1973 Case 480B won't go into gear… Clutch Frozen?

JmcKenneyJr

New User
Hey, Im looking at buying a '73 Case 480B. My friend has one that runs (ran) well up until the beginning of this winter. He doesn't need it anymore and offered it to me for cheap but there 2 things wrong with it… 1. The water pump went. Not a big deal and i already have the part number and availability. 2. The machine ran fine all summer and he let it sit for 6 months or so. The other day he went to go move it and he couldn't get it into gear. It started fine, electrical works, hydraulics work great, but when you try to take it out of starting position it grinds. Clutch pedal seems fine, all the linkages going into the transmission seem fine but the clutch is definitely hung up. or so I'm assuming. He had talked to a few guys and they told him its a common problem and to drag it in gear (which it goes into when its off) but he could only pull it in 3rd and nothing lower and it didn't break free. Anyone have any ideas on what this could be?
 
The clutch disc is stuck to the flywheel or
pressure plate with rust, yes it is a common
problem.

What you want to do is get the maximum amount of
twisting force to the clutch you can with the
clutch pedal fully depressed. You want to use the
highest gear to do this. Toe it with the ignition
off and the clutch pedal down. You don't want the
engine to start, you're using the resistance of
the engine compression to break the clutch loose.

If towing doesn't do the trick, try jacking the
rear wheels off the ground, up about 10 inches or
so. Support the rear axle with wood blocks, put it
in high gear, switch off, clutch pedal down,
quickly and SAFELY jerk it forward off the blocks.
The sudden jolt may break it loose.

I don't know about your Case, but a scarce few
have an inspection cover on the bell housing. If
yours does, and you can see the edge of the clutch
disc, you may be able to reach in with a knife
blade and pry the disc free of the flywheel or
pressure plate.
 
A number of things can be done to try to pop it free. If you can safely start it in gear and take it for a drive with the clutch held down and a load put on it that might do it. Also blocking the clutch pedal down when parked helps. And also puling the starter off and taking brake cleaner spray and spraying the clutch to clean it up may help. This all said I hope it is not super common for a 480 because if it is I maybe doing all that stuff this spring on a friends 480
 
Awesome, Thanks for the quick responses. So its sounds like its
nothing to really worry about then, and that once I free it just some
PM and somewhat frequent use will prevent it from happening
again. Ill check it out and hopefully get it moving soon. If not ill be
asking more questions haha.
 
had a 1030 and same problem took inspection cover off tried oil first then later loosened clutch plate bolts anf took hammer and apiece of rolled rod and kept tapping and turning was loose in no time
 

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