pressed the clutch pedal, dropped into 1st or 2nd gear in anticipation of what gear they were going to want to be in at the end if the ramp, and coasted up the ramp. In first gear at 70 mph the input shaft and disc were spinning at 15,000-20,000 rpm.

But since you had it in neutral that shouldn't have been the cause.

I was not aware that there was a Tow position. So I did not have it in that position. I did not have to the right in any gear, but straight down from park, but probably only half down between Park and where the Tow position is. I assumed (maybe ignorantly wrong) this was in nuetral as long it was not moved over to the right into a gear position. And I was on the tractor while it was towed, and kept the clutch depressed all the way down the whole time the tractor was being towed. Also, the hydraulics to lift the 3-point or the front loader are both very, very, very slow, close to not moving at all.

 

[used red MN]

Also, the hydraulics to lift the 3-point or the front loader are both very, very, very slow, close to not moving at all.

Hello LCR, welcome to YT! This indicates you centrifugally “grenaded” the lining off of the clutch disc. The clutch has to be engaged (pedal up) to turn the transmission shaft so the transmission charge pump can turn and pump hydraulic fluid up to the reservoir in front of the radiator that feeds the main radial hydraulic pump. Lining has all been thrown off the center cushion of the clutch plate so nothing to grab and spin it.