Transmission Grinding

[HiltzMachineWorks]

When I start my tractor and prepare to shift into a gear, it always grinds, even with the clutch pressed down.

I think I remember years ago that when I pushed the clutch in, the shaft inside the transmission stopped spinning.

I can hear it turning quickly with the clutch pedal pressed and I have to very gently select 1st or 2nd so it can "gently" go "grrrrrrrr" and slow the spinning gear down in the transmission.

Any idea of a common issue that causes this?

[Slim140]

How much free travel do you have with your clutch pedal? Could be as simple as adjusting the clutch fingers and or the pedal or it may need a new clutch. Start with adjustment first, it’s cheap

[HiltzMachineWorks]

I'll measure the clutch free play in the AM.

Another thing... I have to manually "pull" the clutch pedal back up every time. I replaced the return spring and it didn't change anything.
Do you think this could be related?

[Slim140]

The pedal could be rusted on the shaft and not returning could keep pressure on the clutch itself and make it wear more than normal. It needs to be free and the spring should pull it back. Hopefully you can adjust it and get it freed up and not have to split it.

[Dale Finch]

Start spraying the pedal shaft with a penetrating oil (Kroil, PB Blaster) and work the pedal up and down until it moves freely. Some later cubs had a grease fitting on the pedal shaft to avoid this.

[HiltzMachineWorks]

Mine is a 1948 so no grease fitting on mine...

I started spraying around the big nut at the bottom of the clutch pedal today. I'll keep working it. Its been doing this since last season and I didn't put many hours on it last year. I'm working it a lot this year and it could be a big issue. If I have to split it I'm going to *try* to milk it through this work season and split it this winter.

I'll measure the play in the AM and let you guys know what I find. Thanks!

[k hutchins]

Not that it is an easier fix, because it still requires you to split the tractor, but it could be as simple as a worn throw out bearing.

[Glen]

Hi,
The pics below, from TM Tractor, show what the pivot on the clutch pedal, inside the clutch housing looks like.
The first pic is the first style of pedal, used up to serial number 32228.
The second pic shows the newer style of clutch pedal, with the free play adjustment made on it, used with serial number 32229, and above.
You didn't say which one you have.

Some of the clutch pedals get tight moving, the pivot should be oiled.
I think the shiny part fits in a hole cast into the housing that is about 2/3 the length of the shiny part, so you need to work penetrating oil inside the hole.
You may be able to pull the pedal base out of the housing 1/4", that might help in getting penetrating oil inside the hole.
When it is working freely, oil the pivot with motor oil, and push the base into the housing again.

[Glen]

Hi,
Below are pages from Cub owner's manuals, showing the clutch pedal free play adjustments.
The free play is measured at the surface you put your foot on.
This page shows the first style adjustment, it used a little more free play than the newer style.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-40.jpg

This page shows the newer style adjustment.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-40.jpg

If you look in through the hand hole, under the clutch area, with a light, you can see if the throwout bearing is worn. The material sticks out of a new throwout bearing 5/16". It shows it in the manual pics.
If the free play is correct, and the throwout bearing is not worn much, the pressure plate fingers might be too low, and need adjusting, another sort of common problem. The clutch won't release fully with the fingers too low.

[Posco]

I bought my Cub five years ago and there was always some grind when trying to put the transmission in gear. I finally split it a month ago and put a new throwout bearing in it. What a difference. No more grinding gears.

[HiltzMachineWorks]

I've been working the clutch pedal and spraying with PB Blaster and I've made a lot of progress. The clutch now moves back freely 9 out of 10 times. It actually snaps back with the new spring, which is a big improvement over staying down/

I do believe the free play is extreme, though. I didn't have a tape measure, but I took these two photos to show how far the pedal must be pressed before I face resistance.

I'm having a problem with the pictures showing up inline so I removed the inline feature but I hope you can see them below as attachments.

[HiltzMachineWorks]

What I thought was resistance on the pedal all this time was actually the pedal being locked up with rust. Until it came free I had no idea that only the very last bit of the pedal was engaging with any resistance. I don't even know if an adjustment can take out this much free play.

[Glen]

Hi,
Glad you are making progress.
It's hard to see in your pic which style of adjustment it has, I think it is the newer one. You didn't say which style of adjustment it has.
I would try adjusting it, it's easy to do with the newer adjustment. Just loosen the bolt, and turn the adjuster, the owner's manual has instructions for adjusting it.
I would look in the hand hole with a light, and see if the throwout bearing is good, or worn down. If the material is worn down to the level of the metal, the metal part of the bearing can hit on the pressure plate fingers when the clutch pedal is pushed down.
Avoid pushing it so there is metal to metal contact, with the engine running, it can damage the fingers, or throwout bearing holder.

[pickerandsinger]

What I thought was resistance on the pedal all this time was actually the pedal being locked up with rust. Until it came free I had no idea that only the very last bit of the pedal was engaging with any resistance. I don't even know if an adjustment can take out this much free play.

...As Glenn said, depends on which type of adjuster you have...It almost looks like a bolt head under the floor board on the clutch arm...If so you may need a screw driver ( small lever ) to hold the adjustment lever down after you loosen the bolt and lift the pedal back up...Then set it for one inch and give it a try ... Adjust it accordingly after that ..Check your throwout bearing as he said first...Good luck..Dave

[ricky racer]

My clutch works as it should but if I try to put it in gear as soon as I depress the peddle the gears will grind. If I depress the peddle and wait a few seconds, giving the gears a chance to stop turning, it will drop right in with no grinding.