clutch frozen-satoh 650g

[gpb]

I have a Satoh 650G. Clutch is frozen and will not release with the pedal.
It has set for about 5 months without being run. Tractor starts right up but I can not get the clutch to disengage. Anyone with any ideas?

 

[Bird]

Clutches sticking like that is nothing new. It's been going on for years and on different brands. I'm not familiar with yours but some tractors have a hole through which you can insert a big screw driver and pry the clutch loose. Of course you either need someone holding the pedal down or you need to have it blocked down while you do it. Some new tractors even come with a block of wood to block the clutch pedal down when the tractor isn't going to be used for awhile to keep it from sticking.

I've metioned before that we had a 1940 John Deere L in the early 50s that sometimes had that problem. We always got it unstuck an easier, but more dangerous way. It was a handcranked model with the crank in the front end, so we'd put the gearshift in neutral, crank it up, let it run long enough to warm up, so it would start easily. Then we'd shut it down, put the gear shift in 1st gear, pull the crank, then get out of the way when the tractor took off, then climb on from behind, stand on the clutch pedal with the left foot, open the throttle wide open and stand on the brakes as hard as possible. That always worked to pop it loose and then it was OK until it sat without being used for extended periods of time again.

 

[BTDT]

Hey Bird, where does the handcrank go on a Satoh?

 

[john_bud]

Block the clutch peddle down and let it sit for a week or two. (assuming you don't need it now) It may pop loose on it's own.

If that doesn't work, or you need it now, dog the clutch down and put on your heaviest ground engaging piece of equipment. Bottom plow, middle buster box blade with the scarifiers all the way down and it tipped forward, etc. Start it up in 1st and go at a field for about 15-20 minutes. If it doesn't break free switch to 2nd gear and quickly drop the plow all the way down, plow for 30 seconds, raise it up and dump it down again. This is going to be hard with all the frozen ground, but you get the idea...

You want to put some "shock" load onto the clutch. Getting it all good and hot, lots of vibrations and a variable large load often will get them to pop loose.

If not, try taking out the starter and seeing if you can squirt some WD40 or penetrating oil on the clutch disc. Let that sit for a couple hours then do the plow thing again. DON'T use regular oil. You want something that will evaporate off and not leave you with an oil soaked clutch.

The cause of the sticking is moisture in the clutch housing. There should be a drain. Make sure it is open and dry.


AFter it's free, be sure to clean off the clutch face. Put your plow back in the ground and put the trans in 3rd and feather the clutch to get started. You want to burn off the rust (and any wd40 or similar).

jb

 

[Bird]

Hey Bird, where does the handcrank go on a Satoh?

You mean it didn't come with a crank?

 

[Soundguy]

Great info. Another way to do this is to put a pto load on it.. like a 3pt mower.. and try to start her in neutral, clutch blocked witht he mower. i've seen this extra load pop the clutch loose many times.

now.. once you get her loose.. drive her around for a couple minutes and slip the clutch a little more than normal on starts to 'surface' it a tad. And now that it has stuck once.. it's way more likely to do it again.. start blocking yuor clutch down when not in use.

Soundguy

Block the clutch peddle down and let it sit for a week or two. (assuming you don't need it now) It may pop loose on it's own.

If that doesn't work, or you need it now, dog the clutch down and put on your heaviest ground engaging piece of equipment. Bottom plow, middle buster box blade with the scarifiers all the way down and it tipped forward, etc. Start it up in 1st and go at a field for about 15-20 minutes. If it doesn't break free switch to 2nd gear and quickly drop the plow all the way down, plow for 30 seconds, raise it up and dump it down again. This is going to be hard with all the frozen ground, but you get the idea...

You want to put some "shock" load onto the clutch. Getting it all good and hot, lots of vibrations and a variable large load often will get them to pop loose.

If not, try taking out the starter and seeing if you can squirt some WD40 or penetrating oil on the clutch disc. Let that sit for a couple hours then do the plow thing again. DON'T use regular oil. You want something that will evaporate off and not leave you with an oil soaked clutch.

The cause of the sticking is moisture in the clutch housing. There should be a drain. Make sure it is open and dry.


AFter it's free, be sure to clean off the clutch face. Put your plow back in the ground and put the trans in 3rd and feather the clutch to get started. You want to burn off the rust (and any wd40 or similar).

jb

 

[john_bud]

Yeah that will work, but it gives me the "willies" to hammer the pto system that way. Must be some subconscious training from my mis-spent youth! You get trained on how to engage the pto the right way, and it sticks. Then again, if you don't get the clutch un-stuck you need to split the tractor. That does shade things differently!

 

[Soundguy]

I don't see how it hammers the pto system ? I'm not saying start the tractor then jamb the pto in gear.. I'm saying start with a pto load.. Not much different than engaging the pto on a heavy load.. like a mower.. etc.

Besides.. the small shock from the starter popping against it is quite likely to pop it loose.. If the pto can't handle that.. I think the tractor has quite a few other problems..

Soundguy

 

[JC-jetro]

A question to all,

Would you cause permanent deformation of pressure plate finger while blocking for an extended time? will that cause loss of spring action of the pressure plate fingers or spring ring the case od dual clutch system (live PTO)?

Thanks
Jetro

 

[john_bud]

I don't see how it hammers the pto system ? I'm not saying start the tractor then jamb the pto in gear.. I'm saying start with a pto load.. Not much different than engaging the pto on a heavy load.. like a mower.. etc.

Besides.. the small shock from the starter popping against it is quite likely to pop it loose.. If the pto can't handle that.. I think the tractor has quite a few other problems..

Soundguy

My mistake. I indeed thought you ment to start the tractor and jamb the PTO in.

jb

Jetro - I don't think that will cause any permanent issue to dog it down. Many tractors have a latch to hold the clutch peddle down. My Kubota does. I wish the Ford did.