frozen/bonded steering clutches.

LEK1951 · Post by **LEK1951** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:36 pm

Brothers, RE: JD 350. Steering clutches wont release. Linkage was also stuck. I got linkage freed up and adjusted. The brakes apply and lug engine properly but steering clutches will not release. Have drove up and down steep hills with levers back , dumped the clutch foward and reverse . Currently have levers tied back and filled steering clutche housings full of kerosene. Any advice?

jtrichard · Post by **jtrichard** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:01 pm

water would/might work..... kerosene/oil is the worst thing you could put in there...... now you will have to pull it down and replace ALL the clutch fibers and the brake bands ANY oil on them destroys them in short order

Post by **Lavoy** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:18 pm

Rust is a product of water, not petroleum. No petroleum product cuts the rust like water, but any petroleum product destroys steering clutches. The other issue is as the fiber discs absorb water, they swell just like a sponge, and crush the pressure plate fingers down against the pressure plate frame in most cases. As JT said, tear down and replace is only option, no easy rides when it comes to crawlers.
Lavoy

LEK1951 · Post by **LEK1951** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:25 am

Thanks men.

LEK1951 · Post by **LEK1951** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:41 pm

Ive got it apart. No damage to fiber clutches or brake band. The clutches were so bonded that some of the fiber pulled off and stuck to the metal plates when i pryed them apart. Also noted no fiber plate behind the circlip of center hub. It has been apart before.
Anything i need to know about lubing the linkage and throwout bearing?

Post by **Lavoy** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 10:41 am

If there was that much moisture or water I there, I would be throwing away some parts. Throwout and pilot bearing maybe, definitely fibers, probably the pressure plate. Look really closely at the brake band, if the moisture has been in there long enough, it rusts the brake band lining off of the steel part.
Fix everything while you are in there, then no need to go back in later.
Lavoy

original possum · Post by **original possum** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 5:21 pm

If there was no fiber plate behind the circlip then it could never be disengaged. If it has been that way long enough to stick then the pressure plate springs are trash. Listen to Lavoy.

Post by **Lavoy** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 10:40 pm

Yes, good point, I missed that. It must have really crushed the pressure plate fingers down when they put it together. Would almost make you wonder if they ever used the crawler again after assembly? I guess it could have broken the teeth in the disc and relieved enough pressure to work.
Lavoy

jtrichard · Post by **jtrichard** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:55 am

assuming it is just like a late 2010 if the snap ring is not between fiber 1 and 2 it would not affect the release only that the hub would be floating outward and would not be in-gauged with the last fiber most likely

LEK1951 · Post by **LEK1951** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:07 am

I bought it from a mechanic who said steering breaks were out. It's got 1264 hrs, tracks 95%. He just wasn't into it and I got it for 3k. Whoever put it together couldn't have run it. One other note the brake drum has worn 1/8" wear groove yet brake band is full thickness. The brake drum has the most wear of anything on the tractor.
The reverser is on the dash but the key shuts it off so i guess its a 350 straight and a half.
Men, I really enjoy this site. Thanks.

jtrichard · Post by **jtrichard** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:29 am

can you post pics? of pressure plate and drum closeups and the rest of coarse

Post by **Lavoy** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:20 pm

Yeah, that's true, it wouldn't really effect the fingers now that you say that.
Lavoy

LEK1951 · Post by **LEK1951** » Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:13 pm

The whole problem was the failure to put the first fiber behind the circlip on the inner hub. Oh well thats why i got it for a good price.

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frozen/bonded steering clutches.

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