Do I need a new clutch

[stormin1968]

I recently bought a small farm and with it the previous owner's 1980 John Deere 850 (1000 hours) and mowing implements. This is my first tractor and first diesel vehicle but am very experienced driving manual transmissions on gasoline power cars. There are a number of very steep hills on the property and the first time I cut the land I used engine braking and light brake pressure in first gear to go downhill on the steep slopes up to 30+ or so degrees. the second time I cut the grass I attempted a 45 degree hill and the tractor rolled about 5 feet down the hill then took off on me. I had to stand on the brake and slowly turn the wheel to get it parallel to the fence at the bottom rather than crash through. when the hill began to level out the tractor resumed normal speed. After, when I went to cut the hills I had no problem with last week, the same thing happened but the hills were smaller and had no fence at the bottom, so not so terrifying. The question: Did my clutch begin to spin on me and let the wheels accelerate? Could it be that the engine braking was overcome by the weight? my daughter said the back wheels were not turning when I zipped down the hill so maybe the whole thing was just sliding? Did I stand on the brake too hard each time the second day and lock them up? This is not good because the clutch would have to be slipping then to stay running with locked wheels? Any other possibilities I do not know about? Any solid opinions would be helpful. I am very short of cash and the thought of splitting the tractor in half to change the clutch is not enticing. I won't try anything over 30 degrees again but would hate to be working one of these hills when that thing finally quits grabbing and I have to fix a fence or worse.

 

[pohorsky]

I know our tractor, a Ferguson TO-30 has been known to pop out of first gear, so I mow in second. No other problems with the clutch or any of the other gears. You could try in 2nd gear and see what happens.
BTW :welcome:

 

[stormin1968]

Thanks! I am fairly certain it did not pop out of gear because it very smoothly sped up and then slowed down as if the clutch could not take the pressure and slipped until the slope was less and it regrabbed. Is there a way to adjust it? That could be a quick remedy. I can try second, I do not remember what gears I was in every time I went on the hills.

 

[Case3220]

If the 1000 hours are the real ones, then I don't think your tractor needs a new clutch. It probably was just sliding. Try getting the tractor with a fully loaded trailer and go up that hill. If the tractor stops moving in the middle of the hill then thhe clutch is the problem if not it was just sliding. Anyways if it is the clutch you'll soon know if you use your tractor a lot!

 

[Qapla]

It seems to me that if the clutch was slipping that bad going down the hill it would be gone now and you would not have been able to continue to drive it back to the barn.

I would think either you were sliding or that the weight of the tractor and mower on that slope overcame the gears and you were spinning the transmission and engine.

 

[Mace Canute]

Did you check the freeplay on your clutch pedal?

 

[Harry in Ky]

A few simple tests for your clutch -- First check your freeplay adjustment. Make sure you have some. Next, get the tractor to a somewhat smooth, hard and level surface. Put it into a higher gear, then slowly let the pedal up. Take note of how far upward it travels before the clutch begins to engage(engine loads and tractor wants to move). If this happens within the first 1/3 of pedal travel, your clutch is PROBABLY okay. If, on the other hand, it happens in the last inch or so of travel, and the pedal is nearly all the way up, then you may have some problems. Next, try in a higher gear at mid to high RPM. With the tractor rolling, hold the brakes as hard as you can. If the clutch is any good(and the brakes work) you should kill the engine. If the tractor stops, and the engine just pulls down but keeps running, then your clutch is slipping.

 

[k0ua]

I would bet a $5 bill it is not your clutch.. It is common on steep hills to slip down the by sliding the back tires. You did not mention if your tractor is 4x4 or not.. Always go down steep hills in 4x4 to prevent this from happening. I know I do, after learning the hard way a couple of times. Weeee--- Hawwww... Look out below..

 

[yanmars]

I have a Yanmar 336 diesel. It is similar to the JD 950 as Yanmar engines etc. were built by them for JD. I have had a similar trouble when I had the tractor in 2 wheel drive instead of 4 wheel drive on the hill. I do not know if yours is a 4 or 2 wheel drive machine. Fortunately when my tractor took off I was able to lower the front end loader to get it stopped because the brakes were insufficient to get it stopped.

My father in law said if you had the tractor in a higher gear and slowly pushed against a large tree if the tractor stalled the clutch was not slipping, if it did not the clutch could be slipping.

My clutch had to be replaced before 1000 hours after I lent it out and it appears they rode the clutch repeatedly and damaged it before they returned it then telling it was bad. It was not bad for years before that in all applications I used.

 

[Quebecguy]

I agree with kOua, your tractor was sliding down those hills. Make sure the grass is not wet when you are trying to cut on those steep parts or better yet try to arrange it so that you just go uphill on the steep parts. A loader on the front of the tractor will lessen rear wheel traction too.