While doing some clearing of brush with my loader, dragging logs out of woods, box blade on 3-point, clutch just suddenly went away. Wasn't operating it any harder or different than any other day on the job. I noticed a few minutes before I lost it, a difference in travel and pressure in clutch pedal, but just thought maybe the clutch might have gotten a little hot or I just needed to adjust it a little. I was parked, off the tractor to tie chain on a log to drag out and when I got back on and went to put it in forward gear, low 3, it didn't go into gear like normal! It was grinding the gears so I idled it way down, pushed clutch again and actually kind of forced it into gear. It started moving like normal but when chain got tight on the log(stump) I was hooked on to, the stump wouldn't move so when I pushed the clutch pedal again to stop, it wouldn't stop! I had the 4wd engaged, and all 4 tires just started spinning in the dirt, clutch never slipped at all, instinctively I just shut the tractor down. I got under it to check linkages and such and noticed it was leaking hydraulic fluid. It was already dark so I let it set over night. This morning I picked up a 5 gallon bucket of hydraulic fluid and a new filter, assuming, yeah I know....... it had leaked most of the fluid out, causing the clutch to go away. I changed the filter and added new fluid. Started tractor and....... NO CHANGE!! Located the clutch adjustment rod, seized of course, took it off and got it freed up, adjusted clutch..... NO CHANGE! So I forced it into gear again, after un-hooking chain from stump, low 3, and it moved as it should in that gear, but clutch still wouldn't engage. I adjusted it again, pretty drastically this time and it worked perfect for about 30 seconds!!! Now it won't pull itself at all in any gear! Checked all linkages and all are connected and in tact! Did overfill with fluid a little, but drained it back out, filtered it to check for metal shavings, non found, still won't move at all!!????? Somebody please tell me you've had this same problem and it's a simple fix?? I make my living with this tractor, got jobs lined up for the next 4 weeks and can't afford a major fix right now!
My 98 L2550 lost clutch suddenly-- Please Forgive me for such a long post
- Thread starter HHL
- Start date
TheOldHokie
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
You appear to have a gear model and the hydraulic fluid has nothing to do with the operation of the clutch. That is purely mechanical.
I don't know the specifics of your tractor but I would start by checking the action of the clutch lever arm. Here is a picture of the parts diagram. Shaft 10 operates the release bearing inside the clutch housing. The release bearing is what disengages the clutch disk Disconnect shaft 10 at the linkage and try to operate it by hand to verify it is connected internally. If you can move it any significant distance something is broken inside the housing.
Dan
I don't know the specifics of your tractor but I would start by checking the action of the clutch lever arm. Here is a picture of the parts diagram. Shaft 10 operates the release bearing inside the clutch housing. The release bearing is what disengages the clutch disk Disconnect shaft 10 at the linkage and try to operate it by hand to verify it is connected internally. If you can move it any significant distance something is broken inside the housing.
Dan
Partner welcome to the forum. Be aware this is not FB an it is permissible to use paragraphs! Your post is difficult to read, but what I got through it sounds like you need to split your tractor and replace the clutch.
Respectfully, Not really sure what paragraphs have to do with equipment repair or what was hard to read about it? But I do appreciate your input greatly.
I had the same thought, replace clutch, at first, but the more I thought about it, I've never had or heard of a cluch going out in a matter of minutes, when it has never slipped the first time? I've replaced clutches in numerous vehicles and in 2 other tractors and none of them did anything like this.
Thank you for your input and the diagram. Gonna go out in a few and start checking everything in the daylight.
Frankly, it is SO MUCH easier to read what someone is saying if they break things into smaller paragraphs that contain different details or thoughts.
In my case, I like to read what the issues are, and if I can help I do, but did not think I could help in your case.
So I gave up trying to understand your issue because of the mass of text lumped together and my small brain size I suppose...
I think this may be what D2Cat was trying to convey...Make you posts easier to read, and likely more people will read them.
Actually it could have been worse. YOU COULD HAVE TYPED THE WHOLE POST IN CAPITALS!
You should get some good help here. Lots of knowledgeable members here willing to share what they know.
I hope your issue is solved easily, some are.
rbargeron
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L5450, L48, L3250, L345 never enough attachments
EDIT - The first question is whether or not this machine has the GST transmission - all responses so far (including this one) assume its a gear-drive machine and does not have Glide Shift.
Assuming it doesn't have Glide Shift, the L2550's ability to drive is independent of oil level - it's all gears - no hydraulic clutches, just dry disk type, operated by levers and pivots. It's rare but clutch disks can fail abruptly - when the center riveted assembly comes apart.
In your initial post you first said the clutch "went away" - which sounded to me like it disengaged?
Then, after hooking up the log, you described gears grinding, and pushing the shift lever into gear and the 4 wheels turning even with the clutch pedal down - meaning it was failing to disengage?
Later it was still not disengaging with the pedal, but then it went back to disengaged again.
It sounds like your clutch disk has come apart, sometimes the wreckage getting tangled up enough to drive, but other times not. The answer is splitting the machine and replacing it. Dick B
Assuming it doesn't have Glide Shift, the L2550's ability to drive is independent of oil level - it's all gears - no hydraulic clutches, just dry disk type, operated by levers and pivots. It's rare but clutch disks can fail abruptly - when the center riveted assembly comes apart.
In your initial post you first said the clutch "went away" - which sounded to me like it disengaged?
Then, after hooking up the log, you described gears grinding, and pushing the shift lever into gear and the 4 wheels turning even with the clutch pedal down - meaning it was failing to disengage?
Later it was still not disengaging with the pedal, but then it went back to disengaged again.
It sounds like your clutch disk has come apart, sometimes the wreckage getting tangled up enough to drive, but other times not. The answer is splitting the machine and replacing it. Dick B
Last edited:
Russell King
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
If it is gear drive and you tightened the linkage “drastically” the the clutch won’t engage and the pedal will move freely for a large distance.
If you loosen the linkage you may be able to get it to move under its own power. But you can hopefully get it moved onto a flat shop floor by pulling it if not.
It sounds like a clutch failure and you will need to split it and replace the clutch plate, pressure plate, throw out bearing and the bushing in the flywheel (assuming standard arrangement for manual clutch)
Splitting the tractor is in your immediate future I believe
If you loosen the linkage you may be able to get it to move under its own power. But you can hopefully get it moved onto a flat shop floor by pulling it if not.
It sounds like a clutch failure and you will need to split it and replace the clutch plate, pressure plate, throw out bearing and the bushing in the flywheel (assuming standard arrangement for manual clutch)
Splitting the tractor is in your immediate future I believe
rbargeron
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L5450, L48, L3250, L345 never enough attachments
Another question is whether it has the Dual Clutch or the single disk type. When it was operating normally could you start and stop the pto independent of the drive wheels? If so its the dual clutch type. Best not to buy parts until you have it apart. It can mean a big difference in cost
Lmao!!! DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO GET AN ENGLISH/GRAMMER LESSON BY JOINING A TRACTOR FORUM!!! THE ONLY THING IM FOCUSED ON IS FIXING MY TRACTOR..... NOT MAKING SURE MY POST HAS PROPER PARAGRAPH ETIQUETTE!!Frankly, it is SO MUCH easier to read what someone is saying if they break things into smaller paragraphs that contain different details or thoughts.
In my case, I like to read what the issues are, and if I can help I do, but did not think I could help in your case.
So I gave up trying to understand your issue because of the mass of text lumped together and my small brain size I suppose...
B
I think this may be what D2Cat was trying to convey...Make you posts easier to read, and likely more people will read them.
Actually it could have been worse. YOU COULD HAVE TYPED THE WHOLE POST IN CAPITALS!
You should get some good help here. Lots of knowledgeable members here willing to share what they know.
I hope your issue is solved easily, some are.
BUT AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT!
I'm wondering if that rear seal let go contaminating your clutch?There should be an inspection cover near the clutch,open it see what the future will be.
Welcome to OTT
One possibility with dual clutch pressure plate is one of the 3 PP operating fingers/linkages has broken or become disconnected causing PP to not operate as designed.
Kubota L2550DT (Dual Traction 4wd) Parts Diagrams
Kubota Parts Catalog Lookup. Buy Kubota Parts Online & Save!
www.messicks.com
HHL…. I’m not time-challenged and can read your sentences just-fine.… all it takes is to slow down to comprehend what you actually intend to say.
You mixed your terminology which made it a challenge…. you say in one point it will not dis-engage and and later say it STILL will not engage.
It sounds to me that your gear-drive tractor has a clutch-linkage which has failed… Either your throw-out bearing yoke (item A in Hokies illustration above) has broken or fallen out of position… or the bell-crank-levers have broken (item 10).
FIRST check that all linkages EXTERNAL to the transmission housing are conntected, operational, and not bent/flexing out-of-position…. If all that seems correct, you’ll have to split that tractor to get inside to see what has failed. It’s possible that item 40 has simply failed/broken/fallen out-of-position…which would result in the problem you describe. You may get lucky …if you can consider only having to split the tractor to replace one bolt a lucky matter.
Meanwhile stop forcing it into gear while the engine is running unless you’d prefer to spend BIG money.
You mixed your terminology which made it a challenge…. you say in one point it will not dis-engage and and later say it STILL will not engage.
It sounds to me that your gear-drive tractor has a clutch-linkage which has failed… Either your throw-out bearing yoke (item A in Hokies illustration above) has broken or fallen out of position… or the bell-crank-levers have broken (item 10).
FIRST check that all linkages EXTERNAL to the transmission housing are conntected, operational, and not bent/flexing out-of-position…. If all that seems correct, you’ll have to split that tractor to get inside to see what has failed. It’s possible that item 40 has simply failed/broken/fallen out-of-position…which would result in the problem you describe. You may get lucky …if you can consider only having to split the tractor to replace one bolt a lucky matter.
Meanwhile stop forcing it into gear while the engine is running unless you’d prefer to spend BIG money.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
A finger bolt let go on my 2 hour new replacement clutch (made in China).
After 2 splits I am rather good at it.
Thanks for the input! The only times I forced it into gear was getting it out of the woods and loaded on my trailer to get it home. I've already went the full check list of visible linkages and suck on the outside. Actually elbow deep in it right now. I'm about to go ahead and start disconnecting everything to split it! On a positive note, atleast I'm not going into it blind, seeing as how I have split a few in the past.HHL…. I’m not time-challenged and can read your sentences just-fine.… all it takes is to slow down to comprehend what you actually intend to say.
You mixed your terminology which made it a challenge…. you say in one point it will not dis-engage and and later say it STILL will not engage.
It sounds to me that your gear-drive tractor has a clutch-linkage which has failed… Either your throw-out bearing yoke (item A in Hokies illustration above) has broken or fallen out of position… or the bell-crank-levers have broken (item 10).
FIRST check that all linkages EXTERNAL to the transmission housing are conntected, operational, and not bent/flexing out-of-position…. If all that seems correct, you’ll have to split that tractor to get inside to see what has failed. It’s possible that item 40 has simply failed/broken/fallen out-of-position…which would result in the problem you describe. You may get lucky …if you can consider only having to split the tractor to replace one bolt a lucky matter.
Meanwhile stop forcing it into gear while the engine is running unless you’d prefer to spend BIG money.
Thank you to everyone who has took the time to read my non paragraphed post lol, even you English teacher lol, and shared your knowledge, experience and ideas! It has all been a tremendous help. I will keep yall posted as soon as I figure out what happened! Hope everybody has a Happy Thanksgiving!!