FE 35 Live Drive clutch cover

[Steven B]

Hello, my first post on this site.

I am replacing the clutch on my neighbours FE 35 (Grey Gold) petrol due to the thrust bearing seizing and breaking off the clutch fingers.

The replacement pressure plate is thicker than the original and when you tighten it up to the flywheel it releases the PTO clutch. Doing some research it appears that some early FE 35s require shims to compensate when fitting the newer type cover. These shims must be about 4mm thick by measuring the difference between the old plate and the new. I am concerned that this will move the release fingers too close to the thrust bearing.

Can anyone please confirm that I am on the right track and do I need to adjust the clutch pedal on the cross shaft to move the thrust bearing away from the clutch fingers?

I normally work on Super Majors and Dextas (don't shoot me) and my knowledge of Ferguson tractors is limited.

Thanks in advance

Steven

 

[banjodunn]

G'day Steven who supplied the clutch kit? If it is a bare co one then have a look on their site and it tells you about using shims and what the pot depth should be. It may also want the fingers setting up.
PS just had a thought has it got transport bolts in the pressure plate?
Oh and :welcome: I am in Ararat Vic good to see another aussie on here we are slowly getting our numbers up


Jon

 

[Steven B]

Hi Jon

Thanks a lot mate. Yes it is a BareCo supplied but made by LUK. I think they are the major supplier of all tractor clutches these days. I saw that article on their site. They talk about the shims but they don't supply them, in fact they are vary vague. There wasn't any transport bolts, just clips. I get the clutch back on Friday. The owner is getting the shims made up at a machine shop. I will instal the old cover with new plate first and check the spacing between the fly wheel and cover before it starts to tighten the make sure the new one is the same when shims installed. I will then make sure I have about 90thou gap on the PTO plate release bolts. I am worried that if the shims are two thick the main plate will slip.

How hard would it be for them to give a detailed description of the shims and dimensions? They should also supply the shims with the clutch seeing as they are only worth a few bob, LOL. I have looked on line and can only find one supplier in England. I get a lot of parts from there but I want this thing out of my shed pronto as I have other projects to finnish.

Steven

 

[banjodunn]

G'day Steven yes it can be a pain not having the shims but as you see they don't supply them the other alternative is to have the flywheel machined to get a 33.4mm pot depth on it also when you have the clutch assembled reduce the pto finger gap down to 60 thou this will save having to do it in twelve months time when he complains that he cant get the pto in without grinding.
And I agree with you I would be worried the plate will slip if the shims are too thick

Jon

 

[Steven B]

Thanks for your help John. Local machine shop made us some shims. I got around to reassembling it yesterday and it all works a treat. Neighbour is well chuffed.I followed your advice on the PTO clutch setting. I double checked all spacings and the clutch should have the same clamping force on the main plate based on the distance required to pull the pressure plate up too the flywheel.

Steven