2240 stuck clutch

[GR Gold]

Fairly new to me tractor. I had it parked outside for a few weeks. I went to start it and pull it up to my shop to work on the horizontal exhaust and the clutch would not disengage. If I idle it way down, I can get it in 1L or 1R with minimal grinding, but with the clutch pushed in, I can kill it when I step on the brakes hard. I adjusted the clutch to spec in the operators manual, and no help. Removing the inspection plug on the side of the bell housing, I can look in there and it’s pretty rusty, even had some standing water in the bottom of it. I wiggled the cotter pin in the drain hole in the bottom of the housing and probably somewhere between a pint and a quart of dirty water came out. Obviously sometime rain water has made it’s way in there. I pressure washed inside the bell housing through that inspection hole while the tractor was running, and again with the clutch pedal wired down to the floor. Lots of muck came out and I was hoping I might get some water to the clutch disc to loosen it up, but no luck. Any other ideas to try or am I gonna have to split it? Only other thought I have is next time my son is down here to try and pull it with another tractor with it not running and in a higher gear. Thanks in advance for all your replies!

 

[JD Dave]

The clutch disc is rusted fast to the flywheel and/or pressure plate. You can try pulling it or possibly access the disc through the inspection port and hit it with a screwdriver or punch with the clutch pedal down.

 

[Tx Jim]

Spray clutch & flywheel with brake cleaner. With clutch pedal tied down start engine & allow engine to get to operating temp then with engine operating at idle speed slip trans in gear with clutch pedal depressed apply each brake pedal independently hoping clutch plate will free up.

 

[ET]

I think you need to bite the bullet and split the tractor. If it's that rusty there will be more problems even if you do get it loose.

 

[Steve in IL]

Haven’t had that issue with our 2240, but did on our Ford 4000. The key to breaking free a frozen clutch is you need to find an open (safe) area to get it going in a higher gear (a couple of ways to do that), and while holding the clutch down, hit the brakes. This can be very dangerous, if not done correctly. If I understand correctly, the reason why the high gear method works, is that you are multiplying the torque from the brakes onto the clutch.

One further comment … The 2240 has a rather large clutch inspection hole… Any chance a few careful taps onto the frozen joint with a long chisel (while the clutch is disengaged), you might be able to free it up?

Good luck.

 

[GR Gold]

Well, so far I have had no luck. I hooked it to a chisel plow too big for the tractor. I was able to get it up into 4th gear low range and drag the plow around, lowering it until rear wheels spun and then raise it lurching the tractor forward. I did this for nearly an hour with no luck. Also, I tried jabbing the brakes alternating between both pedals and still no luck. Not sure what else to try.

 

[Steve in IL]

In my experience, you really need to get it into a high gear (not low range). I did it with our Ford by starting it in neutral, at the top of a driveway with a good hill. Coasted down driveway (at idle), and slipped it into high gear. Pushed in clutch. Pressed brakes (both at one time). Clutch immediately came free. (And I, like you had been working on all kinds of lower gear ideas & tricks at that point). It's really just gear ratio math. What makes the tractor go fast, when applied in reverse, puts maximum torque into the clutch surface.

 

[ET]

A 2240 is an easy tractor to split. It will cost less in the long run to the job right.

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree with ET to split tractor then R&R clutch plates before you possibly break some expensive parts!

 

[GR Gold]

Thanks guys for your input. I have ordered an IT manual to help me along. I have split a handful of tractors before, so it’s not totally new to me. I’ll just have to make some stands. Looking at it, there are 2 steel hydraulic lines that mount to the belly of the tractor. When I remove these for the split, am I gonna loose all the trans fluid? In other words, do I need to drain the rearend?

 

[Tx Jim]

IIRC one needs to drain hyd oil before splitting tractor.