HELP - New Clutch Sticking Problem

I have a 1955 Ford 850 Gas Tractor. The clutch was stuck so I split the tractor and replaced the clutch, pressure plate, throw-out bearing and pilot bearing. I also put new shaft bushings on the clutch fork shaft. I installed the clutch plate in the direction specified the service manual (large spring side toward the transmission). I set the new pressure plate finger height with a gauge I fabricated using the design specifications in the in the service manual. I also adjusted the clutch pedal to the 7" height with 1-1/2" free play on top.

Viewing throw-out bearing operations through the inspection port 4"x6" on the bottom of the bell housing, the operation looks perfect. The bearing fully engaging when the pedal is depressed, and when released the throw-out bearing does not touch the fingers and stops turning.

With the starter removed and the clutch pedal fully depressed, I see a 1/4" gap between the clutch plate and the pressure plate when viewing through a small mirror on an extension pole.
I see no gap between the clutch plate and the flywheel.

When I start the engine in neutral and depress the clutch pedal. The gears grind if I try to shift into any gear.

I connected my brush hog and ran the engine in neutral with the clutch pedal depressed, with the PTO engaged to spinning the mower. Did not break the clutch loose.

I can not think of anything else to fix or replace.

My last resort will be. Pull the tractor out of the barn and pull around the pasture in 3rd gear with the clutch depressed and hope the clutch breaks loose.

If someone sees something I overlooked or has another suggestion, PLEASE RESPOND !

Remember this is a FORD, you can not start in gear.
 

I don't know what is causing your problem, but you can start it in gear. Get it started and warmed up in neutral, Then unless you have a hill in front of you to go up you should be able to crank it and start it in first gear.
 
Sounds like it's going to have to come apart and see what's wrong. A "stuck" clutch happens when one has sat a long time with moisture in the clutch and it's rusted into place. What you have is a clutch that won't release, it happens...

Have you looked at the gap with the pedal up? I suspect there will still be a gap, something is not right. I have never seen a pressure plate with a 1/4" of travel. Usually they barely open enough to release, hard to even see it move.

Something is miss matched, possibly something caught between the disc and the pressure plate, damaged disc during assembly (easy to do, lots of weight hanging on the disc when things go wrong).

Did you use an alignment shaft? Tighten the pressure plate bolts evenly? When everything is right the engine will mate up with minimal force. Pulling it together with bolts is not recommended. (Not saying you did any of these things, just BTDT.)

I would not try to pull start it, could cause more damage if something were to break.
 
I think there is a difference between the wear patterns of the original clutch on the clutch shaft splines, and the new disk. The wear patterns will push the disk forward into contact with the F/W. It can be started in gear if you run a wire to the starter relay from a hot source with a push button in it. Unfortunately it will require a split to fix it if my idea is correct. Jim
 
Hello Jim,
I tested the new clutch plate on the 15 spline shaft, It would slip on, but it was a little tighter than the old clutch plate.
To me It seems like the new clutch plate does not want to ease away from the flywheel when the pressure plate tension is released.
I assume the clutch plate should move slightly toward the pressure plate when pressure is removed.

Is this something you have seen before?
If so what is the fix?
 
My vote is that the clutch plate may be backwards. But it is definately not right that you have that much gap between the pressure plate and clutch plate.
 
i would agree with jim,... if the old disc was thin and the clutch shaft has spline wear from the old disc. then with the thick new disc it will want to return to the worn spline area , but since the disc is wider it will rub the flywheel and keep turning. as the myth busters say... its plausible.
 
The gap only appears when the pressure is released by stepping on the clutch pedal.

I may be over estimating the gap, it is hard to judge looking through that little mirror. The gap probably looks larger in that mirror. The gap is less than 1/2 the width of the clutch plate.

Also, there is no gap on either side of the plate when the pressure plate is fully engaged with the clutch plate.
 
the fix ? you would need to get the clutch shaft renewed or repair the slines in a machine shop. farmer fix would be to grind the wear a bit back , meaning touch up the spline wear. or file the clutch splines to match the input shaft wear. thats my idea on the situation. if that is indead the problem.
 
As noted above, the splines on the shaft can be ground carefully to match the wear, or you can thin the rearward extension of the clutch hub to make it appear the same as the original. A third option is to replace the shaft. Testing it for the issue is easy. put the tractor in high gear. Block the clutch down fully. Push the tractor (help is good) forward by pushing on the top of the rear tires (doubles your force). If it slips, (and you can roll it some) it is a further indication that the shaft is the problem. Shifting it into gear is impossible when this happens. I have seen it 10 times and prevented it many more when going together. When you get it ready to reassemble, put a very thin coating (least possible) on the shaft, and work the disk back and forth on it 10 times. Jim
 
Lovingcreek,I agree with others that the input spline could be worn and holding the clutch against the flywheel.You could try starting it grounding the wire connection on the start button with a screwdriver to start it while on the seat.Then drive it around in like 3rd gear with the clutch down to see if the disc will move back some on the shaft and free up.
If that fails you could try loosing the clutch housing bolts say 3/16" or so and space it back with some spacers (key stock) tighten the bolts and see if driving it some like that will help get it to free up.Then remove the spacers.Just trying to help so you don't have to split it again.
 
Hello Jim,
I am leaning toward your diagnosis of the problem. The plate not releasing from the flywheel when the clutch is depressed, is the likely issue. Clutch operations is not a complex process, so there is not too much that can cause this problem.
If your familiar with the 850, the clutch plate can only install in one direction due to the flywheel bolts, so that issue is eliminated.
A closer inspection of the splined shaft and more attention to fitting/filing the new plate so it slides more easily onto the spline shaft is my next internal surgery operation.
I can split it again, it's just the hydraulic fluid draining takes time in cold weather.
If there is anything else to look for, please let me know.
Bob
 
What condition was the flywheel when you had it apart. If you did not clean the flywheel thoroughly of rust etc. that can cause the new one to stick too. Try getting it started by pushing to break it loose while in gear and then a lot of stopping and taking off in a higher gear to clean the flywheel may save splitting the tractor again.
 
Not saying this is your problem but more than once I have seen someone install a new pilot bushing/bearing without removing the old one first.
Will cause the exact symptoms you described.
 
I made sure the flywheel was brushed clean before installing the new clutch, since the original problem before installation was a stuck old clutch.
I was considering resurfacing the flywheel, but other tractor club friends verified no machine resurfacing was required.

I've had this tractor since last summer. No sticking clutch problems until I changed the transmission oil and put it into the barn for the winter.
Drove it in and parked it. Problem started when I tried to move it a month later.

Seems crazy that after splitting and installing the new clutch kit, I am having a stuck clutch. Coincidence, maybe or maybe not.

Bob
 

You didn't say what tractor this is a problem on..

Myself, I would get it out and Work it real good..even let the clutch slip enough to polish things up..

Until then, I guess you should prop the clutch lever to partially relieve the pressure-plate pressure so it does not re-stick..
 
(quoted from post at 08:53:08 02/17/17)
You didn't say what tractor this is a problem on..

Myself, I would get it out and Work it real good..even let the clutch slip enough to polish things up..

Until then, I guess you should prop the clutch lever to partially relieve the pressure-plate pressure so it does not re-stick..

Ford 850, his first sentence.
 
Seems unlikely it rusted enough to stick in just a month, what about input shaft seal leaking transmission fluid onto clutch, that will stick it too.
 

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