TO20 Locked up help needed

glenn2000

New User
I have a MF TO20 that I have had for 14 years not used a lot and only used to bushhog a few times a year, My problem happened while mowing while backing into some thick honeysuckle brush it bogged down and died so I tried to restart after disengaging the pto the starter just made a whine sound so seemed to not be engaging thought just something wrong with starter. got the starter checked out told it was fine but they replaced bendix anyway,
Now when I tried to start it it just sounded locked up removed starter and confirmed it was all I could do to turn the flywheel just a little tried to pull start the tractor but the wheels just bounced did not even try to start. What could have happened.
 
Sounds like you forced the pto shaft in a way that jammed up part of the transmission- the only way to know for sure is to look in there, the sides, the top... you got the manuals???
 
Will the engine turn with the clutch held down?

If it will, the problem is in the transmission/pto. Will the pto shaft turn when disengaged, lock when engaged? If not, open the inspection covers, drain the oil and look inside

If it will not crank over with the clutch held down, something is stopping the engine itself from turning. Look everything over carefully, look for external problems like something jamming the front pulley, anything jamming the flywheel. Pull the plugs, make sure a cylinder isn't full of coolant.

Let us know...
 
If nothing else works take the starter off and see if the ring gear is mounted tot he flywheel from the transmission or from the engine side. Some early TO20s
has a ring gear that could jam into the bell housing. The fix was to make the flywheel so the ring gear mounted from the engine side.
 
it does look like the flywheel ring gear is on the transmission side and seems pretty far back how do I tell if it is jamming on the housing without splitting the tractor.
 
If there is a space between the ring gear and the flywheel retaining lip on engine side of flywheel then it sounds like this could be your problem.
 
41054.jpg
not sure if this pic uploaded right or not.[/img]
 
In the morning I will measure the distance from engine side of flywheel to ring gear. Your flywheel does not look like one of mine.
 
Ring gear is .800 inch +/-.007 from engine side of flywheel to ring gear.
My flywheel has retaining lip on clutch side on the one I measured.
 
there is a slight lip but it's not much of one that you can see in pic do you think that is were the ring gear should be.
 
You are going to have to measure it. Your flywheel is machined
different than mine. I will say mine is flush with the small step
so I would say mine is probably about 3/8 inch farther ahead.
This make no sense as you should have a lip behind your ring gear on transmission side. I have never heard of that lip failing. If the ring gear is shifted it catches the bell housing towards the top.
 
Thanks so much you were correct on the diagnosis the ring gear was against the housing. So this is my first time at splitting a tractor or anything else for that matter except 2 legs maybe. But all jokes aside I have no clue how to take the pressure plate apart so the lip on back of the flywheel was busted found pieces of it in the bottom 1 pic shows the piece on top of ring gear after I knocked it back in place to see if it was truly were it should have been, the other pic shows were it was hanging past the flywheel lip. So my question now is could I just have someone spot weld it back were it belongs.
41158.jpg
41159.jpg
41160.jpg
 
Thanks so much you were correct on the diagnosis the ring gear was against the housing. So this is my first time at splitting a tractor or anything else for that matter except 2 legs maybe. But all jokes aside I have no clue how to take the pressure plate apart so the lip on back of the flywheel was busted found pieces of it in the bottom 1 pic shows the piece on top of ring gear after I knocked it back in place to see if it was truly were it should have been, the other pic shows were it was hanging past the flywheel lip. So my question now is could I just have someone spot weld it back were it belongs.
41158.jpg
41159.jpg
41160.jpg
 
To remove pressure plate loosen each of the 6 bolts on outer edge 2 turns at a time till pressure is relieved on clutch plate.
Yours is the first flywheel I am aware of the had the retaining lip broken off of the flywheel.
In the archives some people weld the ring gear to the flywheel so I assume it works. On my TO20 with lip on engine side of flywheel I drilled I think 6 evenly spaced holes and hold the ring gear to flywheel with cap screws and washer arrangement. You got the ring gear smacked back on , Would it be hard to get it off and clean mating surfaces real good and use Locktite Stud and Bearing mount to hold ring gear in place. I am guessing you have 12 volt conversion?
You could repost your problem with broken flywheel to see what other have to say. Good Luck!
 
If I take the clutch off not sure how hard to but back on and set it the way it should be so will try having someone that has a portable welder come out and try that route seems easier than drilling the holes to me unless it's really easy to drill into the flywheel.
 
i have finished with the work was concerned after all that something would be wrong but this old tractor fired right up and purred like a kitten its amazing to have one this old and runs better than some newer ones.
41527.jpg
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top