JD 440IC Steering Clutch Adjustment

[Hulld]

Hello

I have a 1959 John Deere 440IC with a 6 way hydraulic blade.

It sat for a number of years before I bought it. The left steering clutch was stuck when I loaded it. A few solid pulls on the left lever and it began working. I have used it about 25 hours and the left steering doesn’t work the way it should after about 30 minutes.

I have Service Manual SM-2023 (2-63) and I’m using to try to adjust the steering clutch.

On page 170-5-2 it states to loosen the lock nut on clutch and brake synchro set screw.
I did this and found out the steering lever shaft was frozen on the wide “U” shaped Brake lever. The manual says to pack this with with grease. I think the last time it was done is when it went down the assembly line in Dubuque in 1959.
I used some PB Blaster and got it moving rather freely. Not nearly as good as the right side is.

The next “adjustment” is the slotted nut on the brake band. I backed it off just to clean up the threads.

I moved the left steer lever out from 3 1/2” to 5” from the dash to give me my 1 1/2” of free play. I set the screw driver at the bottom to hold it.
The Manual says “Make sure that the throw out bearing is still contacting clutch fingers and tighten the throw out bearing cap screw securely.”

Mine throw out bearing is 1/4” from touching the clutch fingers. I have to move my steering lever a total of 5” before it contacts the clutch fingers.

Does this mean the discs in my clutch pack are worn out?
Or
Am I missing a step?

Thank you

I haven’t figured out how to upload pictures from my phone yet.

[dtoots1]

Hulld,

Is your throwout bearing located to the point where the bolt and washer actually sets at the outer edge of the lip? if so and you are 1/4inch away from touching the fingers, then it may well be time to replace clutches/steels....make sure that the t/o is out as far as you can get and still tighten it down properly.....it does require the washer under the head of the bolt...also try setting the lever to pick up that 1/4 inch.

My 440 had new clutches and had to be set from 5 inchs out...believe max is like 5.5 inchs out.
I dont know when the 3 1/2 inches out would being to work???

My 420 has the same steering set up, i have yet to adjust with new clutches....once i get engine started i will need to get it set too. so will see where mine at...

[Hulld]

The throw out bearing carrier lock screw (bolt with washer) is all the way back in the slot of the cam.

[Jim B]

This may be just a difference in terminology however "All the way back" on the throwout bearing means it is away from the pressure plate to me. All the way out would indicate it was at the outer end of the slot, towards the pressure plate, as dtoots1 is suggesting.
 
You have to use a third-party hosting site (like Imgur or PostImage) to post pictures from to this site.

[Lavoy]

Maybe I am missing something, but none of the measurements you state seem correct to me. Steering levers should be back 1 5/8" give or take to set the throwout bearing. Reread the manual carefully, it is likely just an adjustment error.
Lavoy

[Hulld]

Hello

The steering lever in its normal resting position towards the dash is 3 1/2”. The measurement is taken from above the switch and at the bottom of the rubber handle, as shown in the manual.

I then move the lever steering lever back towards the seat an additional 1 1/2” and set the screw driver in place. The measurement between the dash switch and the lever is 5”.

In this position, the throw out bearing just begins to move The bolt and washer that holds the throw out bearing is as far back into the slot as it can go. You actually have to move the steering lever back a bit further to get the 1/2” socket onto the bolt.

In this position, there is a huge gap between the throw out bearing and the “fingers” of the pressure plate. There is a 1/4” gap between the throw out bearing and the pressure plate fingers.

If I pull the steering lever back to the point the throw out bearing contacts the fingers on the pressure plate, the lever is 11” from the dash. This measurement is taken at the same location on the dash and steering lever the other measurements were taken.

The fingers on the pressure plate on the right side have a pronounced “J” shape where the throw out bearing makes contact.

The fingers on the pressure plate on the left side are mostly flat and had a little nub instead of a “J” shape where the throw out bearing makes contact.

Looking at the breakdown, to only way this makes sense to me is if the steering clutch plates are worn thin. This allows the worn pressure plate fingers to be “flatter”.

I added some pictures to my photo album in the John Deere Crawler Tractors FB page.

[Lavoy]

If at 1 1/2" the throwout just begins to move outward, it is an adjustment issue with the connecting rod between the steering lever shaft and the throwout quill.
If the adjusting bolt is at the bottom of the slot (farthest away from the pressure plate), then yes, the discs are shot.
Unless you address the issue with the connecting link, you will never be able to adjust the clutch by the book, it is just not possible. You are going to have to pull the final drive off and fix that issue first.
Lavoy

[Hulld]

Lavoy

Thank you.

Do you sell the steering clutch / brake band kit or just the tool to set the pressure plate?

[dtoots1]

Hulld,
He is owner of this site and does sell everything that you will need to fix that issue,,,email postmaster@jdcrawlers.com...it is highly recommended to buy these clutchs from him..generics are known...junk

That is why it was asked yhe position in the slot..all the way in indicates worn..new will be right at the edge of slot..

[Hulld]

Thank you

Email sent

[dtoots1]

Hulld,

Read about these teardowns in the different posts...my latest is a 420 where i just replace my left side steering brake and clutches...positioning machine, tracks, blocking etc..

my housing was literally glued with the red gasket sealer (permatex) and had to be worked clear around with a putty knife to get loose without breaking it.,by the way..proper is a coat of lacquer or paint...no gasket

just never know what you run into

[Hulld]

I have it all apart. I think I used all of my gasket scrapers to get it slid apart.

There was a lot of dried mud in the bottom.
The steel plates were rusted. The pressure plate surface is rusted and gauled.

I’m going to guess someone installed a new cheap pressure plate and clutch pack and brake band but never set the clutch pressure plate correctly. The fingers of the pressure plate are pretty flat where they contact the throw out bearing, and it not from wear.