Frozen Steering Clutch problem.

[penokee]

Appreciate any/all ideas on how to loosen up a frozen steering clutch on my AC H3 Crawler. Haven't used it since may, 04. Had new steering clutches put in about 12 years ago.
First time this has happened.
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[professor]

You have one more good looking unit for its age. We bought a new HD3 for the farm in 1964. If I recall the steering clutch is a dry unit and sitting for long periods will cause the clutch to stick. You will probably have to tear into the clutch. I own a Mitsubishi BD2F and I try to steer it at least once a month to keep this from happening.

 

[penokee]

Thanks red - was hopeing someone might have an easier solution, but was afraid I would have to go that route. Good advice on running it more often - spend most of my seat time on the Kubota now, but will have to at least run the AC H3 once in awhile. Mine is a 1962 model, good little machines.
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[tillerkiller]

I'm mildly familiar with dozers in general, but if the only solution is to tear into it, then I would soak it with PBlaster or WD-40 in the hopes that I could get it to free up, then if it frees up and slips, I would run it awhile in the hopes that I could burn off the oil. If you have to tear it down anyway you have got nothing to lose....


ps... you probably already tried this, but push some immovable objct with the steering clutch disengaged. Sometimes this will free up a stuck clutch.

 

[penokee]

Thanks tiller - the PBlaster is worh a try. Loosend up my frozen winch a few years back by jerking on a large maple - worth a try with the steering clutch.
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[Highbeam]

Yep, tie back the clutch levers far enough to release the clutch but not apply the brakes and then run into something or get momentum and pull the levers all the way back to engage the brakes. Low gear, one lever at a time, then both, the steel plates have rusted to the fiber and stuck. Just need to work it loose.

The fiber plates soaked with oil is no good but if it works to free the discs then the next step is to fill the housings with solvent and rinse out the oil.

The next step is to loosen the clutch packs until you can get them to slip a bit. Once they allow a little slippage then they should work like normal. No need to replace everything, just free it up. Next time, tie back the clutch levers for long term storage or work it every once in a while.

 

[Dirthog]

DO NOT put oil or any thing like that on the clutch if you do its junk! it will soak int the disc and there is no way to remove it I have worked as a service mechanic for the last 33 years for a (AC, Fiat-Allis) now New Holland dealer and had people try that before and always the same thing ruin the clutch