New 2120 HSS owner w/rock solid clutch pedal

[CJFONNER]

Hey y'all - New member here. I just picked up a 1991 Ford 2120 HSS 4x4 loader backhoe at a very good price knowing it needed some work.

One of the issues I'm figuring out is that the clutch pedal is "non-operational". The tractor moves forward and backwards with the shuttle, and I can move through 1-4 gears on the right side of the steering wheel.

The clutch pedal itself HAD excessive play, and I've since adjusted that to around 1" of freeplay. Once the pedal gets to that point, it is rock solid. No movement downward at all aside from what I expect is slight flexing of the pedal shaft and linkage.

I've glanced inside the inspection port and dont see anything moving.

Does this sound like a throwout bearing that's stuck on the input shaft...clutch disc that siezed to the flywheel...or something else?

I've done a bit of searching and haven't found a thread discussing a similar issue.

Thanks for any guidance.

 

[TractorTech]

Welcome to TBN!

When you push it in to that point, can you feel anything through the clutch pedal like the TO bearing has pushed through the fingers on the PP or perhaps onto the PP fingers themselves?

 

[CJFONNER]

Welcome to TBN!

When you push it in to that point, can you feel anything through the clutch pedal like the TO bearing has pushed through the fingers on the PP or perhaps onto the PP fingers themselves?

Thanks for the warm welcome TractorTech. Once the pedal gets past the free play, it just feels solid…as in no further movement at all.

I disconnected the linkage from the cross shaft which runs into the bell housing and it will rotate back and forth a bit, so it’s not the shaft that’s seized. This leads me to believe either the throw out bearing is seized on the trans shaft…or potentially your idea of the bearing has just pushed through the fingers on the PP (which might explain the very excessive freeplay in the pedal before I adjusted it).

 

[TractorTech]

Thanks for the warm welcome TractorTech. Once the pedal gets past the free play, it just feels solid…as in no further movement at all.

I disconnected the linkage from the cross shaft which runs into the bell housing and it will rotate back and forth a bit, so it’s not the shaft that’s seized. This leads me to believe either the throw out bearing is seized on the trans shaft…or potentially your idea of the bearing has just pushed through the fingers on the PP (which might explain the very excessive freeplay in the pedal before I adjusted it).

That's what I was thinking. It would explain why the clutch will not disengage.
The cross shaft "rotates back and forth a bit". How much?

 

[MTGreen]

If the throw out bearing was seized on the shaft the pedal wouldn't move at all.
Judging from your excessive free play adjustment comment, my vote is for the prior owner never adjusting the clutch pedal and having the throw out bearing constantly run on and wear through the clutch actuation fingers; then you adjusting out the excess to 1" of free play is actually adjusting to within 1" of the hard stop of the throw out bearing/clutch fork assembly travel.

The other possibility is the clutch fork is not moving with the clutch fork shaft rotation as would be the case with sheared bolts/pins but this is less likely as the pedal would likely go all the way to the floor with no resistance depending on the design of the shaft and/or breakage.

I would back the pedal adjustment to somewhere roughly where it started or even further (looser), then look through that inspection port either with a flashlight or better yet an inspection cam and see what the throw out bearing/clutch fork assembly is doing. In proper operation, you should see the throw out bearing move along the shaft a short distance (pedal free play), then contact the clutch fingers and actuate the clutch. If you see the throw out bearing move past those fingers the first scenario is likely.

I think any way you slice it you're going to need to split the tractor and almost certainly need a new clutch assembly.
IIRC the larger 1x20 series came with single or double clutch options so unless you know for sure what you need, you may want to wait to open it up before ordering parts. Maybe @TractorTech knows for sure on the 2120 model because I think he is a New Holland tech

 

[MTGreen]

Your shift fork 26 is pinned on to your shift shaft 24 with pin 27. Shearing that pin 27 was the second less likely scenario I outlined above.
That shift fork 26 interfaces with your throw out bearing carrier 23 which has the throw out bearing 22 pressed on to it. You should be able to see/verify through the inspection port that the shift fork moves with shift shaft rotation, the throw out bearing/carrier assembly is interfaced with and moves with the shift fork, and whether or not the throwout bearing contacts the pressure plate actuation fingers on part 20

 

[CJFONNER]

That's what I was thinking. It would explain why the clutch will not disengage.
The cross shaft "rotates back and forth a bit". How much?

If I had to guess, maybe 5-10 degrees.

 

[CJFONNER]

Thanks for all the input, fellas. I'm going to split the tractor this weekend so I can get a better look at things - I figure at this point, whatever repair is needed won't be able to be done through the inspection port...

I'll document as I go and report back in case anyone else has a similar issue in the future.

 

[CJFONNER]

Well, I had a chance to dig into this a bit today. The throw out bearing and the cast piece it sits on was in fact seized to the carrier tube. I’m assuming from sitting for a long period without use.

The clutch disc itself looked nearly new, but the pressure plate will need to be replaced and the flywheel turned due to rust.

 

[5030]

That 'good deal' is turning into a not good deal....