2005 M6800 clutch stuck!

[oilhammer]

Hello, all. Our M6800 was unfortunately overtaken by a rapid rise in the local creek running through our property recently. It was submerged up to the bottom of the seat, angled facing down (so the entire engine and hood was under water).

It was like that for less that 24 hours... we drug it out, pulled the battery out and recharged it, drained the oil, fuel, transmission, pulled the glow plugs, blew out everything we could think of, refilled with all new fluids and all new filters... put the battery back in and she fired right up! Lots of WD40 and patience.

Anyways, after a couple days, the stop solenoid on the pump died. We got a new one, put that on (took 3 days to get it) and the engine started back up and ran fine. But now, the clutch is stuck. Pedal moves, feels fine, just no disengagement. I am a professional auto tech, and to me (if it is like a car/truck) it acts like the pilot bearing siezed, and the transmission's input shaft is permanently stuck to the crankshaft. I am pretty sure this particular tractor has a simple dry disk setup, no hydraulic shuttle shift, just the old-school 4sp synchromesh box.

I will obviously have to split the tractor, and wondered if anyone else had any tips or suggestions. We do have a flat concrete floor in our farm machine shop to work in, and I can fab up some support dolly fixtures.

Thanks! Brian

 

[Russell King]

The clutch plate is probably rusted to the flywheel and not separating when the clutch pedal is pressed.

There are methods to break it free but you will need to search for those posts, I can't recall the process well enough to try to tell. There is pulling and popping the clutch, starting it in gear with the clutch pressed....

Good luck!

 

[oilhammer]

Thank you, Russell. That is what we originally thought too, and it may be the case. I've tried so yank it with our IH dump truck, but no luck yet. You cannot start this tractor 'in gear' as the shuttle lever must be in neutral. I may bypass that safety feature though as that is the only way I'd be able to move it into the shop under its own power (cranking/starting in [a low] gear).

 

[Bulldog]

Drive it down the road (asphalt) hold the clutch pedal in and use the other foot to stand on the brakes. Again, hold the clutch down while you do this. I know, this is hard on the tractor but aside from splitting it this is the only way to break it loose. It works, I have seen it done several times.

 

[Russell King]

This link shows a L175 that is split. One side used a floor jack to support while splitting, other side was hung from rafters. I also recall seeing someone use the pedestal from an office chair (old and sturdy version of chair) as the support for half.

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6192

Good luck, take pictures and let us know how it goes.

 

[Tx Jim]

Drive it down the road (asphalt) hold the clutch pedal in and use the other foot to stand on the brakes. Again, hold the clutch down while you do this. I know, this is hard on the tractor but aside from splitting it this is the only way to break it loose. It works, I have seen it done several times.

The way I've unstuck clutches is drive with clutch pedal depressed while alternately applying individual brake pedals in RH/LH/RH/LH. Anothe r trick is start tractor,block clutch pedal down and let engine run and at least get up to operating temp.

 

[oilhammer]

OK, guys, got it freed up! I drained all the mud water out of the bellhouse, blew compressed air in there with the drain plug out, then ran the engine until it was good and warm.

Then, put the plug back in, and filled the bellhouse with a mix of used motor oil, hydraulic fluid, diesel, and whatever else we had laying about. I figured at this point, what do I have to lose?

Started it, could get the shuttle shifter to go into forward or reverse by some crafting jiggling, and decided to go and do some brush hogging in the open field. I just left it in 4th gear, low range, and ran the RPMs up to spin the PTO. Ran fine, and every so often I'd push the clutch pedal down when I was going up a hill (while the engine had some load). After about an hour, while I was going up a hill with the clutch pedal depressed, it went "ker-punk!" and stopped pulling! I released the pedal, and it engaged, and I continued up the hill!

So, shut the PTO down, idled the engine, checked to make sure all my gears were working normally, and drove back up to the machine shop. Drained the oil mix out of the bellhouse, left the plug loose, and went back at it for another 30 minutes or so with the brush hog. Never missed a beat. The clutch just *barely* slips a bit, if you take off hard in high range, feels like a worn clutch, but no chattering or anything. So I am hoping the oil will eventually burn off the friction material and be OK. I may still have to split it open, but at least now I know I can!

 

[Stubbyie]

Make a habit of every time you park after use to block the clutch pedal 'down'. Some machines have a hook at pedal to lock clutch in disengaged condition. Otherwise use a wooden block.

We get a lot of heavy dew and fog year round and especially in rainy winter so we now ALWAYS park with clutch disengaged. Once early on, just sitting, dang clutch stuck.