Adjusting '81 275 Clutch

Recently purchased a MF 275, 1981, has 2450 one owner hours, off of an estate. 8 speed trans, no mulitpower, live pto.

What is the proper way to adjust the clutch on this tractor? It seems to pull fine, with no slipping, though to be honest I haven't pulled it hard, but the clutch is off or on, with no modulation. About the last 1/2 inch of pedal travel and boom your going. I read the op manual, but to be honest, wasn't overly helpful.

Tractor has had an allied 580 loader on it since new, so it may be that it just needs a clutch and that's all there is to it.

The clutch either got oil, and or grease on it, or there is something wrong with the clutch disk, or the pressure plate could be broken somehow. There's a metal plate on the bottom of the bell housing that you can unbolt that's used to adjust the clutch, or to see what's wrong with it.

I can't give advice, except to say there's a difference, adjusting the clutch [ the position of the plate engagement, if possible] or adjusting the pressure plate [adjusting the position of the fingers, if possible]. A difference.

Hi Ben,
To clarify one point to start. The term 'live pto' can refer to an independant oil pressure operated unit where you only move the lever to engage it or a mechanical unit where you have to push the clutch pedal fully down and then move the lever to engage it. The 275 can have a dual stage clutch unit (mechanical PTO) or split torque type for the independant PTO. Which type do you have?
As the tractor has apparently had a loader fitted for all of its life it is possible that the main clutch plate will have a sprung hub to make it more suitable for continual loader work.

It is possible that the springs are worn or broken. As has been said, there is a plate under the clutch housing that can be removed to examine the clutch cover and operation. Your loader may or may not have a seperate access plate in the structure. Using a flashlight check the smooth operation of the release bearing and look for any wear in the linkage or difference in height of the release levers.

If you have a dual clutch and can gain access to the clutch unit you can check the clearances on the 3 PTO adjuster screws. I suspect that the adjustment might be out and the combination of pressing the pedal into the second stage in order to release the main plate is giving the impression of a rapid and agressive take-up.

The adjustments can be found in mine and other postings on here.

Let us know what you find.

DavidP, South Wales

The PTO I have, the book calls an Independent PTO. In other words turns on and off with the PTO lever, regardless of the clutch.

I don't believe that the loader frame interferes with anything on the bottom of the tractor but I will have to look and see.

Massey Ferguson calls it independent pto. The split torque clutch for the ipto looks just like a 2 stage clutch that the MF live pto has, but it doesn't have the second stage. Rather than having a second disk that can disengage the lpto which is mechanical, the split torque clutch has a splined disk that's attached to the pressure plate. I've seen a couple of pressure plates that looked good but had cracked covers after they were removed, the adjustment bolt(s) on the arms could be adjusted wrong, or missing. It could have a broken arm, the pin(s) that holds the arms to the pressure plate cover could have fell out, or broke. Who knows what you will find, but I think you maybe splitting it for a new clutch.

I guess I am a little bit confused, but bare with
me, as I pretty much brought this home put it in
the shed and haven't had time to look at it since.
( I travel a lot for my work and have 3 kids 2
years and less when I get home).

If I had one of the issues you describe above, I
would have to believe that I would not be able to
disengage the clutch and there for not shift or
stop/start the tractor. I had a finger break on a
JD 2640 last year and it rendered the tractor
inoperable, with no clutch disengagement what so
ever.

This tractor, when operating the clutch will start,
stop, and seems to pull without any slipping. It
just has about an inch of pedal movement from full
retraction (foot all the way off the pedal) before
it completely engages or disengages the clutch. In
other words there is no "feathering".

I just got a service manual today in the mail, I
quick read the adjustments procedure, and without
getting to exact on measurements, according to the
manual all of the linkages are adjusted properly. I
am partially confused because the clutch adjustment
is quite different than any other tractor I have
owned, or at least the instructions make it appear
that way.

I too think it probably needs a clutch, but
thought I would check here with experts before we
split it.

Thanks, Ben