Clutch Pedal

[chetcromer]

I just got my 1981 B7100 back from having the clutch disk, pressure plate, and release bearing serviced. After a short time of use, the bearing started making the "roaring" noise like it had before I got it serviced. Not as bad, but definitely there. I also started losing the ability to disengage the clutch and shift gears, or to even go into neutral by pushing the pedal down.

I've identified at least part of the problem - the bearing the pulls the pedal back up is missing... I don't know if the mechanic didn't attach it at all, didn't attach it right, or it fell off shortly after starting to use the tractor. I know I can get that replaced... but I'm not sure if there's anything else I can be looking at. I certainly HOPE that nothing else got damaged / worn during the time I used it. It worked OK for about 45 minutes, then started noticing problems with clutch for about 20 minutes.

Here's a couple videos I took to give you a visual:

Clutch pedal with missing spring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89hSVL7isvk

Starting / running with little noticable effect by pushing clutch pedal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXSkZjLNghs

 

[Russell King]

Looking at the Kubota parts list for a B7100 there is a spring involved to return the pedal but I think you will also have to adjust the linkage some.

I would quite trying to get it into gears without the clutch. You are basically grinding the teeth of the gears down every time you force them together.

If it is not to much problem I would take it back to where you had it "fixed" or ask them to come to where the tractor is with the spring and have them finish the job.

 

[Sledge]

I agree, they replaced the clutch so they should hand it back with the clutch working properly. It's too much of a coincidence to say you caused the damage after it came back (in perfect working order)

 

[chetcromer]

Thanks guys. It was in working order when I received it back from the mechanic. It worked for about an hour, no problem. No grinding while shifting, plenty of power at the PTO, and then it shifted rather rapidly to what you saw in my videos. My GUESS is that the spring broke and is laying somewhere in the grass.

I'm going to start with that and some adjustments to the clutch bolts if they are necessary after replacing the spring. Getting the tractor back to the mechanic who serviced it involves 3 hours of drive time, minimum, as I had the mechanic of the guy I bought it from do the work. I suppose I might ask him to bring the part out here and adjust everything, though. I did pay for a working, repaired clutch... not one that worked until the guy pulled out of my drive.

P.S. I don't grind gears for fun or lightly. It won't be going anywhere until I get the spring replaced and clutch adjusted correctly. Still, I appreciate the concern for this non-mechanic-mechanic's naivete.

 

[freewheel3]

I'm thinking you got bigger problems than just the missing spring. All that spring does is return the clutch pedal to the engaged position (pedal out), it has nothing to do with the clutch mechanism inside the housing. I'd say there's a problem with the pressure plate and / or throwout bearing.
Adjusting the two bolts probably wont help either as one is simply to activate the safety switch and the other only limits how far the clutch will travel when disengaging (and you said it was disengaging fine at the start). So unless that bolt came loose and the adjustment has changed since you brought the tractor home, it's not the culprit. Check to see if that bolt is snug.
I think its something wrong inside.

 

[chetcromer]

I think its something wrong inside.

I'm leaning that way also. Found a local mechanic who does this work for all the farmers in town and he's going to swing by and take a look at the adjustment bolts and see if we need to split the thing again to take a look. Busy time of year for him so it may be a couple weeks... but I can live with that.

Ugh... hope I'm not out labor AND parts again.

On a good note my neighbor, who sells tractors at auction for a living, came over today and told me I had a really nice tractor. Once we get these first few issues knocked out, we'll be ready to roll.

 

[eserv]

I'm leaning that way also. Found a local mechanic who does this work for all the farmers in town and he's going to swing by and take a look at the adjustment bolts and see if we need to split the thing again to take a look. Busy time of year for him so it may be a couple weeks... but I can live with that.

Ugh... hope I'm not out labor AND parts again.

On a good note my neighbor, who sells tractors at auction for a living, came over today and told me I had a really nice tractor. Once we get these first few issues knocked out, we'll be ready to roll.

Why wouldn't you take it back to the original guy who fixed it? He probably would feel obligated to make it right but he won't be likely to want to pay someone else to do it!

 

[chetcromer]

Why wouldn't you take it back to the original guy who fixed it? He probably would feel obligated to make it right but he won't be likely to want to pay someone else to do it!

I don't think I said I wouldn't. I'm working on several leads. The guy who originally did it is a stranger to me and I have been going through the guy I bought the tractor from at this point. They both live an hour and a half a way... fuel alone is 1/2 the cost of having the local guy do it. If he comes out here to get it, that's a whole different story, of course... but on the other hand, if my local guy works on it and I get my $$ back, there's a good chance I can help out or at least observe and learn a little bit about the inner workings of my tractor.

Money isn't the biggest factor in the world. Quality of work, reputation from people I trust, a chance to learn, and a wee bit of convenience weigh into it for me as well.

 

[chetcromer]

Stopped by the local Kubota dealer today and their mechanic just happened to have a B7100 just like mine back in the shop. He showed me how a bent clutch rod could be causing the problem I'm having - basically, WAY too much play in the clutch pedal to the point that you don't even start to disengage the clutch until the pedal has reached its maximum travel, even with the adjustment bolts and secondary rod adjusted as far as they can.

Got back and looked at my tractor, and I'd say that the clutch rod is definitely a bit warped and twisted. I bent it back a bit and was able to get the clutch to slightly engage, but it needs to be pulled back farther to get it to fully engage, and there's also still way too much play in the pedal.

Making progress, and learning a lot. Local mechanic will hopefully be coming by to look at the pedal and rods in a few days to tell me what he thinks of the things we can see on the outside.

 

[chetcromer]

Here's a picture of my clutch rod. Is it supposed to have this big bend in the middle? It's also twisted a bit towards the front of the tractor, which I've been to bend back a bit.

Right now, I have several inches of play before engaging the clutch, and by the time you do, you're hitting the safety switch and adjusting bolts, even when they're screwed in as far as they'll go. The secondary rod is also adjusted all the way out, which shouldn't be needed with a brand new clutch inside.