RE-COUPLING TRACTOR DOING CLUTCH JOB ETC

ZANE

Well-known Member
Re-coupling large tractor clutch

This is a valuable lesson I learned about recoupling the two halves of a large farm tractor after doing something like a clutch job.
Most later model tractors with live PTO have two clutch discs or a single drive clutch and a splined pressure plate that drives the PTO.
There needs to be an inspection plate above or below the clutch housing that will allow access to the back side of the pressure plate.
Instead of bolting the clutch pressure plate up to the flywheel, aligning the one or two splines on the clutch discs, bolt the clutch up to the
flywheel and do not concern yourself with aligning the pressure plate splines or the clutch disc splines pilot bearing etc. When it is securely
bolted to the fly wheel fabricate three shims that will fit tightly between the pressure plate and the levers where they are attached to the bolt
that releases the fingers on the pressure plate so that when you remove the pressure plate from the flywheel with the discs the fingers remain
pulled down like it was still bolted down onto the flywheel.
Now place the pressure plate and the clutches onto the input shaft/s of the transmission and proceed to bring the two halves of the tractor
together. @ Clutch housing and engine block. All you will have to worry about is getting the two halves even top and bottom and sides so that the
pilot shaft enters the pilot bearing/bushing.
Install a couple of bolts to draw it tightly together and then to through the inspection plate that allows you to get to the back of the pressure
plate. Install the pressure plate bolts just snugly to the flywheel of the firs to the three places that bolt the pressure plate to the flywheel
then turn the flywheel to the next place where the pressure plate bolts can be started. Do this to all three places then turn the flywheel to the
first place you sneged the bolts and finish tightening them to the flywheel. Do all three places. The shims you made to hold the fingers down with
fall out as you tighten all three places.

Lots easier that trying to wiggle and shake and twist and turn a big tractor trying to make those two splines and the pilot shaft to align.

I did a big IH tractor by myself in about a half hour by pulling the rear section on a rolling floor jack to the front engine section with a come
along.

You are welcome.

Zane
 

Back when I worked for a dealer all I did was align both halves using 2 long bolts for guides with heads removed and when getting close turned engine flywheel to align splines of both shafts then continued pushing together. I never used bolts or come-along to pull together. A lot of tractor models has no large inspection hole in clutch housing.
 
Zane,
What you describe works well on bigger IH tractors, I did one the same way once. But like Jim said, most tractors don't have inspection holes in the clutch housing and many that do you couldn't get in there to tighten bolts or work if you wanted to.
 
All I've ever done is use two floor jacks... One under each half. Make sure the front axle is properly wedged before you start... If ya done that it's usually not a big deal to manipulate them back together. It's also why I usually recommend that the front end be rolled rather than the rear... because it rolls a lot easier. Most of the Ford's have no inspection hole of any kind so what you do is lift and lower each jack until you get it lined up. Get the rear one first, then the front one. It all works out in the end.

Rod
 
Hi 99% of the time I work in my shop alone, the help i get here isn't worth the headache most of the time, If he will come out to help L.O.L. I got a home built splitting track,and some long bolts made into guide studs for a few tractors.

In the last while I have done 2 Belarus clutches and a Valtra on my own, plus many more before that. I roll the front, as if you got rear tires fluid ballasted and with cast centres/ wheel weights and cab. You aren't moving that very far on your own. All the ones I do are dual or 1 plate and spline pto drives. If a guy takes the time and sets the thing up right 9 out of 10 go together good from what i find. It's called experience or plenty of practice. I wouldn't like to say how many clutches I got under the belt with the years i have been fixing.
Regards Robert
 
I have only one clutch job to my name, a 641 Ford. So I am certainly no expert. My lesson learned was to make both halves of the tractor "level" when trying to reassemble. My tractor was slightly down hill before the split due to tire sizes. It split easily but going back together was a problem. I could get the transmission shaft through the splines but could not get the end of the shaft into the pilot bearing. After three days of trying I put about 3/8" of shims under the front tires so that both halves of the tractor were level. Went right together then!
 

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