Need Assistance: John Deere 420C

[BigV]

I have a very late production John Deere 420C.

Here is the deal:

If you depress the left pedal, both pedals depress.

This seems wrong, as the John Deere 440IC I operated that friend owned, the pedals operated seperately. Left was the clutch, right was your brake if I'm not going crazy.

Now here is the other problem:

Something is off with the left side steering handle. I was told by the DPO that there is a rod broken on the steering handle on the left.

I can tell you this: The right hand side turns perfectly and it works super well, but when you let off on it, it returns to position.

With left hand side, it is loose and rickety. As in, you can push it forward as far as it will go and it will brake the tractor to a halt, but it won't turn. When you do that, the handle is loose and it doesn't return to position.

I am about to order a parts book and FSM from Lavoy, but I would like to solicit input on this.

Right now, I can drive it and use it by putting it in reverse and using my right steering clutch to make left turns, but I want to get this fixed.

If it means I have drop the final drive on the left side, I might as well get off my behind and TCB.

PS: This is an all Yellow factory 420C. The hood was painted green, if you go down, though, the whole tractor has been yellow(and then you hit primer/metal).

It only has 100 to 200 hours on it, so I'd like to fix it and not part it out. I did pay too much, but it was something I wanted.

[Lavoy]

Clutch pedal and brake shaft are rusted together, sometimes an easy fix, sometimes you split it. Get some penetrant going on the shaft where it comes out of the clutch pedal tube right next to the clutch pedal.
Something is really goofed up in the LH clutch, I would pull the final and find out what is up before risking some sort of damage.
Lavoy

[Howard Yoder]

Are you pushing the lever forward or pulling it back towards the seat if your pushing it foward something is really messed up like Lavoy said but if your pulling it back then look down in the housing and see if you can ajust the throw out bearing.

[gregjo1948]

If it's stopping when pulling the left steering handle, I'd say the problem is in the right side steering clutch pack. gregjo1948

[Willyr]

Also if your brake linkage is missing, both pedals will move.

[BigV]

I know it is annoying as all get out when someone posts a question and never follows up and never mentions it again.

I've been working. I had a guy bring me a set of Cletrac tracks he was trying to make usable and he asked me to make track pads as he could not find any.

So I spent a bunch of time working on my horizontal mill and some some flat stock. He's been happy with the result, I was very reticent, but I figured I'd do my best.

I got a chance to do some work on my 420C, and I will post a video to show what is going on. I'll go down tomorrow and take a video and post it on Youtube or a video site where you guys can better shed some light on what is happening.

[BigV]

Here is 10 minutes you'll never get back. Warning: This is the very first time I've ever done a video or posted it to Youtube. That is why it took so long. Also note, I was tired, my hands were shaky, and I had just finished doing some 3pt hitch arms for my customer's Cletrac.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pguh0gXXzQ

Note: The rest is just me running my mouth, doing a cold start, showing you the GM alternator I used, and the 420c's general poor condition.

To those who are only interested in the diagnosis:
http://youtu.be/4pguh0gXXzQ?t=55s
http://youtu.be/4pguh0gXXzQ?t=7m28s

[vtjoe]

that clicking sound usually means that brake band is WAY out of adjustment
get the book for instructions Lavoy probably has them

[Howard Yoder]

I'm not sure but I think what might be happenning when you pull the left side handle is that it is applying the brake and since the brake and clutch are stuck together it is actually disengaging the clutch. You can see the clutch pedal moving when you pull it back

[BigV]

Howard: You are correct. When you pull back on the left handle, it is actuating the clutch. I need the FSM because I've looked at the parts manual online and it is not exactly enlightening me.

I went by a John Deere dealership today to take a look at a splitting stand(I need one to repair my Farmtrac's hydraulic pump drive gear) and to pickup a hydraulic filter.

While I was there, the service manager asked if I needed a FSM & Parts book. I told him I'd rather buy one from Lavoy. He told me that's not what he meant, and asked again if I needed them. I said yes. Someone left a reprint Model 40 and Model 420 Service manual and parts book there two years ago, when the dealership was repairing their crawler. The owner of the manuals abandoned them, and refused to come get them after he picked up his crawler. So the service manager said he'd' need two or three days to find them, but I can have them for free.

I've decided that I probably have to drop the final drive anyway, so I'll get my splitting stand built to support the tractor, drop the final drive, and figure out what is going on.

I love this crawler. I want it fixed. I just always fix my own equipment so it doesn't happen immediately.

[Lavoy]

No stand needed for a crawler, just split the track, and pull the final. Well not quite that easy, but still no stand needed.
Lavoy

[Howard Yoder]

Join the crowd I work on one of my projects then some body needs something done and I do it and come back and work on something else once in a great while I get one of my projects done. I just fixed a bobcat bucket for my brother that took longer then I thought and need to get some things done for the church and try to get some work done on a duster for my son insulate the barn fix my 1010 tractor put a tranny clutches and other things to my 440 aw its all good LOL

[Kws346]

Have you found out the issue with the Left hand clutch? I have a 420 with the exact same problem.