need tool

[rentthis]

I hate to admit it but I'm stuck. I have an L3240hst. I'm replacing the engine (d1703-m-et10) and for the life of me can't find a clutch alignment tool. Does anyone have a solution? The fact that there is no pilot bearing in the crank shaft has me scratching where I don't itch.

 

[Jim L.]

The Workshop Service Manual shows a Clutch Center Tool used for all B and L series. But no part number! Says center piece dia is 20mm.

For one-time use you might lathe turn a wood dowel rod.

Maybe with measured diameters you might get lucky at auto parts shop.

Or try Messicks or such since the Clutch Center Tool is shared by L series.

 

[Changnam 59]

Find a cylindrical object such as a piece of tube that is roughly the right diameter and fits through the centre of the clutch.

Where you need to position the friction plate concentrically along the length of the tube wind tape (such as insulating tape or masking tape) around the pipe at the right point until it it is the correct diameter.

The friction plate does not have to be positioned that accurately for the output shaft to engage. From experience I would say plus or minus 0.5mm is good enough.

I have used this method many times on a wide variety of vehicles with success.

 

[D2Cat]

Just like Changnam 59 said, take a wooden dowel and make one. Use a broom handle, anything you have laying around. Use your bench grinder to dress it down (or a lathe if you have one) so it fits inside the clutch splines. You can turn down one end so it fits into the crankshaft even if there is no pilot bearing. Splines are not needed. Just the correct diameter. And it does not have to be perfect.

 

[rentthis]

My main problem is that I have run into something new to me. The end of the transmission input shaft is splined all the way to the end with nothing to enter a pilot bushing. The flywheel doesn't have a pilot bushing or a pilot bearing. The end of the spline just seems to hang into space with nothing to support it except the steel of the flywheel. Could it be possible that a bushing bearing isn't required? I know that the answer to this is going to be obvious but it seems to have everyone around here stumped. I wasn't there to see it come apart so I'm playing catch up.

 

[D2Cat]

The shaft being splined to the end requires something around those splines going into the crankshaft or it will be short lived.

How much tolerance is there between the splines and the hole? Does it look like, at some time, there was a bushing or something in the hole? Does it look like the end of the shaft has been broken?

On my L305, according to the parts book, the splined end steps down to a smooth shaft, goes the release hub, which has a release bearing on it. Then into crankshaft. It shows a ball bearing there.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Could it be possible that a bushing bearing isn't required?

It is exactly that, the shaft that feeds the HST is supported by 2 bearings that are very large right behind the throw-out bearing housing, and the shaft size and make up allows it to "float" unlike a geared transmission.

I know it doesn't agree with all of what we have known about pilot bearings and input shafts over the years.

 

[rentthis]

I finally talked to someone at Kubota that explained it to me. Just as Wolfman said, the input shaft is supported by those huge bearings inside the transmission and the engine doesn't require a pilot bearing. It's counter-intuitive to me but that's what they decided to do. Now, with that solved we need to get busy reassembling the tractor and see how many bolts we have left over. Thanks to everyone for your help.

Mike