I just did a split for a clutch on a 3000 8 speed. I'll try pasting my notes here, most of it will apply to your split on a 4500. Critical thing is to wedge boards on the front axle so front half of tractor won't rotate over when you slide halves apart. You have to have a manual too, there's too much to cover here.
Ford 3000 clutch job
1973 Diesel 3000 with 730 front end loader. This method rolls the back of tractor away from front due to the front end loader installed.
Prep: use labeled ziplock baggies for all bolts. Cut four 1x4 boards to about 2 feet. Have some 2x6, and 4x4 lumber available for blocks. Take digital photos of every part you remove, you’ll be glad you did.
1. Chock rear wheels, jack up front of tractor until bottom of enginblock is level (use level to check), and place boards under front tires. Mine took a 2x6 and a 1x6 under each front tire to be level. If engine is level it goes back together much easier. Chock front wheels. Cut some 1x4’s and pound wedges behind and under front axles on both sides. This keeps wheels and engine secure when you remove radius rods.
2. Loader: support front pump with wire, unbolt 2 bolts holding pump to bracket, pull pump fwd so shaft clears. This keeps pump shaft from bending when you unhook loader from rear axle. Support rear loader frame on blocks, unbolt loader from rear axle, lower with jack until loader just clears bolts, set on blocks. If bolts spin, cut with sawzall and replace later. Pry loader arms towards right wheel with long 2x4, then jack up to touch rear axle. This helps the loader control lever 90 deg return line fitting clear the dashboard.
3. Unhook back end of radius rods, unhook steering rods from steering box arms, remove lower steering box covers near stick shift. Unhook foot throttle linkage near steering box.
4. Hydraulic pump: remove bracket from hydraulic lines under center of fuel tank. Stuff paper towels under pump, clean lines near pump. Remove pressure line by unscrewing nut. Unhook larger suction/return line by pulling on it from right side of tractor, it is only held in by the o-ring. The IT manual says to remove the pump but this is not necessary, just unhook lines. Be sure to bleed pump before starting engine.
5. Starter: This was not as hard as they say. Remove negative cable from battery terminal for safety. Unhook kill knob cable so it is out of the way. No other line removal is needed. To remove starter I used a 3/8 ratchet, 6 inch extension, 9/16 deepwell socket. No u-joint was needed to remove the famous backside bolt. Take just the extension with socket on and slip it behind top half of starter, feeding it behind any fuel lines as you go. Locate the back bolt by feel with your left finger bent around starter flange-it’s about an inch below the top. Feel the socket approach the bolt head and guide it on. Now pull extension slightly away from engine, insert the ratchet into the extension and unscrew. See photo for exact location of ratchet extension.
Take photos, then unhook any wires, remove last bolt at top, then lower and rotate starter so gear housing of starter will clear the tractor. To re-install, use a ¼” x 6” ratchet extension, adapter for socket, ¼ ratchet, and short 9/16 socket. Tape bolt onto socket with electrical tape, tape all extension joints. Use left finger to feel bolt entering hole, then turn by hand to start threads.
Below is a photo of the hole where starter mounts, notice where the back bolt goes.
6. Misc. label and unhook voltage reg wires, and harness at gen, headlights, etc. Be sure to unbolt tank from regulator bracket, and 4 bolts from voltage regulator bracket at engine. Also unbolt front right tank bracket near battery tray. Pry loader arm away from dash with long 2x4 if necessary for return line fitting removal. Now unhook loader return line and fitting, install ¾ male pvc fitting into loader valve.
7. Put jacks in place, put equal pressure on both jacks. Unbolt 6 engine/trans bolts. On right side use extra floor jack and 2x4 on ratchet to loosen top bolt. On left side use mallet or jack handle under loader arm to loosen top bolt. Take out all bolts and slowly begin pulling halves apart. Measure as you go, any uneven gaps must be fixed as you go. Also check alignment of bolt holes to each other as a reference. At about 5 inches shaft will clear. Keep floor jack handle centered as you roll, have assistant watch that front bottle jack is not tipping. If so something is probably still hooked up. I left voltage regulator bracket bolts in by accident. I used chains and a truck to slowly pull back half away.
Re-attach return line now so it doesn’t leak.
8. If re-using pressure plate, wire3 arms down towards engine, remove clutch assy..
9. Place reference line on flywheel. Lay 4x4 across loader, strap to flywheel and remove it. Notice in photo below that clutch disc is facing backwards, with hub facing flywheel. This doesn’t seem to matter on double clutch models, however there is more spline contact when installed so it faces the pressure plate.
10. Remove rear engine cover plate. Now drain coolant and R&R 3 freeze plugs. For press in plugs, use a pin punch and mallet to tap edge of plug till it tilts sideways, then pull out with pliers. Apply light coat of Permatex #2 on new freeze plug edge and engine bore, then drive in new with largest socket that will fit inside plug. Do not skip Permatex, it will leak. I let permatex cure for a day then added coolant to check for leaks.
11. Remove old main seal by carefully drilling holes on each side and inserting sheet metal screws. Scrape away some rubber with flat screwdriver to see the metal part of seal. Drill small pilot hole in center of metal, then work up to final size for sheet metal screw. I tried a center punch to locate drill hole, but it only pushed seal in more, so I just held drill in place. A small drill bit will not walk if careful. Be sure not to hit crank or block when drilling or screwing. Once screws are in place, carefully wiggle seal out left and right with flat pry bar. Installing new main seal was a pain without the special tool. I made a ring out of two green sprinkler valve grates from the big box store. Cut the collar off of one and insert it inside other one. This equals the necessary 5” I.D. Grease up the new seal, get it started onto crank, lay 2x4 block across grate, then carefully tap on grate with mallet to install. Book says set face of seal .060 below surface, plus or minus .015”.
12. Now for the tranny side. Jack up bell housing enough to get oil level below the input shaft bearing carrier. Remove clutch release bearing by removing bolt and lock nut at center of cross shaft. Unhook clutch pedal rod, then slide out shaft. Rock fork forward and release bearing carrier will come out. Unbolt the small ring of bolts and slide out input shaft bearing carrier. On dual clutch models the input shaft won’t come out, just leave it in. Change the oil seal and needle bearing inside the carrier. Also change release bearing.
13. Next put in new tranny clutch disc and new pressure plate assy. I elected to re-use my old pressure plate, but I don’t advise it. Install 3 bolts just enough to hold some tension on clutch disc. Next get it in the ballpark with long screwdriver. Now insert the slightly greased alignment tool, wiggle and push till it’s in. I ordered a Ford 3000 clutch alignment tool from ebay for $15, made for my dual clutch model. It really worked well. Tighten all six flywheel bolts to spec, my 3000 was 15lbs.
14. I measured the release bearing to finger bolt clearance prior to connecting halves . I then set the pedal free play so I knew I would have the ¼ to 3/8 gap needed. I clamped two framing squares together and rested the legs on the engine block. Also measured the distance from bell housing to release bearing, then set clutch pedal to provide a ¼” gap. I also measured the finger bolt height down to the PTO hub. Photos below show crude but effective tools. The 2” PVC coupler sits on the PTO hub, you can then calculate the recommended 2.110 inches by measuring the gap with calipers.
15. RE-assembling: Check all splines and line up best you can. Carefully roll halves back together, measuring bell housing gap top bottom, left right and adjusting jacks as you go. I used some 6” 7/16 x 14 bolts with heads cut off as guide pins while I joined halves. Once splines are engaged, push rear tires and wiggle left and right till halves are close, then finish drawing together with bolts.
16. Now stop and check clutch operation: Set pedal free play to book, around 1 ½ inches. Engage PTO lever and have assistant press clutch pedal to floor. Turn PTO shaft by hand and note where pto shaft stops while assistant slowly raises clutch pedal. This should happen around 2 inches off floor. If not, roll tractor apart and adjust allen screws for pto clutch. A tighter gap raises clutch pedal engagement higher up. .010 is plenty enough to change pedal height.