420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

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

420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

Post by bookman51 » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:21 pm

I do not want to hijack 420CrawlerHoller thread, so I will start another one. I read with considerable interest the solutions to his brake and clutch pedal being stuck together. I have been having a similar problem, but mine are not complete stuck together, just tight. I realize from reading his thread that I have NOT been working enough from the left side with PB Blaster etc. since the brake shaft from that side goes inside the clutch shaft.

I can engage the clutch pedal and put the crawler in gear. But when I took my foot off the clutch pedal, it does not come all the way back. However, I can hook my toes under the clutch pedal and pull it back and engage the clutch. Is this an indication that the clutch pedal is adjusted wrong or simply that the brake shaft is holding the clutch shaft from coming all the way back and engaging?

I am speculating that the clutch pedal is not adjusted correctly, which does not allow it to go forward enough to get the battery out. I do not see where it can to back (towards me) any further. I thought it was hitting on the left footrest but it is not. However something pretty solid is keep the clutch pedal from going back any further. Thanks for all the help.

Jim B
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Re: 420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

Post by Jim B » Sat Mar 09, 2019 4:02 pm

Confirm what your clutch pedal hits when you pull it way back. Is it hitting externally or externally. How much free play do you have from way back to where the throwout bearing is just touching the pressure plate fingers? How far from the footrest is it when the clutch is disengaged?

That one shaft, the brake pedal is on, works both brakes for stopping travel and parking. Yes it is inside the clutch shaft which is hollow. Yes you need to work lube into them and exercise the pedals so that they don't drag on each other. The clutch pedal should return all the way up/back on its own. A return spring(s) could be unhooked, broken, or missing. Does your clutch adjust with a turnbuckle arrangement in the rod just ahead of the clutch pedal, on the outside of the case?

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bookman51
430 crawler
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Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
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Re: 420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

Post by bookman51 » Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:29 pm

It does not look like the clutch pedal it hitting the foot platform. With a little more time and warmer weather I will check out everything you mentioned. In the meantime, I am putting PB Blaster on the left side and working the pedals from time to time. I am hoping they will come completely loose. I think the spring to bring back the pedals works, but I suppose it could be weak. It brings back the clutch pedal within about of an inch of full back. I can then hook my toes under it and pull it all the way back to engage the clutch. I do have a service manual, and I assume there is an observation hole (with a cover) to see if the throwout bearing is just touching the pressure plate fingers. Thanks

Jim B
350 crawler
350 crawler
Posts: 2080
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:36 am
Location: western Maine

Re: 420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

Post by Jim B » Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:50 pm

The only "observation hole" I know of is on the left side a few inches below and to the rear of the serial number tag. It may have a small metal flap, held by one screw, covering it. Yours is a later model so it likely has it, I understand the earlier ones didn't. It is actually to grease the throwout bearing carrier. I don't believe you can actually see the throwout bearing contact the pressure plate fingers through it. I always moved the pedal by hand and felt the contact point then measured free play from there. The pedal has to be free to do this properly. You should have about 1" of free play. If you look at your parts book and find the page with your pedal, you should have the rod with the turnbuckle which is where you make your adjustment (the forward jam nut is left hand thread).

Is your pedal sticking to the point the clutch doesn't engage? That's what it sounds like when you say you have to pull the pedal back with your toes to engage the clutch. Getting the pedals free is a priority, then adjustment. The springs in the pressure plate will push the throwout bearing back until they run out of travel. There are two springs on the throwout carrier pulling it back and by the parts book another spring on the clutch pedal shaft to pull the throwout bearing off the pressure plate fingers.

Do you know if the clutch was ever replaced? The pressure plate may not have been set up properly if it was. I think that could affect your pedal location, related to your battery issue, as well.

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bookman51
430 crawler
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Posts: 99
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 10:20 am
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Re: 420 brake and clutch pedal stuck

Post by bookman51 » Sun Mar 10, 2019 2:57 pm

I had the crawler overhauled at a local John Deere dealer about a dozen years ago. I do not know if the clutch was replaced then or not. I purchased it in pieces from an uncle who has since passed on. I do not know if the John Deere dealer reassembled the clutch correctly or not. Sounds like may be not though. I will work on getting the clutch pedal freed up and then look at the adjustments...hopefully they can all be done from the outside without a splitting of the crawler. Thanks for the help.

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