New to the site.

Deere Hunter · Feb 28, 2008

Was referred here, and had a few questions I was hoping y'all could help with.

I purchased a 1050 JD Firday with 2130 hours on it. I drove, turned on the PTO, etc., and all worked fine. Since then, I have changed the oil, air, and fuel filters, and rebuilt the three point hitch as several parts were put together with pins and bolts laying around instead of the correct parts. I had to order the pin for the rocker shaft. I have driven it around the house some, having taken the oldest on several rides.

I had a spindle gone bad in my finish mower, and replaced it Monday. I decided to give the weeds a good cutting, and trim up some of the areas I leave taller than the yard immediately around the house. Much to my dismay, the PTO will not engage. I can feel the gears slowing with clutch in, and get a grinding noise. I managed twice to turn the machine off, engage the PTO, and it worked - almost all the way around the shop before it cut-off on its own - but it also did not work a couple times.

The clutch seems to be short on adjustment availability, but does not slip under load, and works well. What should I check? I have no manuals, but have ordered an operator's manual and I and T shop manual for it.

RobS · Feb 28, 2008

First off, welcome to the site Deere Hunter. I'm not familiar with a 1050, is it a gear transmission? On my tractor the PTO is on the same clutch pedal as the transmission clutch. It's a two stage where the first portion of the travel covers the transmission clutch and the final portion of the pedal stroke covers the PTO clutch. Assuming you have a similar arrangement, it sounds like there could be trouble with the PTO clutch and/or linkage.

Hope someone with more direct knowledge sees this to help. Best of luck to you.

AKfish · Feb 29, 2008

Welcome to the TBN forums, Deere Hunter. Great place and many savvy folk's here that can offer up good (inexpensive....) advice and sometimes; hard-won experience.

I've had a JD970 for the past 3 yrs. It's the next generation of CUT's right in line after your 1050. It also has a 2-stage clutch for the PTO and main drive like RobS's 790 and your current 1050.

Couple of questions come to mind; 1.) Can you shift the PTO in and out of gear with the engine running and not have it grind the gears? Or does it always grind when the engine's running? 2.) What happens when you put the main transmission in high range and 4th gear (8x2 tranny, yes) with the throttle at ~1,500rpm and the tractor "deadheaded" i.e. chained to a tree or front wheels up tight to a block wall, etc. and let the clutch out? Does the engine stall right away or does the clutch slip a bit before the engine dies? (You could also test the clutch with the brakes mashed down but I usually tried to put a load on the machine with a chain or somethin'.)

With little or no adjustment left in the clutch and the grindin' symptoms --- I'm goin' where you're leadin' -- the clutch pack is likely tired...

I went out on eBay and picked up the OEM Deere technical repair manuals (engine and total tractor series) and in your case that would be for the 650, 750, 850, 950 and 1050 series tractors.

Much better reference and detailed help than the IT books, IMO. Although, I did buy the IT book, too.

Best of luck with your new (to you) tractor and keep us posted with your progress.

AKfish

RobS · Feb 29, 2008

And one other detail I forgot to mention DH, are you engaging the PTO at engine idle speed? At higher engine speeds there may be enough "windmilling" in the gears to make the engagement difficult.

Good input from AKfish. Let us know what you find out.

Deere Hunter · Feb 29, 2008

Thanks for the input. I think I have decided to take it to the JD shop. A clutch replacement is beyond my mechanical abilities, not to mention the limited time I have to work on the tractor. I have not completely tried to "deadhead" the tractor. The closest I came was the hill test, I will try that tonight. I am going to take the tractor out to the farm tomorrow to pull a disk some, and then on to the JD dealer by lunch time so they can check it out next week.

Deere Hunter · Feb 29, 2008

I thought I'd share a picture of the tractor. It's not the prettiest, dented and rusted in some places, but for the price, it'll be alright.

ScottAR · Feb 29, 2008

My 1050 has the two stage clutch as well. The clutch pedal has to go all the way to the stop to disengage the pto at idle or near idle. There's some grindy sounds but it slides when the gears mesh. (what it feels like anyway)

Has done this since we've had it so I figure it's normal. My tractor has a safety switch on the pto so if your tractor starts with the pto engaged someone has bypassed that switch. FYI. There's also a safety on the range lever for the trans.

If only you operate the tractor and know about it this isn't an issue.
I usually dislike extra safety equipment but feel these are a good thing.

Great pics. The girl has some life in her yet. We call our 1050 timex cause it keeps on tickin'.

RobS · Mar 1, 2008

That's one sturdy looking tractor DH, thanks for posting the pic.

AKfish · Mar 1, 2008

Yes, Sir -- your tractor is a fine lookin' machine! A few bumps here and there are just "marks of character".

Matter of fact, I can look at each dent and ding on mine and remember just what I was (or wasn't...) doin' that particular day!?!

Kinda like my ol' huntin' rifle --- I know just about every hunt based on the gouge or nick in the stock....

AKfish

Deere Hunter · Mar 1, 2008

I took it out to the farm today, and pulled a disk some. No clutch issues whatsoever. We have a 1050 with FEL and backhoe at the farm, so I took a gander at it, as Dad was using it to do some road work. The PTO on the other 1050 has hardly been used, as the backhoe has been on for about 20 yrs. The PTO on that machine engages easily even with the machine at full throttle and no clutch. That 1050 does not have the safety switch, so it may be an earlier model. The three positions in that PTO lever are:
UP - stop - PTO does not turn, almost like a brake.
Middle - PTO creeps, but can be stopped with hand.
Down - PTO engaged.

Mine- Up and middle positions work similarly, but the down position does nothing. I can no longer even feel the gears when pushing down firmly on the PTO lever.

BTW, my 1050 will crank in gear.

So, apparently, like the lights, all of the safety switches are non-functioning. I plan to buy a wiring harness, and re-wire the tractor as soon as I recover from the damage of the PTO repair. I found out about a local certified JD mechanic who makes house calls, and will be in contact with him first of the week. There are also two hydraulic leaks to figure out, that i found today. If I have to split the machine, it will probably get a new clutch and brakes while it is open.

The local JD dealer started their Saturday morning hours today, so i swung by and picked up a new rockshaft arm pin that had been replaced by a bolt, and now the 3 pt hitch is as it was originally. I also ordered a rockshat control lever handle/knob, as mine was missing.

I am starting to wonder if $3750 was too much for this tractor?