300U Split....

Tractor is back together, without the clutch. Soaking the cylinders currently.

I gots a little confused on my last post. The tractor went together super easy without the clutch. The manual refers to a second manual which I do not have for clutch issues. So I have to ask...the thing TV and Jim N were talking about where they compressed the clutch fingers and blocked them with a nut. Is this for when you hang the clutch on the splined shaft or when you install it on the fly wheel. This was really confusing me because I just put the clutch disk in the fly wheel, then put on the pressure plate. I start all the bolts and then work around in rotation and it pulls the clutch fingers down. Am I doing this wrong? Need clarification.

I think you are doing it wrong. The driven disk must be either extremely centered in the Flywheel (usually an alignment tool and some centering feel when tightening the Pressure plate, or the P plate bolts loose enough to allow the driven disc to center itself as it enters the pilot bearing in the crankshaft.
If put into the Flywheel and the P plate tightened up it is off by an eighth of an inch.
The idea of compressing the P plate prior to any assembly is to keep it from being as fat in thickness. This includes the fingers out the back, and the pressure face out the front.
The fingers should be compressed until they are flat to each other, or 1/4 depressed toward where the Flywheel would be. Some IH clutches have 3 extra threaded holes in the P plate cover that do the compression for you, using three of the normal 6 attachment bolts. Screwing these in evenly turns each till fully inserted compresses the springs and flattens the fingers.
Hanging the driven disc, and the collapsed P plate on the splined shaft can allow full insertion.
I have also used the longer bolts (as per a former post) to align the collapsed P plate and allow the captured driven disc to float. Both would work.
The driven disc is smaller than the opening in the flywheel recess and that (when pinched) will never allow insertion. Jim

The clutch plate must be aligned with the pilot bearing or bushing before tightening the pressure plate. When i don't have the correct splined shaft to do the aligning with i, use a universal alignment tool that can be purchased at any auto parts store. I think the one i have is a Lisle brand name. It consists of a shaft that is threaded on one end, several different diameter pucks to fit inside the pilot bearing or bushing and a tapered cone to align the clutch plate. Find the puck that is the correct size to fit the pilot bearing or bushing and screw the shaft to it and insert into the bearing inside the flywheel. If a little undersized to fit the bearing you can wrap layers of electrical tape around the puck to snug it up. Next slide the clutch plate on to the shaft and slide the tapered cone up tight in the splined hole in the plate. Then the pressure plate over the clutch plate and start all the bolts but, do not tighten them yet. Now take one hand and push the cone forward into the clutch plate and hold it tight while tightening the bolts. Alternate tightening the bolts around the plate until they are all tight while holding the pressure on the cone with your hand. Next remove the tool and the alignment is finished. I have used a universal clutch alignment tool many many times when i had nothing else to use. Never try to force or pull a tractor together as you will damage the clutch plate. If everything is properly aligned and you can rotate the flywheel or transmission input shaft it should go together very easily. I hope this helps. You can do a search to see the tool i mentioned.

Dave, I had asked in one of your previous messages if this was a two stage clutch so as to not give irrevalant info. Don't remember seeing a reply. So here goes anyway.

If it is, the PTO disk has to be centered perfectly.

I think it was janicholson that talked about putting the ppa in a press.

I've had to bolt the ppa to the flywheel and put all that in a press to re-center the pto disk. Did this with a cut off section of an alignment tool. Using your old release bearing, or something similar sized, you can compress the release levers enough to center the PTO disk.

Then as said be sure to align the driven disk when re- installing.

Oh yea, first besure the splined hubs of both discs fit and slide easily onto their respective shafts.

So, at this point I think I should outline the steps I am doing and throw it open to correction. I follow these excellent responses but I am seeing some contradictions I think...so maybe this way is easier.

I have only split one tractor before this one. 1957 Loboy and it was a bit easier.

In the absence of much from the manual, I put the parts back together EXACTLY the way I took them off. I place the clutch plate and pressure plate on an alignment tool that is specifically for the 300U. I slide the end of the tool into the pilot bearing until it is fully seated. I rotate the pressure plate until the holes line up to the flywheel and then start all six bolts. Once they are all started, I tighten them in rotation while holding onto the alignment tool and keeping it all up tight to the fly wheel. Once the pressure plate bolts are tight, I remove the alignment tool and attempt to rejoin the tractor. I do absolutely nothing else. Nothing is done to the pressure plate fingers which flatten as I tighten the bolts.

In subsequent attempts, I have tried rotating the PTO and even jacking one tire, putting it in gear and rotating the tire. These two actions rotate each of the two splined shafts. PTO does the larger and the wheel does the smaller.

None of these attempts have succeeded in rejoining the halves. I understand clearly that I am missing something. If I have to compress the fingers before I install the pressure plate either using nuts or 3 bolts, how do I remove these later and how do I tighten the pressure plate once the tractor is rejoined? I appreciate the excellent answers and believe I am just about at the point where I understand. A little more prodding needed...

Think a bunch of us assumed you were lining the clutch plate center up with the pilot bearing in flywheel when bolting the pressure plate down. If not that's part of your problem. Never had a problem getting the engine and clutch housings on that series tractor when installing clutch to flywheel first. But I use a extra clutch shaft to line them up. Even then the line up shaft will sag down a little with plate weight, so just before pressure plate bolt up locks it to flywheel lift up on rear of line up tool and then back down half the distance to center. After I posted I see you were lining up clutch plate with pilot bearing. On a 300 clutch I do like you did. Line up clutch plate and start tightening the pressure plate bolts a little on each trying to bring them in even until pp contacts fly wheel. then finish tightening.

This post was edited by D Slater on 08/30/2021 at 06:18 pm.

To clarify for the other poster- it is not a 2 stage clutch.
I have never seen a clutch come back from a rebuilder that did not have the fingers compressed. It does not matter how you install the clutch-you want the fingers compressed. It is easier to start and draw down the pressure plate to flywheel bolts(that you replaced). When it is drawn down tight the spacers fall out. If it has the yellow bolts you remove them, but I believe this clutch will have the spacers. The bolts that Jim is explaining are usually painted yellow. If it has spacers under the backside of the fingers, they will usually fall out when you bolt it to the flywheel-as I stated in my last reply. Your pressure plate may not have had them, from your description of how high the fingers are, and, how the shaft did not protrude thru the clutch disc when you hung it. Also there is a front and a rear side to the clutch disc. It is critical to be put in the correct way. This also should have been marked by the rebuilder. If not, we can explain how to tell. Also you want your external pedal linkage unhooked when you put the 2 halves together.
Now you see how easy it went together without the clutch- that is how easy it goes together when you hang it on the splines and roll it together, and bolt it from underneath. But the pressure plate fingers have to be compressed and the clutch linkage needs unhooked.
Good luck with the engine! Mark.

Thanks Mark! I will get some pictures of how I put the clutch plate in to make sure it is correct. The picture shows it coming out and I put it back in the same way. If I understand you, the pressure plate had spacers specific to it? If so, they are long gone. I can tell that I am not the first one to split this tractor. Lots of blue gasket sealer trying to fix the seal leak was my first clue. It sounds like I have to do what Jim and TV are telling me and compress the fingers before installing on the flywheel. Originally, I thought they meant only if I was hanging them on the shaft and not installing on fly wheel.

As I understand a 2 stage clutch, no it doesn't have that. I have a 20 series Ford that has a clutch that you can push down either half way or all the way depending on what you want to do with the PTO. The 300u is independent PTO which I believe is a different animal altogether.

Clutch on the shaft is easier as with collapsed PP you can do all the work from the hole underneath. I even do my semi's this way. I slide it all on the shaft then tighten the clutch up after the bell housing is tight. They are closer quarters than tractors are. I use a short pin to align the bolt holes when putting the bolts in as the PP will try to sag down some. It has 2 clutch discs to line up splines on. With your clutch and the cone deal will still be a problem if it does not fit the clutch disc and the PP spline at the same time. With the spline in the PP to drive your PTO it needs the second spline position.

You do NOT want to install the clutch and pressure plate to the flywheel first you want them on the input shafts . Since your a novice 99 % chance you will end up destroying the clutch disc when you try and get it back together . Instead of just having to get the transmission input shaft to SLIDE into the pilot bearing now you have two sets of spline to line up and and input shaft . Put the stupid pressure plate on the floor and like said before use your heal and depress one finger at a time and stuff a 1/4 inch nut between the finger and the cover . If your old and fat and can not bend down then have someone put the nut in for ya . Then place the pressure plate on the PTO input shaft then the clutch disc with the spring damper side into the pressure plate . Good god this is not rocket sciences . NOW for all this to work your going to need to get the engine to turn over . Now depend in just how STUCK it is if it was me doing this i would NOT be messing around , i would NOT be looking for a snake oil fix , i would NOT waist anymore time , the valve cover would come off the manifold would be off the rocker arms and push rods would end up in the valve cover and the impact would have the head bolts/ NUTS off and in the valve cover so fast and the head would be on the bench in less then and hour . THEN i would know if this is a HARD STUCK or a light STUCK . Light stuck ok not a big deal some Zep a block of OAK and my 4 pound hammer More Zep . If there was rust in the liner and i am taking light rust i would run my old deglazing hone up and down and knock the rust off . If it is a hard stuck then that is a no brainer the sleeves are JUNK the piston is JUNK the rings are JUNK and the engine would be out and on the stand and the only thing i would be saving is the rods . BUT you do as you please . You ask questions and more questions and more people try and help you and what we tell you you you seem not to listen .

Sometimes TV, I think you are the only one who really understands me. There is some pretty good stuff in there hidden amongst the insults! I'll take the good with the bad!