TC35 rusted clutch

[Newhollandharley]

When I turned 60 I thought about buying a Harley and got a tractor instead. 2003 NH TC35 Boomer with 85 hours on it. I'm brand new at tractors but got a really sweet deal. My problem is No one told me to lock down (release) the clutch so the flywheel and clutch plate seperate and don't rust together in the off season. I've gotten all kinds of advice from friends but so far nothing has worked. The plates are really stuck and I have no clutch. Pedal and linkage all work fine it just does not release. Local repair shop says $1,500 minimum, have to break tractor in two pieces. They have done this before. I have a front end loader on one end and a back hoe on the other. All kinds of heavy steel bolted on at both ends to re-enforce the frame. Lot's of work to get it in half. Here's the latest suggestion, cut a small hole in the bell housing directly over the clutch plate, insert a piece of cold roll steel against the clutch plate and use an impact tool to rattle the plate break the rust and set it free. What do think ? Does anyone have a drawing or exploded view of the clutch so I can see how to get to the place where the two are rusted together. How much access is there through openings in the spring plate ? I have to figure a way to do this other than breaking the tractor in half ..... I know from reading some of the threads there are some really bright people out there .... Let me have your best shot ... Thanks

 

[Texas Blues]

Man newhollandharley, I dont think I could bring myself to drill any holes in the bell housing. This is a parts picture from the new holland website. Maybe you can remove one of the items attached to the bell housing to gain access for that impact suggestion? Do you believe the disk is rusted to the flywheel? Or to the pressure plate, or maybe both? My Ford is an old one and never had that problem before, When you turn the key to start it, the tractor tries to roll? Maybe getting it to an open area and get it to run, and drive it, it may come loose on its own. Good luck, TB

 

[Newhollandharley]

I can start it easily out of gear and as long as I stay in low low range I can actually put it in and take it out of gear with no grinding so I've driven it many time, very slowly. Jerking it, gassing it, applying brakes hard, running it into a tree (slowly) and stalling it, I've tried everything. I'm told I just don't have the horsepower to break it free. Ive seen the drawing you sent, thanks .. I need a drawing that shows a cutaway of the clutch housing assembled so I can better tell where to drill a hole and a detail of the spring plate assembly to see if there is any access to the clutch pad in the first place.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Do not drill a hole in the belhousing. Looking at the parts diagram it looks like there might be a hole with a plug in it on the left side of the belhousing.I would split the tractor before I drilled a hole in the belhousing. The belhousing is part of the structure of the tractor. If you weaken the structure you weaken the tractor. Hopefuly rickb will see see this post and give you some good honest advice. He works on these for a living.
Bill

 

[Soundguy]

I think I'd block the clutch for a week, then start her in gear and drive in tight figure 8's stomping the outside brake pedal.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

also.. once you do get her free.. start block the clutch when yo don't use her.. many NH machines included a wood block on a string to do this.. I know my 1920 did..

soundguy

 

[Eagleview]

It may sound rough but i think i would remove the starter motor and give the back of the flywheel a good rattle with an air chisel . Round off one of the chisels on the grinder so it can't damage the flywheel . It would help if someone could put some clockwise pressure on the harmonic balancer bolt while it is in first gear with the clutch pedal blocked down . Do'nt rattle the ring gear , you may be able to get onto a portion of the pressure plate . If you get it free , give it a bit of a slip as you drive it to pollish off the rust .

 

[WTA]

I know what you guys will think but I have probably worked on hundreds of stuck clutch brakes, clutch adjusters and stuck clutches themselves and my one saving grace was that can of PB blaster I never went to work without. I would hose tre crap out of it from whatever hole I could get it in there with and then do what I had to do to break it loose. Usually dragging it with another truck and keep on trying to pop the clutch. I've even been known to stick a torch up there to unstick adjusters. I wasn't the only one. It was kinda common practice, but if you use a torch have a fire extinguisher handy.

I think out of all the ones I've had to get ugly with I only had to actually split it on one or two.

 

[Newhollandharley]

I think I'd block the clutch for a week, then start her in gear and drive in tight figure 8's stomping the outside brake pedal.

soundguy

Now that is a new one. I'll try it and get back to ya, thanks and yes I have been blocking the pedal in a far open position for months now ... I half expected the pressure plate to push it away over time but nothing ...

 

[Newhollandharley]

also.. once you do get her free.. start block the clutch when yo don't use her.. many NH machines included a wood block on a string to do this.. I know my 1920 did..

soundguy

When I began to investigate my problem I heard from several fellas that a block on a string came with it. Not when I bought it .. else I would have asked at the time, "what's the block for?" and wouldn't be in this jam in the first place. I'm a metal smith of sorts and I'm going to make a mechanism that I can lock it open EVERY time I'm not riding on it from now on.

 

[Newhollandharley]

It may sound rough but i think i would remove the starter motor and give the back of the flywheel a good rattle with an air chisel . Round off one of the chisels on the grinder so it can't damage the flywheel . It would help if someone could put some clockwise pressure on the harmonic balancer bolt while it is in first gear with the clutch pedal blocked down . Do'nt rattle the ring gear , you may be able to get onto a portion of the pressure plate . If you get it free , give it a bit of a slip as you drive it to pollish off the rust .

I have the starter off right now and I can see the flywheel and ring gear, I tried to get a "see snake" (TV on a stick) to fit between the bell housing and the ring gear but it's about a 1/8" shy and won't fit. I got no manuals with this tractor when I bought it and the cheapest I have found on the Internet is well over $100. I need some drawings or photos of what the pressure plate, flywheel, clutch pad and other components look like under the bell housing. I need more of a cutaway than an exploded view .. any help? I can't tell where the harmonic balancer is at this point. The pressure plate covers everything but I think there are a few openings along the edge that will allow me access (although minor) to the other components. I can't judge which of them need ratteling but I will try the flywheel while avoiding the ring gear . .. thanks for idea. I'll get back with the results in a bit.

 

[Newhollandharley]

I know what you guys will think but I have probably worked on hundreds of stuck clutch brakes, clutch adjusters and stuck clutches themselves and my one saving grace was that can of PB blaster I never went to work without. I would hose tre crap out of it from whatever hole I could get it in there with and then do what I had to do to break it loose. Usually dragging it with another truck and keep on trying to pop the clutch. I've even been known to stick a torch up there to unstick adjusters. I wasn't the only one. It was kinda common practice, but if you use a torch have a fire extinguisher handy.

I think out of all the ones I've had to get ugly with I only had to actually split it on one or two.

I thought about using some rust dissolver of some kind but I wasn't sure what to use. What exactly is PB? I was afraid I'd use something that might soak the clutch material and smoke from now on or worse yet start slipping on me. I also thought about a chemical spray I use to keep my guns from rusting that is just amazing. One application a year and I have NO rust to deal with. I thought after I get this free I want to treat it with this spray (I can't think of the name right now) and I'll never have to deal with this problem again. But like I said I don't want it to affect the clutch function.

 

[thclimer]

I thought about using some rust dissolver of some kind but I wasn't sure what to use. What exactly is PB?

I beleive this is what he was refering to:

..:: Blaster Chemical Companies, Inc. - Product Detail ::..

I would have the same concern as you as far as slippage in the future after using it if you got it in the wrong place. Maybe WTA can explain exactly where to spray it.

 

[Eagleview]

I can't tell where the harmonic balancer is at this point.

Hello , i was meaning the balancer on the other end of the crank , with the lower belt pulley attached . I would think it would have a center bolt holding the pulley too the crank . Someone putting clockwise pressure on this bolt with a breaker bar and socket while it is in low gear with the park brake applied and the clutch blocked down . While you rattle the back of the flywheel with a "blunt" tool in an air chisel . I am thinking the harmonics transmitted through the flywheel may cause the clutch plate to jump away from the flywheel or pressure plate .

I would be worried about using any liquids on the clutch as it may cause clutch shudder .

I am not familliar with blocking clutches as we have no need to do so in OZ , but i would also worry that long term blocking may make the pressure plate springs/diaphram lose tension after some time .

 

[Newhollandharley]

Hello , i was meaning the balancer on the other end of the crank , with the lower belt pulley attached . I would think it would have a center bolt holding the pulley too the crank . Someone putting clockwise pressure on this bolt with a breaker bar and socket while it is in low gear with the park brake applied and the clutch blocked down . While you rattle the back of the flywheel with a "blunt" tool in an air chisel . I am thinking the harmonics transmitted through the flywheel may cause the clutch plate to jump away from the flywheel or pressure plate .

I would be worried about using any liquids on the clutch as it may cause clutch shudder .

I am not familliar with blocking clutches as we have no need to do so in OZ , but i would also worry that long term blocking may make the pressure plate springs/diaphram lose tension after some time .

Now I understand and it make good sense, apply some torque to the drive train while I'm jack hammering on the flywheel ... perhaps actually turn the flywheel slowly and re position the hammer for a bit ... yes, now I get it.
I think the clutch block system is just barely enough to separate the plates and I was exaggerating about doing it EVERY time. Just when it's going to sit up for a bit and like I say just a tiny bit of pressure, just enough to separate them a bit.

Good help, thanx

 

[Soundguy]

IMHO.. the oil on the clutch will actually cause it to be grabby.. not slip.. besides.. that lite stuff will flash off pretty fast once you start slipping her.. and you can use some brake clener on her first to get the heavy residue off.

soundguy

 

[WTA]

Like he said. You can shoot a bunch of brake clean up there to clean it. Or pour some dawn dish soap down your garden hose, It cuts oil real good, and then blast it out. On trucks I just drove them real hard till it burned off after spraying a couple cans of brake clean all over. Sometimes I would get it with the steam cleaner we had if it wasn't frozen out.
I really never had any adverse effects from using penetrating oil on them at all.

Consider the alternative. If it doesn't work you will be splitting it anyway.
If it does then you all you really have to do is clean it well and drive it.

Personally, if my tractor ever did this I'd pull the clutch and go have a nonmetallic set of frictions put on the disk. I never buy new clutches either. There are too many shops out there that will reline them for you. We did it ourselves at the two tractor dealers I worked at. It was really easy to do and super cheap for the parts.

 

[Newhollandharley]

IMHO.. the oil on the clutch will actually cause it to be grabby.. not slip.. besides.. that lite stuff will flash off pretty fast once you start slipping her.. and you can use some brake clener on her first to get the heavy residue off.

soundguy

I have a friend coming out today who's bringing me a can of PB so I'll give it a try. Thanks for the advice and the time it took. I post an update when I get somewhere with it. Saturday has been reserved as "fix the tractor day"

 

[Newhollandharley]

Like he said. You can shoot a bunch of brake clean up there to clean it. Or pour some dawn dish soap down your garden hose, It cuts oil real good, and then blast it out. On trucks I just drove them real hard till it burned off after spraying a couple cans of brake clean all over. Sometimes I would get it with the steam cleaner we had if it wasn't frozen out.
I really never had any adverse effects from using penetrating oil on them at all.

Consider the alternative. If it doesn't work you will be splitting it anyway.
If it does then you all you really have to do is clean it well and drive it.

Personally, if my tractor ever did this I'd pull the clutch and go have a nonmetallic set of frictions put on the disk. I never buy new clutches either. There are too many shops out there that will reline them for you. We did it ourselves at the two tractor dealers I worked at. It was really easy to do and super cheap for the parts.

I've got a pressure washer I hook up to a hot water heater that works pretty well. If it slips or grabs after I get it loose I'll load it up with dawn and blast it for while. It it come to it and I have to break it in half I definitely will look into some replacement pads for the clutch with no metal in them. Thanks

 

[Newhollandharley]

Well gentlemen, nothing worked. After a full can of PB and 24 hours soak time I locked down the front end loader in a very large pile of earth, put the transmission in low low, stood on the brakes and the gas at the same time until she shuddered and stalled and still nothing. I have had the clutch pedal locked down for weeks now. The clutch is stuck, rusted solid. I am spending my Sunday making heavy duty kick stands for the front and rear halves of my tractor and will begin to break it in half tomorrow. Any thing I should know? Experiences by you could save me a lot of heart ache .... let me know. I've taken dozens of digital pictures of the assembled tractor so I can remember how to get it back together. I have to remove all the sub frame to the front end loader and the back hoe and that will take me the rest of today and part of tomorrow too ... I am going to take pictures along the way in stages because I don't have a manual. I'll update as I go if anybody is interested. Thanks again for the suggestions