Ferguson T-20 clutch problems

Merrit

New User
I bought a Ferguson To-20 1951 a short time back and the problem is the clutch does not want to disengage most of the time. I set the pedal at the 3/16 free travel. At times I have to stand on the clutch pedal and brake to get it to disengage. Any thoughts ?????????
 
Try and adjust out all the freeplay as a test to see if it disengages like it should . If it doesnt it sounds like the disk could be hanging up on the transmission mainshaft due to rust . I dont think you can get in there to spray it with a lube and you will have to pull it out to clean and lube it . Has the tractor been sitting for a long time ? Sometimes the flywheel and pressure plate get a coating of rust on them too from setting idle . It may loosen up after using it awhile but doubtful . Either way readjust the freeplay afterwards so it wont wear out the T.O. bearing
 
BTW , those old Fergusons are tough old tractors and you cant kill 'em if you keep oil and water in them . I have worked the crap out mine ( 1952 TO30 )doing stuff it wasnt designed to do and it just keeps on ticking like a Timex . Amazing old beast . Spend a little time sorting it all out and you will be happy with it . What parts you need are cheap and available . Easy tractor to work on too .
 
I did the wife's TO-20 a few years ago with a new clutch and no problems. The neighbor got his JD done and it
has been one stuck clutch after another until he finally starting keeping it blocked open. I never have blocked
the wife's clutch. Her's is Kevlar. JD is the run of the mill semi metallic.
 
Sounds like time for a new clutch.

Could have oil on it making it sticky. The front transmission seals are known for leaking. Easy fix while in
there.

Sounds strange but I've heard once the disc wears flat, as in the little grooves are worn away, the disc will
actually form a vacuum between it's self and the pp or flywheel, making it delay release.
 

the trick here is not to bite too much, from your other post sounds like that tractor sat outside for a while,

with the clutch, you got to split it to have a look at, you could take that bottom dust cover off, or on the bell housing on the bottom there is a drain hole , should have a cotter pin in it, could try to spray some penetrating oil in there,

I have the flywheel ring gear problem, yours is newer may have the revised one or not, also as mentioned the trans front seal is usually an issue, and the rear main used to be a given for me every time I pull an engine, this one is a rope type,

since mine has the cracked block and it leaked antifreeze in the oil, I am not too concerned about leaking some oil, both my front and rear seals are leaking, I am ignoring it for now figured its not such a bad thing replenishing a quart every so often,

in my experience with these old tractors its a fine line between fixing a few things and getting carried away and ending up with the thing in a million pieces.

I try to do a little at a time get some use out of it and see what else fails, once I get it to a conformably reliable point we'll see about doing it right, parts are cheap and available, and despite the multiple issues min came with it still ticked and worked, so it earned its keep so I try to give it some love here and there as I still need it
 
Most likely oil making it stick , if the clutch is worn and oily there is no real harm in giving it a good burn to clean the oil off the surface . Travel up a slope with a load on at a reasonable speed and slip the clutch for a bit . Repeat until that awful smell is obvious . By then the oil will be off, the surface at least and the stick may go away for awhile .
 

that sounds odd to me, oil making the clutch stick, I split mine today, and my trans seal has been leaking the back side of the clutch was soaked, yet mine has been working pretty decent, to each is their own.

a sticky clutch as the OP describes it, I would guess the pressure plate does not disengage, could be a number of things, not sure if there are any adjustments on the clutch itself, but a worn bearing a pedal out of adjustments, seized springs and fingers, maybe that rod and fork is stripped, either way sounds like a split will tell more.

by the way not that big of a deal to split it, I dreaded it for the longest time especially since my TO 20 is out in the boonies, it went a lot easyer than expected, had I been on a concrete pad I could have done it myself with a cherrypicker, we ended up using the backhoe instead and the wife had to handle the boom.
 
I got around to use the tractor yesterday. The last time I tried to use it the clutch would not disengage at all, I slammed it in high stood on the clutch and brake , Had to shut it off to stop. I than blocked the pedal and let it set for a few days. Yesterday after blocking the pedal it went in gear OK. I live on a hill so with the brush hog on and in 4th gear slipped the clutch for about an 1/8 mile. Worked fine the rest of the day......Split time this winter.
 

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