Belarus 250AS - Bad clutch or something else?

[Nate1425]

Hi,

I am new member here, but did lots of research here before joining. I know it is not the best brand but I just brought home a 1986 Belarus 250AS. It runs pretty good once I jump start it (needs a battery) and all the hydraulics work with just a couple leaking hoses. It has a front end loader and power steering, and I believe it also has remote hydraulics on the back.

Anyway, the previous owner said it only needs a clutch. I just want to diagnose the problem myself before I split the tractor and spend $600ish on parts. So what I know so far is that the PTO does turn when engaged. I can put the tractor into gear and it will not move, doesn't even budge at all. If I press the brakes, the engine revs up.

Does it sound like the clutch is bad or something else? Any other tests I can do or things to check?

Thanks!

 

[brcisna]

Nate,
Does the cluutch pedal feel like it has much spring pressure? Even with very slight pressure on some compact tractors,, of the clutch pedal,you should be able to feel a 'spring action' to the pedal rather just a 'mush' feeling when you depress the clutch pedal.On a tractor this age it is most likely a combination of weak pressure plate springs along with a worn out clutch disc,,,,,just guessing ,,,,of course.
If the previous owner claims it needs a clutch he/she more than likely had their local tractor wrench take a look at this tractor. The previous owner more than likely simply did not want to monkey with doing the clutch job,or didnt want to pay someone to do it either.
With the pto engaging as you are seeing it,,the pto takes virtualy no force to turn if the clutch has any linings left on the disc at all. Will the tractor try and move at all in its lowest gear,,,on level concrete?

Take Care,
Barry

 

[Tx Jim]

Far out possible problem could be a faulty pinion shaft in differential not allowing both axles to get power. If tractor has diff lock then depress diff lock pedal and see it it will move while in gear.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Does the PTO start and stop using the clutch? That would indicate some clutch function since it's a single stage clutch i.e. the one clutch engages the drive wheels and PTO at the same time.

It could be a problem with the fwd-n-rev lever not coming out of neutral. The SL1/SL2 gear bypasses that neutral so it's easy to check.

On the main shifter there's also a high-n-low function when you push the lever into the forward slot and move it left or right. You have to push that firmly into high or low, then bring it down to the main gear pattern, otherwise none of the gears will work. You should be able to feel it move the gears from high to neutral to low.

 

[Nate1425]

Nate,
Does the cluutch pedal feel like it has much spring pressure? Even with very slight pressure on some compact tractors,, of the clutch pedal,you should be able to feel a 'spring action' to the pedal rather just a 'mush' feeling when you depress the clutch pedal.On a tractor this age it is most likely a combination of weak pressure plate springs along with a worn out clutch disc,,,,,just guessing ,,,,of course.
If the previous owner claims it needs a clutch he/she more than likely had their local tractor wrench take a look at this tractor. The previous owner more than likely simply did not want to monkey with doing the clutch job,or didnt want to pay someone to do it either.
With the pto engaging as you are seeing it,,the pto takes virtualy no force to turn if the clutch has any linings left on the disc at all. Will the tractor try and move at all in its lowest gear,,,on level concrete?

Take Care,
Barry

The clutch pedal moves about half way in before I feel any resistance. I believe the previous owner diagnosed it himself so I just wanted to run through any tests I could to confirm it. The tractor is sitting on the lawn, kind of uneven, and when I put it in gear and let out the clutch, nothing happens, not even a slight movement.

Far out possible problem could be a faulty pinion shaft in differential not allowing both axles to get power. If tractor has diff lock then depress diff lock pedal and see it it will move while in gear.

I am pretty sure there is no diff lock, or at least I don't know anything about it if it does. Is there another way to test a bad pinion shaft?

Does the PTO start and stop using the clutch? That would indicate some clutch function since it's a single stage clutch i.e. the one clutch engages the drive wheels and PTO at the same time.

It could be a problem with the fwd-n-rev lever not coming out of neutral. The SL1/SL2 gear bypasses that neutral so it's easy to check.

On the main shifter there's also a high-n-low function when you push the lever into the forward slot and move it left or right. You have to push that firmly into high or low, then bring it down to the main gear pattern, otherwise none of the gears will work. You should be able to feel it move the gears from high to neutral to low.

The PTO shaft will turn regardless of the clutch, if I remember correctly. I think I will need to play around with the shifter some more. Although, when the tractor was running and I put it in gear, it would grind slightly then go into gear so I think it was going in.


Thanks everyone for the responses so far. Hopefully, I will be able to get a little tractor time tomorrow to check it out some more. This is my first tractor so I am still learning about it. Would jacking up the rear and doing some tests that way help? Why would the governor kick in when putting on the brakes?

 

[Brad_Blazer]

The foot throttle is near the brakes. Sometimes the linkages interfere with each other.

If you engage the PTO and put the tractor in gear and release the clutch, the PTO should not be spinning if the clutch is slipping. In other words if the PTO is spinning and the tractor is not moving, it's either not in gear or something other than the clutch is broken.

 

[Nate1425]

I got some tractor time today and got the tractor to move. I jacked up the rear to get the wheels off the ground so I could see if they would spin with minimal resistance. I went through all the gears and nothing, so I played around with the forward/reverse lever then the high/low gear selector. I tried SL1 again and the wheels started turning! I drove the tractor around the yard in SL1 and SL2, but it was very difficult to shift as the clutch does nothing. I'm going to see if I can adjust the clutch but I'm guessing it won't do much and needs to be replaced. Thanks everyone for your help so far. I'm sure I will have plenty more questions when I get ready to split the tractor.

 

[mgraham112]

If you want a operator manual and service manual for that tractor, let me know and I can email it. I also would love to know how the clutch replacement goes as mine has been slipping for some time and I dread the thought of having to replace it. Splitting the tractor appears to be very tedious, not to mention trying to do it in a barn on soft dirt.. lol. So if you can take some pics of your clutch project, that would be awesome.

 

[BertZegers]

I got some tractor time today and got the tractor to move. I jacked up the rear to get the wheels off the ground so I could see if they would spin with minimal resistance. I went through all the gears and nothing, so I played around with the forward/reverse lever then the high/low gear selector. I tried SL1 again and the wheels started turning! I drove the tractor around the yard in SL1 and SL2, but it was very difficult to shift as the clutch does nothing. I'm going to see if I can adjust the clutch but I'm guessing it won't do much and needs to be replaced. Thanks everyone for your help so far. I'm sure I will have plenty more questions when I get ready to split the tractor.

You say the clutch does nothing. Will the tractor stop if you depress the clutch? If not, before you split the tractor check the forum for clutch that "sticks" and check adjustment first.

 

[tractorgreenie]

I got some tractor time today and got the tractor to move. I jacked up the rear to get the wheels off the ground so I could see if they would spin with minimal resistance. I went through all the gears and nothing, so I played around with the forward/reverse lever then the high/low gear selector. I tried SL1 again and the wheels started turning! I drove the tractor around the yard in SL1 and SL2, but it was very difficult to shift as the clutch does nothing. I'm going to see if I can adjust the clutch but I'm guessing it won't do much and needs to be replaced. Thanks everyone for your help so far. I'm sure I will have plenty more questions when I get ready to split the tractor.

I got a 250AS a little over a year ago and found that it was usually the gear shift that chooses forward, reverse, hi/lo that causes the problem, not the actual gear shift lever. I have to go back and forth between hi & low with the lever, trying to fit it "in" in both before selecting the one I want. That almost always works. I had the same issue with no movement when I first got mine, so I feel ya.