1983 Ford 1700 - Clutch stopped working

[JC-jetro]

Not sure where I gave you the impression the tractor was NOT on flat ground. It is.

My driveway is a rough surface, not perfect smooth pavement, so moving is going to be a challenge.
That is rough, but you are only moving on two wheels rather than 4. if you wedge a 24 or rock bar against the well you can push it front and back incrementally

I know I need to take the loader off - but I'm not sure how I'll get it away from the tractor so that I can, once split, I can roll the front of the tractor away from back half.

Perhaps usifg a come along attached to a parked vehicle in front of loader

I now understand what you mean about putting a weight in the rear of the back of the tractor.
cool

My engine lift is like this one: Amazon.com: Premium Steel 3 Ton 6000 LB Heavy Duty Engine Hoist Cherry Picker Shop Crane: Everything Else . It will certainly lift the rear section of the front half of the tractor, but, I will be coming at the tractor from the side, with the legs sliding under the tractor. I don't see any way possible, once it's there and holding up the rear of the front section ...how I can then roll the front of the tractor away from the back.

I have the same, I used it several time to lower transmission Front on front wheel drive after removing the hood.

Once again, I don't understand how to close the 'rate of drop' by "by closing the rate of drop (toward turtle) ". What is the "toward turtle"? Do you mean throttle? The throttle is the little arm that comes out of the center of the steering wheel. The hydro controls are to the right of the throttle and only go up and down (I believe). Don't know how I'd put the up/down control to the left. (pretty confused on this one - sorry!).

It is thurtle, it is a knob right under the seat on the lift cylinder head. CW (Clock Wise) , left to right closes a needle valve in direction of a turtle , that slows the rate in which 3 point can be lowered , hence "turtle". Moving CCW, right to left open up the needle valve more, causing the 3 point to drop faster, hence "rabbit" but not the "Wasscally Wabbit". This turtle/rabbit is almost a universal designation to slow or speed up rate of drop on many tractor brand. Capische?

JC,

 

[jpilk99]

Ahah. Turtle & Rabbit. Got it.

I'm just going to have to do some thinkin/planning. I can disconnect the loader, but, I have it resting on 2x6s. If I use a comealong to drag it out of the way ...it's gonna fall off the 2x6s.

Yeah, these engine lifts are very good at lifting things straight up. But, once I lift the front half of the tractor - then what? I can't roll it or the tractor anywhere. Driveway is all rough. Even if I put a sheet of plywood down, I'm not thinking of dragging the entire front half of the tractor, suspended by this engine lift, anywhere. If by some chance I did, I don't see getting it back to where I need to reconnect back half to front half. Again, maybe I've got to think/strategize a LOT more, but, I'm just not that well setup in my driveway with the equipment I have. Or at least with the equipment/tools I would use.

Who knows, maybe an epiphany awaits me. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[jimmysisson]

I'd remove the loader somewhere else, just get it out of the picture. Drive the tractor (or pull it if need be) so the rear tires are at one end of two sheets of stout plywood - 3/4" would be good. When you get everything disconnected you can probably leave the front half suspended by the engine hoist and crawl the rear away, along the plywood, using a floor jack (and a friend). You only need to move it a foot or so.
Reassembly is trickier. Make sure the clutch disc is installed correct-side-to-flywheel, should be marked. Center the disc with an alignment tool before tightening the pressure plate. Remove alignment tool when PP is tight.
Roll the back half toward the front, at the correct height so the housing mating surfaces are parallel. Do not try to pull the back to the front with bolts or all-thread, too easy to overdo it and break a casting. If everything is lined up, the halfs will slide together. It won't happen the first try unless you're very lucky.
Hook up the clutch linkage first and try the pedal to see if it feels as it should : might need adjusting of course. After that its all tedium until you try to start the engine. Reattach the minimum of linkages before that point so if you have to retrace your steps you won't have so far to go.
Don't work when you're tired. Take lots of before photos. Lots of castings use different size or length bolts in different places so you need a system to get them back right.
Enjoy it if you can. You'll learn a lot, and maybe a few cuss words will come back to you from your misspent youth.
Jim

 

[jpilk99]

Thanks Jimmy. Western Mass, eh? C'mon out to Bolton and dust off a few of them cuss words you's talkin 'bout.

When you mention "center the disc with an alignment tool", that scares me. As ...decent a mechanic as I am, I am not a lucky person overall. If there's some oddity that can go wrong, it usually tends to with me. That said, if the new disc doesn't just snap in place - it requires alignment (and I've never done one) ...this seems like the place where I'd get pinched.

Thoughts or expanded thoughts? Thank you.

Ooo, another question. Sounds like this could be a many-day project. How careful must I be, if it rains, to not allow a drop of water to get somewhere it shouldn't? I can cover with a tarp, but, just curious about water damaging something that I need to be ultra carfeful on.

Thanks!

 

[JC-jetro]

FYI. Alignment tool. If the splines on on the clutch disk does not perfectly centers with the flywheel and once you put the pressure plate on make it almost impossible to line up transmission input shaft to mesh without damage with the splines. That's why Jimmy said , take time be in a right state of mind and don't force anything. All of that said, it is 10 time easier that doing the Mistubishi clutch job on my boy's car. They lowered the engine/transmission together > i could not easily clear the bottom and had one heck of time bring it up and lining up with the spline. Engine hoist allowed me to lift the transmission by it center of gravity and hold it with the chain to allow slight movement in any direction i needed. Ford 1700 will be much easier specially in a garage. with come along you can pull but can't push to mate both end.

JC,

 

[jimmysisson]

In the center of the flywheel is the end of the crankshaft. It is drilled for a (usually) bushing that the front of the transmission input shaft slides into. The alignment tool is a simpler version of the transmission input shaft. You loosely assemble the clutch disc and the pressure plate onto the flywheel, then slide the alignment tool through the disc into the bushing. Jiggle the tool around a little and when you think the disc is centered on the bushing/flywheel, go around and snug the pressure plate bolts evenly until tight.
The tool should then pull out smoothly. If not, repeat the centering and tightening. What you're trying to do is get the clutch disc exactly centered on the flywheel. Then, when you're easing the heavy stuff together, the transmission input shaft will go first through the disc, with splines lined up, then the shaft tip will enter the pilot bushing. It's easy when everything's lined up, and awful when it's not.
Might be worth checking the bushing for wear somehow, or just replace it. It's a cheap part and will aggravate you if it chatters when you're all done.

I recommend you read up on this whole process before tearing into the machine. Get your torque wrench out and use it. Replace disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and maybe pilot bushing. Check for wear on the clutch fork (actuating arm). It's enough of a pain to split and reassemble that you only want to do it once. Though it will be quicker the second time...
Jim

 

[jimmysisson]

Re the rain, try to keep it dry. Tractors shed rain mostly, but I'd tarp the work area for sure. Thinking about it again, you probably only need one sheet of plywood in the center; it's just to roll the floor jack on.
Jim

 

[jpilk99]

Hello again.

I finally have the funds to pay a proper mechanic to split my tractor and get this Old Blue back & running again. What he found today was I need:

1. Throw out bearing is bad. The assembly it rests in looks okay, but, assume I need to buy both as a mated setup.
2. Pressure plate. 1 finger worn badly, 1 finger worse, 1 finger cracked the end off of. Rest of the contraption looks good, but, I assume I buy the whole thing are 1 new pressure plate
3. Pilot bearing in on the shaft. It may be fine, but, since we're "open" and accessible, might as well get a new one.
4. Clutch disk looks fine, he said. But again, if we're this far into it, might as well get a new one.

Only problem is he isn't able to 'easily' find the parts; says they're drying up. I live in Bolton, MA - about an hour west of Boston. Does anyone know where I can get the parts?

Thank you,

Jay

 

[JC-jetro]

Jay,

Either yourself or have the mechanic buy the parts from fleebay. I have a link for you below @ $132 and $17 shipping can't be beat. It has all you need. I strongly suggest to replace all pertinent part while you have the opportunity.

JC,

SBA3211 Ford Tractor Clutch Kit 131 132 15 151 16 162 17 171 | eBay