John Deere 420 C

General help and support for your Lindeman through 2010 John Deere crawler
User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 2:34 pm

I have not started by John Deere 420C for about a year. I just went out and started it. To my surprise it started right off. However, when I went to move it, the clutch would not engage. I could put it in gear, have the reverse pushed forward, release the clutch, and nothing. I worked the clutch a lot but still nothing. I notice the clutch and brake pedal move the together. So what is the cause and how do I fix it. :cry:

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 11:27 am

Anybody??

tldec50
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:35 am
Location: Rex Ga

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by tldec50 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:04 pm

Last year I bought a mt john deere tractor with the same problem,the clutch was stuck from sitting a long time.I have a 12000 lb winch in my trailer
which I drug it on to the trailer with and when I got it home I rolled the tractor aft on the trailer as far as I could without rolling it off.Took a tie down strap and ratched the clutch pedal in the released position put in low gear and drug the tractor back on the trailer with the winch and the clutch broke loose and it has worked good ever since.As far as the clutch and brake moving together sounds like the shafts are corroded saturate with kroil maybe they will break free, that worked for me,Tim

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 12:40 pm

Thanks. It is sitting inside but maybe I can pull it with another tractor. What seems odd to me is if the clutch is stuck engaged, how I am able to put into gear while the crawler is running. I put some penetrating fluid on the brake/clutch shaft. It seems to have broke loose but not real loose yet. Thanks again.

tldec50
40C crawler
40C crawler
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:35 am
Location: Rex Ga

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by tldec50 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 1:25 pm

mine was stuck in the engaged position sounds like yours is stuck in the oposite position?? moving it would not break that free

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by Lavoy » Mon Sep 04, 2017 1:27 pm

I agree, clutch is not engaging, or something is disconnected in the reverser. If the pedals are moving together, it is possible that the clutch pedal is farther ahead than it should be, being held there by the brake pedal. You can see where the clutch pedal should rest on the trans. If it is not back all the way, could be the problem. Also can feel for freeplay in the clutch pedal, if you have it and can feel the throwout bearing is contacting the fingers on the pressure plate, then back to something broken or other problem.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 3:47 pm

I would not think something would break with the crawler just sitting. However something might rust and stick together. I will try Lavoy's suggestion that the brake and clutch are rusted together and the brake is keeping the clutch from coming back and engaging. I may not get it checked until late tomorrow. Thanks very much. It is a fun machine but also in someways delicate or at least old. Obviously I must exercise it more!!! :lol:

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by Stan Disbrow » Tue Sep 05, 2017 8:06 am

Hi,

The clutch and brake pedal shafts are coaxially mounted, and are supposed to be greased once in a while. Of course, this doesn't happen until they get sticky....

Anyway, I also think that the brake being pushed forward along with the clutch pedal caused the clutch pedal to now 'rest' too far forward. That would leave the engine clutch disengaged. Get those pedal shafts freed up and I bet your problem goes away.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Tue Sep 05, 2017 8:11 am

I assume there is a grease zerk down there somewhere. I end up crawling around under the crawler (pun intended) about every time I start it since I have to take off the clutch pedal to slide out the battery and put a charger on it. This time I was pleasantly surprised when it started right off. But I should have known better since when I put it in gear and let out the clutch, nothing. I think that old crawler just sets there thinking of ways to frustrate me. I hope to get back to it this afternoon, and I hope it is nothing more than the brake and clutch sticking together. I have sprayed penetrating oil at both ends and tried working it. They are free but still very tight.

User avatar
Lavoy
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 10937
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:32 pm
Location: North Dakota
Contact:

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by Lavoy » Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:44 am

No zerk on the cross shaft, all you use is spray of some sort.
If your battery hits your clutch pedal. then that is the problem, clutch should not interfere with battery tray.
Lavoy
Parts and restoration for antique and late model John Deere crawlers.
Owner and moderator www.jdcrawlers.com

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Tue Sep 05, 2017 3:14 pm

Lavoy, The clutch only interferes with the battery when I go to slide the battery out so I can put a charger on it. I got the crawler from my uncle in about 2003. It was in pieces more or less and he passed on in 2007. For some reason there was a 2x6 block of wood down by the brake pedal and a wire wrapped around the clutch pedal. I cannot ask him now but I wonder if they served some purpose in solving or preventing the problem I have now ran into. In about 2006 I had the engine completely overhauled, and you put new pins in the tracks about that time.

Thanks

Larry

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Tue Sep 05, 2017 8:55 pm

I have gotten the clutch and brake pedals to work separately...sort of. They are still really tight. The only way I can get them to work separately is block one and pushing the other with my leg. I probably did that 30 or 40 times and did not seem to get a looser. Is there any adjustment on the shaft under the crawler? Seems like if was just rust, the pedals would get looser with working them that many times, plus the penetrating oil I have tried to shoot on the shaft. Thanks :?: :?:

B Town
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 752
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:04 pm
Location: Western Iowa

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by B Town » Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:36 am

Unfortunately, i think you need to do more of the same. No adjustment that i am aware of. Bruce

User avatar
Stan Disbrow
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:13 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by Stan Disbrow » Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:12 am

Hi,

No adjustment there. It is essentially a rod inside a tube both the width between the pedals. One pedal on the rod, one on the tube. So, there is quite a bit of surface area to grow a rust scale. You either have to flush that out or disassemble the whole thing and clean it up. And, you really don't want to take it all apart. So, keep on spraying and working them.

I use a spray grease once a year. Spraying into each side. Keeps it from growing that rust scale.

Stan
There's No Such Thing As A Cheap Crawler!

Useta Have: '58 JD 420c 5-roller w/62 inside blade
Useta Have: '78 JD350C w/6310 outside blade
Useta Have: '68 JD350, '51 Terratrac GT-25
Have: 1950 M, 2005 x495, 2008 5103 (now known as 5045D)

User avatar
bookman51
430 crawler
430 crawler
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Kearney, Nebraska

Re: John Deere 420 C

Post by bookman51 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:19 am

Thanks to Stan and Bruce. Now if I could just convince my wife that working the pedals on the crawler is good exercise for her. That may be harder to do that getting the pedals to work right. Thanks for the helps fellows. :lol:

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 59 guests