Cub clutch

[Festus]

I got another 53 Cub. This one had set for several years but the previous owner (who I know very well) said everything worked great when he parked it. My question involves the clutch - when you depress the pedal, it stays down. I can put my foot under the pedal and raise it but it takes some effort to do so. He says it never did that previously. Looking through the inspection hole, I can't really see any apparent problems. The tractors runs great and I can't make the clutch slip, so I feel it is not the pressure plate springs. Any ideas? Thanks

[Phillip W. Lenke]

is the pedal loose or is it bound up?

[Donny M]

As PWL said, the pedal could be bound. Also check for a broken or missing return spring. It's located under the platform.

[Matt Kirsch]

When I bought my '67, there was a heavy steel bar across the front edge of the platform that went up and over the torque tube. Previous owner obviously had clutch problems, as there was a second spring jury-rigged from the clutch pedal to the steering post. Also, the platform was bent down drastically on the right front corner.

Dad was tinkering on the Cub, trying to get the bolts holding the mower deck to the final drive loose so we could fix the left brake, when he caught his head on the protruding bar

Suffice it to say, after several minutes of cussing and swearing... The bar is no longer on the tractor.

Turns out the bar was pushing the front corner of the platform down, causing the clutch and right brake to bind up. Once the bar was gone, the platform came up almost straight and the clutch now works without the extra helper spring.

After that long winded diatribe, I guess the question is:

Is your platform straight?

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Festus, the shaft going fro the pedal into the torque tube is problaby rusty. try oiling that with some light oil.

[Festus]

All,

It does seem the cluth shaft is sticking. I had my son push the clutch while I lay on my back with a flashlight and it seems everything moves and works as it should in the clutch. I will start spraying the shaft and working the clutch periodically to see if that helps. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know how it works.

Festus