S373D Clutch Problems

   / S373D Clutch Problems #1  

duwem

Silver Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
234
Tractor
John Deere Garden Tractors
Was moldboard plowing with my tractor this weekend. Clutch was acting a little touchy where it would be agressive to engage with a clunk some times.

One time when I started it up (with clutch pedal pressed down of course) when I let the clutch off once running, it never engaged and the pedal felt like it wasn't doing anything. Per a suggestion of someone else, re-started it in gear with the clutch pedal not pressed down and it took right off moving. Pedal was noticeably harder than normal to push down but would engage and disengage the rest of the day even after another couple of shutdowns.

It for sure was not slipping as I was pulling a 16" plow uphill and almost snuffed the engine out a few times.

Tractor sat outside for 10-15 years before I got it in non running condition, but from the point I got it started for the first time last year till this past weekend I didnt have any clutch problems then.

Thoughts?

Anything I can see or lube through that little drain plug in the bellhousing?

Was no water in there the first time I pulled it before starting the tractor. I was told the previous owner (a mitsubishi tractor dealer) had put a new clutch in it not long before it was parked, but dont know what was all replaced when they did it.
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems #2  
This is a guess but it seems like maybe the throwout bearing got held up a bit. Perhaps caught on a pressure plate spring? No way i know of to inspect it. Unless you have a bore scope camera thingy.
Is this your first run after sitting over winter?
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems #3  
Interesting enough my S373D in in my shop in many pieces. I went to drive two nights ago and the clutch would not disengage? I dug the bucket into the ground and spun the wheels into the dirt with clutch pedal depressed, still would not disengage. I took it apart and found a lot of rust internally. I took the flywheel and pressure plate, chucked them in the lathe and went to work with 80 grit removing rust, finished off with 120 grit once down to shiny steel. While splitting the bell housing off the transmission, the water was dripping out of the case. The small rubber plug removed and had to poke a screw driver up into a lot of rusty goop to get a tablespoon or so of water out. The throw out bearing is on a sliding sleeve, it needed to be cleaned up. The radius on the throw out yoke was flattened out, gave it a fresh radius on the side of a grinding wheel. Clutch shaft cleaned up and regreased. Just going to try to get a friction disc and put it all back together.
I think I will park the tractor under a roof from now on.
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I drove it at least once this winter.

Do you have any pictures of the disassembly. The copy of the manual I have the pictures are too black to make out any details.

Thanks
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I drove it at least once this winter.

Do you have any pictures of the disassembly. The copy of the manual I have the pictures are too black to make out any details.

Thanks
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems #7  
My guess is that there is some rust on the splined transmission shaft. The clutch disc is splined to this and it could be hanging up on some rust instead of sliding on the shaft. My 1450D was having similar issues with the pedal. It was making a little noise in the release bearing too. I bought a new release bearing and pilot bearing. My brother split it and had it back together before I had a chance to see the innards. The clutch was still good.
 
   / S373D Clutch Problems
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Anything I can try to lube through that drain hole?

Kind of surprised I didnt notice it the first year I owned the tractor after it sat for 10+ years, think it would have been there right away.

Trying to troubleshoot without splitting the tractor, but it may come to that. Not the end of the world, but just another project.
 
 
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