WD 45 hand clutch problem

[LEH]

I bought a WD 45, never owned an AC before. It has a hand clutch that snaps in & out, seems to work ok that way, but will not stop the tractor when moving. Could the clutch be stuck & won't disengage? Thanks Lewie

 

[stu (ON)]

Here is a link to pics of Tom MN's refurbished wet clutch. If you still have snap, you probably still have the original components and nobody has installed a solid coupler for pulling. However, you'd have to look at it to know for sure.

Otherwise, the hand clutch usually fails by slipping, which is remedied by removing the brass spacing shims. If you had too many shims, I think that you would have a hard time pulling the lever back and achieving snap.

So, you may have broken all three springs that push the friction plates from the metal plates as a cause. It would seem that the plates are all stuck together for other reasons as well; perhaps having been run out of oil for a period of time.

You're really going to have to open it up and inspect it, using Tom's photos as a guide.
Tom MNs Wet Clutch

 

[Brian G. NY]

Using the hand clutch allows you to stop the tractor while allowing the PTO and hydraulics to continue working. When cold the hand clutch (which runs in oil) has enuf "drag" to make it necessary to use the brakes to stop the tractor. The drag will diminish as the oil warms.

 

[LEH]

This tractor seems to be original and never modified. Still has original paint. I'd say the clutch is stuck from non use. Thanks for the photos on the link. I need to get the books for this tractor. Lewie

 

[Anonymous-0]

the snap over is correct. put the thing in high gear with the front tires up against a tree .rev it up and drop the clutch she will loosen up . you can put it in a hard pull and make it slip but be carefull not to flip it backwards cause they will . thats why use pullers remove the hand clutch cause they slip under hard pulls or higher horsepower like 80 horsepower slips them all.