John Deers 401C Torque Converter or Hydraulic Clutch Shuttle

Duetzfan

New User
Bought a John Deere 401C LOADER Tractor with 3 point hitch and PTO. It HAS a foot clutch... It would have to have a clutch for the PTO unlike a 401C Backhoe tractor...

I can"t seem to get a definative agreeable answer on how to properly operate the machine from local dealers...

The Pto and the foot clutch seem to be the things that make the dealers give differeing answers.

The machine between your legs has 2 levers. On your left a 3 position stick, Hi/Low and N. On the right a stick with four speeds.

The machine has a hand and foot throttle.

Under the steering wheel on the left side a lever about 8 inches long Forward Nuetral and reverse..

Making me wonder if the machine is torque converter drive, if you leave the hand throttle at idle and use the foot throttle the machine behaves like my Ford 555 TLB. let go of the foot throttle and drive torque /power fades to nothing. Hit the foot throttle and it takes off just like the Ford.

Problem is I"m told if this machine IS Hyraulic Clutch reverser and not torque converter drive doing this will wear out the clutches fast. With the machine running at about 1400 rpm if you change direction just flipping the reverser like it has hydraulic clutches , hold on the direction change is kinda....prompt/rough. Let go of the throttle, let RPM drop and direction change is smooth like my Ford when you throttle up again..

I"ve been told to keep the throttle in operating RPM range and use the foot clutch just for inching purposes ( and to operate the PTO ) and do all the regular clutching with the lever.. Again, Kinda a harsh reaction when you flip that lever at operating RPM..

Anybody out there know for SURE how to tell what I have for a drive and the PROPER way to operate the tractor/reverser/foot clutch?

This is my first John Deere/don"t know anything about them and the contractor I bought the machine from rarely used it due to not likeing the drive set up so he was no real help.
 
401C has a damper clutch but not torque converter drive. If tractor stops moving in fwd/rev at idle engine speed then the reverser is leaking hyd pressure or trans pump is loosing pressure somewhere. Reverser control valve should have moderated valve so as tractor will not do a wheelie but changing directions at lower rpm is recommended. My knowledge on ind JD tractors is limited because I worked for a strictly AG dealer but I think to engage pto one should depress clutch pedal to engage pto then utilize reverser control lever when neutral is required to stop.
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Hey John, I was reading your response when the snail mail came. In the mail was the manual I ordered.. You and the manual say the same thing.... So I'll use it like the machine has a hydraulic clutch. The manual confirms there is an adjustment for declutch/clutch cycle time. The manual recommends the cycle should take 1.25 seconds for the whole cycle and currently the machine seems to run the cycle almost instantly. I'll look to get it adjusted ASAP... I do dwell on your thought of pressure leak down/no ground travel at idle... It idles smooooth at 450RPM and when I thought it was possibly torque converter drive when RPM got up to 600RPM's it was like stall speed on a torque converter had been reached.. The operating RPM's per manual is 1500-2500.. Locking up the clutches at 600RPM well below the operating RPM range may or may not be significant...and/or just a sign of the tractors age/hours. Fortunately I'm not making a living with it.. A little brush hogging and some snow control is all there is in its future so hopefully I'll be fine for some time...

THANK YOU for taking the time to share your expertise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
First Off, my aplogies JIM, sorry about calling you John...

Probably the low idle was the entire issue.. Most probably don't turn them down that low? I LOVE the sound of 2 things:

The sound of an idling good running diesel, my FAVORITE a 4 cylinder Detroit...

And my VERY favorite thing... THE SOUND THEY MAKE WHEN YOU SHUT THEM OFF...

I guess I should turn the idle up and leave it alone.. It's supossed to be a recent rebuild on the engine..Idling like that I'd guess it may be....
 
There's no torque converter. Just dry clutch or hydraulic clutch drive. On or off and no inbetween. If it slips at any RPMs, there are problems. The hydraulic reverser is designed to "shift on the go" but you'll find that's a little "iffy" in high gears and high RPMs. It's OK at low engine speeds in low gears - but otherwise you'll feel safer throttling down and sometimes pushing in the clutch when using it. I suspect it will last longer that way. Those little reversers don't take near the beating the ones do in the 350 and 450 crawlers.

PTO can be live or non-live. Live is only on machines that do NOT have a hydraulic reverser.
 

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