MF 135 clutch trouble

[1950drew]

I put a clutch in a 1974 MF135. When I bolt the tractor together it locks up the engine and transmission. I can separate the tractor by less than 1/8" and engine and transmission both turn freely. What is wrong?

 

[Ozlander]

Clutch plate in backwards?

 

[used red MN]

What is wrong?

Nobody will know until you pull it back apart and investigate. It obviously won’t work if bolting it up tight won’t let it turn. A good reunion of the front and rear sections includes to two halves coming together tight before the bolts do any drawing. A chain on each side from the front to rear axle. Then a guy on each side putting down pressure on the sag of the chain with their feet, turning the engine, PTO or transmission with it in gear and moving the tires back and forth. Then when the gap is closed bolt it together. If you drew it together with the bolts it hard telling what is bent and distorted in there.

 

[1950drew]

Everything is installed correctly. dual clutch is the correct one with 25 spline pto disc. ii have pushed it all the way together with everything lined up right.

 

[Harry in Ky]

If "everything is installed correctly" it would work. You can't fix it with advice from out here. Take it back apart.

 

[NDIHC]

It turned when bolted together with the old clutch. The only thing that changed was the clutch and any other parts that were replaced. So either a part or the installation is to blame.

 

[Ray,IN]

The service manual is quite clear, read it again while disassembling the clutches then re-assembling them per the manual. It's easy to speed-read the manual and miss things.

 

[1950drew]

Had it apart a 2nd time. I can't see anything wrong. I have put over 50 clutches in over the years. Never had this problem.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Well you've got it now. If it's all apart again I'd start measuring everything I could. Get a straight edge, hold it against the slit surface. Measure back from there to the ends of the transmission shafts, the do the same from the back of the clutch disc hubs to the split surface on the flywheel housing. Something has to be different between the front half and back half.

 

[1950drew]

I'm gonna take it completely apart and start over. Discs aren't bent, relase bearing is new, we'll see.

 

[Stan Coryell]

I rebuilt the Z134 engine in my 202 last Fall. New to me block. The starter nose cone was interfering with the flywheel? I don't remember. Some quick work with a grinder solved the issue.

I understand you situation is a bit different, but it might be worth loosening the starter to rule it out.

 

[used red MN]

I'm gonna take it completely apart and start over. Discs aren't bent, relase bearing is new, we'll see.

As you investigate take some photos of the process and post them here. Maybe some of the experienced guys on here will see something that is being missed. One thing I would ask would be if the pilot bearing was replaced and if it got positioned properly?

 

[1950drew]

Pilot bearing is seated as far as it will go. But I am going to pull it and make sure it is the coreect one. it may be to thick.

 

[Mule Meat]

Been years since I messed with a 135.

Just wondering. Could one of the starter bolts be to long?

 

[1950drew]

Starter bolts are not a problem.

 

[1950drew]

But thanks for the idea.

 

[1950drew]

Old pressure plate is 5.98" from top of straight edge to table top and new one is 5.92". could that small difference be the cause?That's less than a 1/16".

 

[used red MN]

Old pressure plate is 5.98" from top of straight edge to table top and new one is 5.92". could that small difference be the cause?That's less than a 1/16".

In my opinion no, because clutch housings in general have a fair bit of clearance around the flywheel and clutch assembly. Moving the whole clutch assembly back in the tractor a 1/16” is generally not going to be a problem, that change in distance can easily be compensated by clutch adjustment. I assume you are making this measurement on the two pressure plates in there unbolted or “uncaged” state. I would expect slight variations in that dimension. I have never worked on the clutch on a MF135. If you would post a photo of what you’re measuring that would be helpful. Many on here have general mechanical knowledge and experience but also may have never worked on that specific tractor, so a photo would be helpful for many others as well. Photos of all the clutch parts and flywheel would be helpful.

 

[Jim.ME]

Pressure plate finger height is supposed to be checked with new clutch discs and bolted to the flywheel. The service manual gives a spec or tool to use for checking them.

 

[1950drew]

Checked with unbolted pp and adjusted with correct tools and new disc.