JD 2040 clutch problems

[dugndeep]

I recently was grading snow with my 2040 and it quit pulling.It has the dual stage clutch.I have had no trouble what-so-ever out of the clutch so don't understand why all of a sudden it would stop pulling.I put it into gear and it tries to move but it's like the clutch isn't engaging all the way.The PTO spins when I put it in gear.Could the center hub have separated from the outer part of the drive clutch?The one good part is it tries to move when in gear so I know the drive shaft & it's spline teeth aren't sheared off.That was my first thought when this happened.
I had just used it the day before for the same purpose but it had gotten down to below 0 degrees that night and maybe had sweated from use,I just don't know.My dad seems to think the diaphragm has cracked or broke in some way and is not letting the pressure plate engage the drive clutch somehow.I reckon I'm going to have to split it into to find out.

 

[Zebrafive]

Have you checked the clutch pedal adjustment? Does it have the correct amount of free play?

 

[dugndeep]

Clutch pedal adjustment is right,free play is right,I did find a little piece of clutch lining just a little piece though.I just can't believe the JD prices.$430 for the drive clutch,aftermarket is $230.Jd pilot bearing is $22 and aftermarket is $9.I've had it apart once before to replace the pilot bearing,that was about 15-16 years ago.This is a 1977 model bought brand new in the spring of 1978.It's been a good tractor,I've replaced the water pump and the pilot bearing and that is it,nothing else has ever gone wrong with it.

 

[Zebrafive]

Since you clutch adjustment is OK, I agree a split is next.

 

[Tx Jim]

Ditto what Zebrafive stated.

 

[dugndeep]

Yow I figured that's what it was leading up to.I'll take a few pics and post them on here when I get to splitting it in half.I don't have no nice shop or garage to do this but my old barn does have a solid rock floor.Since I quit raising burley tobacco about 15 years ago this tractor doesn't see a whole lot of action other than bush hogging and plowing plus the grading part.Not a big rush to get it fixed at the moment unless we get 2 or 3 foot of snow and can't get out.

 

[Zebrafive]

One tip for splitting; block the pivot points of the front axle. You do not want the front half to tip to one side as you split the tractor.

 

[dugndeep]

Thanks for the advice,I'm dreading it already and haven't even started yet.

 

[dugndeep]

I took the little access plate that allows you to grease the throw-out bearing off today and started it up and this coming flying out.

 

[jd110]

It appears the clutch disk has disintegrated. When you last used it and it quit, were you drifting any with clutch pushed in? Situations like pushing up a hill in a low forward gear and then pushing in the clutch and allowing it to drift back down the hill in reverse while transmission is in forward can cause damage such as this.

 

[dugndeep]

Yes I was,I had it in low forward and the gearshift in 3 and was pushing in the clutch and letting it roll backwards and then putting the blade down and pulling back up the hill again.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Clutch pedal adjustment is right,free play is right,I did find a little piece of clutch lining just a little piece though.I just can't believe the JD prices.$430 for the drive clutch,aftermarket is $230.Jd pilot bearing is $22 and aftermarket is $9.I've had it apart once before to replace the pilot bearing,that was about 15-16 years ago.This is a 1977 model bought brand new in the spring of 1978.It's been a good tractor,I've replaced the water pump and the pilot bearing and that is it,nothing else has ever gone wrong with it.

For a job like that I would definitely spend the money on genuine JD parts. The others maybe sub-par and you don't want to have to split it a second time. I've put aftermarket clutches in things before and some of them were real grabby and another one failed after a couple years. From now on it's OEM parts only for me.

 

[jd110]

Yes I was,I had it in low forward and the gearshift in 3 and was pushing in the clutch and letting it roll backwards and then putting the blade down and pulling back up the hill again.

In the future, it is best to put one gearshift in neutral before drifting. That can prevent a clutch disk failure like that. I personally use the 1 -2- 3- 4 lever, but either one would work.

 

[dugndeep]

Well I found my problem,clutch disk was wore out.Some of the rivets are missing and the pads are just wore out.It lasted 36 years,pretty good by my accounts.Pilot bearing was not smooth rolling either.Replace that too.Got lucky because the flywheel plate & the clutch plate had no rivet wear marks in them,still smooth on both.

 

[dugndeep]

More pictures.My biggest problem was the water temperature sending unit.I think the last picture is it.I sprayed PB blaster on it and let it set all night.Broke a 17 mm wrench trying to bend it a little in a vice so it would fit in there and clear the top of the exhaust manifold.Nothing left to do now but buying parts and putting it back together.

 

[dugndeep]

I hear you on genuine parts.Tractor Joe's has the clutch disk for $88 dollars but the original clutch lasted 36 years and cost $430 but that's the one I'm going back with.

 

[dugndeep]

Appears genuine JD clutch disk is not available anymore so had to settle for a substitute which cost $116.Pilot bearing is still available and that cost $22 and while I was at it I got a new oil pressure sending unit for $22,freight was $25 so it cost me less than $200.

 

[dugndeep]

Got it all back together yesterday,took garden hose and washed the radiator out good before I put the hood back on.I'm going to flush the radiator out it before spring is over and get ready for the hot summer and mowing and bush hogging.Took me an hour or so to get the drive shaft to go into the pilot bearing.Was a real pain in the butt.I had to raise the jacks up and down till it finally slid in.I sanded off the battery tray good and painted it Saturday so it could dry overnight before I put the 2 batteries back in.Clutch is a little tight but will wear in.I don't know whether I'm going to put the chains back on or not,hopefully the majority of the ice and snow this year is over.

 

[dugndeep]

Didn't really care for the new clutch disk I got at the JD dealership,the genuine disk I took off was a solid metal hub all the way out to the edge as to where the aftermarket uses rivets to hold the pads to the center hub.I tried to download a picture but couldn't.

 

[dugndeep]

I noticed I was missing 2 little clamps that go around a smaller hydraulic line from looking at the parts schematic.I still had 2 on back toward the transmission so I took 1 off to have something to go by and welded up 2 to replace the 2 missing.I took a 1" piece of 3/8" pipe and cut it in half and then welded a tab on it for the bolt to go thru.I then painted them JD green to prevent rusting.