Front transmission seal TO35

I need to change the front seal on the trans as its leaking bad. I'm looking at the manual and there are 2 different pages. It appears 1 is for the dual stage and 1 for the single stage. Mine is a 55 dlx I assume as it has the deluxe seat, power adjust wheels, tractormeter but I've never confirmed if it has a 2 stage clutch. I gather I need to determine the clutch arrangement as the one diagram appears to have 2 shafts and seals. 195523 single stage, 195503, and 195501 dual stage. Can you pull the cover off the bottom and determine?

Probably the easiest way to tell is to sit on her and push the clutch down. On a dual clutch, you can feel a definite change in tension 1/2 way down. -then resistance on the rest of the way down.
Or, turn your p.t.o. lever on "engine speed" (under your seat) and drive forward. then push clutch 1/2 way down. -does tractor stop moving AND p.t.o keep turing? If so, push clutch rest of way down-now tractor AND p.t.o. should be stopped.
You should feel 2 stages to the clutch: first one stops forward movement--second stops p.t.o. shaft.
Mark
If you have original dash tag, it will the 3rd letter will be a "M" if it is a 2 stage clutch.

For a short while last year I had a pull behind finish mower and I noticed nothing different 1/2 way down on the clutch. The problem I had was even all the way down the PTO would not want to stop rotating. Maybe I have a 2 stage and part of its jacked. I usually order parts before I pull stuff apart so I can put them right back together but maybe I wont this time. I want to sell the tractor but its leaking badly here I wouldn't blame anyone from shying away from it leaking oil as bad as it does.

I bought a 2600 Ford with a loader and the justification to the wife was that it would replace the TO35. Well, if no one buys it...

Hello John -

If your tractor stopped moving forward and the mower kept running, you have the 2 stage clutch.

There is a fairly simple adjustment that usually cures it. Described several times here, and on Big Dean's website - I don't have the link, but it's cited here several times a month.

The oil leak repair will need a split. Not a difficult job, but some critical points involved - there's a writeup in the archives on it.

Good luck! The 35's are great tractors. I used to have the blue ones, back when they were grey...

Big Dean'shttp://hometown.aol.com/daustin62/Bigdeantipindex.html

I never met a old TO-35 that did not leak a bit of oil out of the front transmission seal. Just keep that upside down carter key loose and turning so oil will drip out. If the hold ever gets stopped up the oil with pool in the housing and ruin the clutch, ask me how I learned this bit of info.

I have had the front transmission seal in my 1957, TO-35 tractor replaced, but it still leaked some.

Problem with older high hour tractors, the shaft is worn and it cannot be repaired easily, so just installing a new seal may slow leak for a while, it will not stop the leak as the shaft is worn.

I understand that in the later models MF-35's with multi power, the front shaft was bolted to the transmission housing so you just bolt on a new shaft with new seal and were go to go.

The front transmission shaft on our TO-35's is a part of the transmission housing and cannot be replaced, so you are installing a new seal in a worn shaft, will not stop leak.

So what to do:

You might try a can of Lucas Transmission seal and keep the fluid level no more than at mid level, mine will still leak a bit, but none to speak of, I check it from time to time with lift arms in the up position and keep fluid level no higher than mid point on dip stick.

If this works, its a lot easier than replacing a seal that may not stop the leak.

If this procedure does not stop your (serious) leak then you will have to try a new seal, may can add two seals if there is room.

Many farmers when they found out about this problem traded off the old to-35's long before they got to this point as repair of the transmission shaft (welding it up and then turning it down would have cost more than the tractor is worth.


Good luck,

Thanks guys. I'll split it later this month. I have a 9n to paint and sell first. I've changed the input tranny seal on the Fords several times but have not had to work on the 35. She went from not leaking to leaking badly in short order so I'm going to have to address it.
Thanks
John