40C steering clutches

[Bigfootcountry]

Hello to everyone,

Just picked up my first JD crawler super excited to put it to work. Runs great and steers well when just driving it around went to service it and had some oil mixed with water come out of both steering clutch housings. Tractor seems to operate ok is this normal to have some oil leak into the housing over time? All the parts have an oil coating on them and when under heavy load it seems the right clutch doesn’t hold completely if I try to steer to the left. Is this a sign I’m going to be pulling that drive apart or is it normal if under a load to have it not fully hold? The ID tag is missing so I don’t know the exact year unless there’s another place to have the number stamped?


Appreciate any help on this hoping to get lots of use out of it.

[original possum]

Get up against something firm, like a big tree. You should be able to spin the tracks in first gear. If either stops then you will be replacing clutches. Do both. Water and oil are not normal. Water can come from condensation or rain, but oil must come through a bad sea and will cause clutch to slip (can't spin tracks). Fix the leak or you will soon be pulling finals again.

[Bigfootcountry]

I had it against a tree and it was digging down when I was trying to push. It just seemed that when I turn the one clutch didn’t hold as well. Going to make all the adjustments for main clutch and brakes as I know the right side is not correct the lever has to pull too far back to release that side and steer. You sell the friction and steels for the steering clutches on these? Is the serial number stamped anyplace on the tractor if the ID plate is missing?

[original possum]

The serial number shouldn't matter for the parts you would need. But if the problem is that the clutch will not release, not that it slips, then adjustment will usually fix it. If you do decide to tear into it, get your parts from Lavoy, the owner of this site, and upgrade to 420 clutches.

[Bigfootcountry]

They both release but the left lever comes back to rest on the mechanical stop when not being used and released before it gets to the seat frame. The right lever does not come back to the mechanical rest when not in use and feels like it’s pushing the brake band out. Pretty sure the adjustment needs to be done on that side so all the proper settings are correct before I condemn the right steering clutches. For the upgrade to the 420 clutches is it just frictions and steels that get changed the basket stays the same?

[Lavoy]

If the clutches are oil soaked, they are ruined. You need to pull the finals and find the source of the oil leak, and repair the problem. Clean the housings out so they are dry and oil free while you are in there.
I have the clutch parts on hand.
Lavoy