1948 8N clutch issues

[48ben]

been helping a friend to bring his 8N back to live after years of just sitting in the yard(The tractor , not me)Got it converted to 12volts,electronic ignition and installed a new radiator,greased the thing and changed the motor oil(sludge).Tractor fired right up,hydraulics and pto work fine.One problem is the clutch.Can not put the tractor in any gear while running,gears grind.adjusted the clutch but makes no difference.I can put the tractor into reverse and than start it.Could the clutch be "stuck" from years of sitting up?if so is it a common problem and how to cure it?
thanks in advance,Ben

 

[ultrarunner]

Yes... clutch facing is bonded to flywheel/pressure plate.

I've had success by getting a rolling start in gear and then driving with my foot pressed down on the clutch pedal... one time it took almost 20 minutes of driving around the field to break loose.

With a little luck, the disk will separate and hopefully in one piece.

I have a little stick I use to keep the clutch disengaged when in prolonged storage.

 

[KubotaSam]

Yes... clutch facing is bonded to flywheel/pressure plate.

I've had success by getting a rolling start in gear and then driving with my foot pressed down on the clutch pedal... one time it took almost 20 minutes of driving around the field to break loose.

With a little luck, the disk will separate and hopefully in one piece.

I have a little stick I use to keep the clutch disengaged when in prolonged storage.

Ultrarunner is correct. Sometimes you need to do something a little more drastic to free the clutch. I have chained tractors to a tree and started them in gear with the clutch depressed. Make sure you hook the chain low on the tractor to the drawbar not the 3 point hitch. If you pull from above the axle centerline you can tip the tractor over backwards. I have also seen clutches that would not free up and I had to split the tractor to remove the pressure plate and clutch disk.

 

[Soundguy]

block the clutch down for a few days.. if that don't do it. block the clutch, start in ear in an open area and drive in figure 8's.. stomp the brake onthe outside of the 8.. let the diffy action pressur ehte clutch to flywheel bond.

can also hookup a mower and bump the starter ove with the clutch blocked and pto engaged.. extra shock load o he mower can break m loose.

sounduy

 

[Stimw]

Can you put it in a forward gear and start it without the tractor moving? If yes then you most likely you have oil on the clutch disc from either the rear engine seal or the front trans seal. If no oil then the pressure plate might have problems, broken spring, or needs ajusting.
There's a chance that it is rust on the flywheel and P plate.
Others are telling you what to do if the clutch disc is frozen to the flywheel. If it is frozen then you can't start it in gear without the tractor moving.

 

[Truck19]

Yes I know this thread is ancient but also I had the stuck clutch problem after one of my 8N's sat for only a week. While some of the methods suggested above may work I find some of them to be a bit risky safety wise and potentially damaging to the equipment, so here is what I did.
I removed the starter, clamped the clutch pedal down and then with the squirt tube bent 90 degrees shot some carb cleaner just past the ring gear, rotated the flywheel a bit with a screwdriver using the ring gear and repeated. It took about a can plus a little more to free it, I put the trans in 4th and rocked the tractor a bit and it freed up after a couple of seconds of rocking, then I shot a little brake clean to clean of the solvent residue once it broke loose.
Since doing this the clutch has also stopped being grabby and has not given a hint of sticking or dragging even after sitting for weeks.
This my is first post on this forum and hope it will save someone some aggravation, hopefully my small contribution to the wealth of knowledge shared here.
Cheers.

 

[ultrarunner]

Always good to hear what works...

Welcome to TBN!