coasting down slopes in neutral or clutch in, bad?

[check]

His concern was more with me breaking my fool f------- neck more than the tractor. Whenever I broke equipment, he would calmly explain how to fix it and we would usually fix it together.

Wow - nice man!

 

[MHarryE]

Tractor max speed 24 mph, operator had stepped on clutch to speed back to the shop at end of the day. Lost control, rolled, we estimated his speed to be 45 mph when he flew out of the seat. That is the point where I found the cover for the heart needle the EMTs had used. Dead of broken neck. Whether trying to get back a few seconds quicker or trying to see how fast he could go down the hill.....

 

[1stDeuce]

OK, thanks everyone. So it sounds like it is a safety issue, which I know about, vs can damage trans or clutch except one reply said is bad for throwout bearing if clutch is depressed.

I skimmed the subsequent posts, but don't think this has been addressed...

The safety issue is fairly apparent, but there IS a damage concern...

When you depress the clutch and coast, you are still spinning the clutch disk and transmission, just as if you were revving the engine higher to achieve the same speed.

So look quickly at some numbers: Let's say you were in a gear that would get you 5mph at 2500rpm. You step on the clutch and coast down a hill, hitting 10mph. At 10mph, the clutch disk and trans main shaft are now spinning 5000rpm. Hit 15mph, that's 7500rpm on the clutch disk and upper bearings. That's too fast for both, most likely.

The real worry is that you're in a very low gear, let's say one that lets the tractor do 2mph at 2500rpm. If you clutch and coast to just 10mph, and the clutch disk and input shaft of the trans are doing 12,500 rpm's. That's about where an automotive clutch starts thinking about flying apart. I would bet a tractor clutch won't go that fast without tossing the lining...

So there's your damage concern. Don't coast faster than the tractor can go on it's own as a general rule, but if you somehow feel that you must, take the transmission out of gear so you don't destroy the clutch and upper bearings.

 

[DaveNJ]

Wow - nice man!��

Yes he was. He passed away 46 years ago when I was 16. I try to be like him as much as I can.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

In another life I was at a tractor dealership that sold multiple tractors to a large mine that used them as manhaulers underground and down the really long and steep ramp. To freewheel down the ramp was a firing offense by the mine so consequently every time we got a tractor that literally exploded where the clutch used to live. We where always told that no freewheeling happened. Was always curious how the employers handled it, we where told there was no freewheeling (of course) but then again how else can a clutch come up with so much pressure to blow apart the clutch housing, sometimes even breaking the mount ears off of the engine itself. haha

 

[LD1]

Took to page 3 to explain the equipment damage aspect.

1stdeuce hit the nail on the head.

You will over rev the clutch disc and it will explode. Will look like a giant birdnest of carbon, and fibers used to make the disc. I have seen them exploded before.

Not a huge issue on most tractors, but in a car/truck with synchronized gears, trying to downshift a few too many gears can blow a clutch. Have seen many people think it's okay to downshift from 5th to 1st when approaching a stop, and think that's okay as long as you don't let out the clutch. WRONG. The synchros are doing their job and trying to get the transmission shafts (and clutch) to match the ground speed for the gear you are trying to select. POP goes the clutch. Seen it first hand.

Now if the trans levers are all in neutral, and the clutch pedal released, I don't foresee any mechanical related failures as long as the max speed of the tractor isn't exceeded. But not very safe to do so

 

[TN75Jason]

I am glad some knowledgeable folks finally chimed in about exploding the clutch by over-revving so I didn't have to explain it. A friend and I used to import some foreign army trucks (Unimogs and Pinzgauers) and the Unimogs had some very low gearing. While unloading a truck, a driver had a Unimog in low gear and depressed the clutch pedal while rolling down the ramp - exploding the clutch for us.

 

[oosik]

I'm glad the OP explained why anybody would want to freewheel down a hill on a tractor. I've had my tandem axle trailer, loaded with green firewood, push me and the tractor past the point of positive traction on one hill on my driveway. BELIEVE ME - NEVER, NEVER AGAIN. Just by the luck of the Gods, I was able to control it until I could bring it to a stop. I got down off the tractor - my knees were so weak and shaking, I couldn't stand - I sat there on the dirt for a good ten minuets regaining my composure.

I had come down the driveway pulling a trailer loaded with three full chord of green firewood and gone down into the valley too fast.