Massey Ferguson 4225 Frozen Clutch freed with Muriatic Acid (34% hydrochloric acid)!
The clutch on my 65HP 1999 Massey Ferguson 4225 (Cab tractor with heat and AC) would not disengage in the spring of 2014. I hadn't used the tractor since the following fall, and pushing in the clutch pedal did not disengage the clutch.
Upon inspection, I noticed the cotter pin hung from the drain hole in the bottom of the clutch housing was plugged with dirt, not allowing condensation to drain out. Working it around cleared the hole. I then removed the 2x6 inch access plate to view the clutch. Nothing would move upon depressing the clutch pedal, and everything was very rusty.
I tried everything I could think of, as this is not an isolated problem. Drove tractor with a board holding in the pedal, leaving the board in place for 18 months, towing tractor while in gear, chained to a tree and only dug holes with the tires.
This went on for 18 months, and was thinking only splitting the tractor and doing a clutch job would solve my problem.
I have used Muriatic Acid in the past to clean rust from many things, and wondered if I could free the clutch by spraying it on the clutch parts. First, I took an old clutch that was on the shop floor for about 5 years. Put the clutch in a pan of acid for about 20 minutes, removed it and flushed with water hose. It looked like bran new, all rust removed. The pads looked fine.
Wondering if the acid would damage the pads, I put them back into the acid for over 24 hours. Checking the pads the next day showed absolutely no damage to them.
Now, almost 18 months messing with this clutch, I put the acid in a small pump sprayer. Donning plastic gloves that reached to my shoulders, and goggles, on Monday I sprayed acid up into the clutch area, and ran the engine for a few seconds to spray acid all over it.
After about 30 minutes flushed the clutch with a hose, and drove the tractor up a small hill several times. No luck. Tuesday did the same, no luck. Wednesday did the same, no luck. Thursday no luck.
Friday morning I talked with a John Deere Tech friend wanting help splitting tractor and replacing clutch. He said bring it up on Saturday and we will get it in his shop.
Wanted to try one more time, and this time I noticed a hole about 3/4 inch in the clutch housing giving me access to the actual pad area and fly wheel. I stuck the spray nozzle into the hole and sprayed once more. Always to be sure to spray the transmission shaft spline and throw out bearing section. Ran it for 5 seconds to be sure all is soaked, shutting it down for 20 minuites.
Started the tractor again to climb my small hill, and it moved 20 feet then stopped. I thought it slipped out of gear, but realized the clutch had loosened and was working.
I flushed out the acid again and let stand for 10 minutes, then sprayed WD-40 up into it to stop rust from forming. After using the acid, rust begins within 30 minutes, so this is important. I sprayed a heavy lube onto the spline and throw-out bearing area. My tech friend said the pads can seize to the fly-wheel, and also rust causes the spline area to freeze.
Went to friend's shop and gave him the thumbs up! It worked! He had never heard of this process. I had googled using acid to free a clutch, with no hits. I might be the first, so I decided to let you guys know about this process.
Just be safe, as 34% hydrochloric acid is dangerous and will burn or blind you if you are careless. It can clean any rust quickly, just soak the rusty part for 20 minutes or so, then coat with a light oil to prevent immediate rusting. Also check that the cotter pin dangling under the clutch housing isn't stuck, preventing the drain hole from working. Let me know on this site if anyone else uses this process. Bruce
<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto25211.jpg"/>
The clutch on my 65HP 1999 Massey Ferguson 4225 (Cab tractor with heat and AC) would not disengage in the spring of 2014. I hadn't used the tractor since the following fall, and pushing in the clutch pedal did not disengage the clutch.
Upon inspection, I noticed the cotter pin hung from the drain hole in the bottom of the clutch housing was plugged with dirt, not allowing condensation to drain out. Working it around cleared the hole. I then removed the 2x6 inch access plate to view the clutch. Nothing would move upon depressing the clutch pedal, and everything was very rusty.
I tried everything I could think of, as this is not an isolated problem. Drove tractor with a board holding in the pedal, leaving the board in place for 18 months, towing tractor while in gear, chained to a tree and only dug holes with the tires.
This went on for 18 months, and was thinking only splitting the tractor and doing a clutch job would solve my problem.
I have used Muriatic Acid in the past to clean rust from many things, and wondered if I could free the clutch by spraying it on the clutch parts. First, I took an old clutch that was on the shop floor for about 5 years. Put the clutch in a pan of acid for about 20 minutes, removed it and flushed with water hose. It looked like bran new, all rust removed. The pads looked fine.
Wondering if the acid would damage the pads, I put them back into the acid for over 24 hours. Checking the pads the next day showed absolutely no damage to them.
Now, almost 18 months messing with this clutch, I put the acid in a small pump sprayer. Donning plastic gloves that reached to my shoulders, and goggles, on Monday I sprayed acid up into the clutch area, and ran the engine for a few seconds to spray acid all over it.
After about 30 minutes flushed the clutch with a hose, and drove the tractor up a small hill several times. No luck. Tuesday did the same, no luck. Wednesday did the same, no luck. Thursday no luck.
Friday morning I talked with a John Deere Tech friend wanting help splitting tractor and replacing clutch. He said bring it up on Saturday and we will get it in his shop.
Wanted to try one more time, and this time I noticed a hole about 3/4 inch in the clutch housing giving me access to the actual pad area and fly wheel. I stuck the spray nozzle into the hole and sprayed once more. Always to be sure to spray the transmission shaft spline and throw out bearing section. Ran it for 5 seconds to be sure all is soaked, shutting it down for 20 minuites.
Started the tractor again to climb my small hill, and it moved 20 feet then stopped. I thought it slipped out of gear, but realized the clutch had loosened and was working.
I flushed out the acid again and let stand for 10 minutes, then sprayed WD-40 up into it to stop rust from forming. After using the acid, rust begins within 30 minutes, so this is important. I sprayed a heavy lube onto the spline and throw-out bearing area. My tech friend said the pads can seize to the fly-wheel, and also rust causes the spline area to freeze.
Went to friend's shop and gave him the thumbs up! It worked! He had never heard of this process. I had googled using acid to free a clutch, with no hits. I might be the first, so I decided to let you guys know about this process.
Just be safe, as 34% hydrochloric acid is dangerous and will burn or blind you if you are careless. It can clean any rust quickly, just soak the rusty part for 20 minutes or so, then coat with a light oil to prevent immediate rusting. Also check that the cotter pin dangling under the clutch housing isn't stuck, preventing the drain hole from working. Let me know on this site if anyone else uses this process. Bruce
<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto25211.jpg"/>
