Clutch Kit from Yesterday's Tractor Co. thoughts?

[punchofdeath]

I'm looking to get a clutch kit from YT and was wondering if it is just the same kit that you would get from Steiner or Ebay (Hamiltonbobscubs on Ebay is selling a clutch kit and the contents look exactly the same as others). Are these just all the same clutches just being sold at different prices? With YT's 65$ price and Steiner's 175$ price I'm wondering if there is a quality difference in the products. I'd like to hear people's opinions on them.

[inairam]

I have recently purchased two clutches from TM ( site sponsor) and been happy. I have found yesterdays tractor to be competitive but not necessarily cheap and slow to ship to the east coast. I would be a little suspect how YT can offer the clutch kit for so much less than everyone else.

Soak the bearing in oil for a few days and then grease just prior to putting it in. I made the mistake of not soaking it and it lasted less than a year before the graphite exploded.

[Eugene]

Agree with Inairam. Use the site sponsors. Pay up for quality parts.

Suggest splitting the tractor and seeing what is needed before ordering parts.

Check your throw out bearing brackets.

There is a very good chance that your current pressure plate is still in good shape. If so, use it.

[Jim Becker]

There is a very good chance that your current pressure plate is still in good shape. If so, use it.

This point cannot be overstated!! I would reuse a genuine Rockford (or Auburn) pressure plate if it was in good condition before using one of the new replacements.

[pickerandsinger]

If it turns out you do need a pressure plate , you might give Junior a call at Hamilton Bobs....He assured me the last time I bought one , they had never had a complaint...I also like the fact that the adjustment screws on the fingers were an allen type screw...Food for thought...But as Jim said you can't beat the existing IH pressure plate if its re usable....Dave

[punchofdeath]

Here is a picture of my current clutch release bearing: https://imgur.com/a/2p7uh

It's worn down sideways as it appears to me and the fingers on the pressure plate are adjusted as far as they can go. The pedal has no adjustment room left in it either. Even with the clutch pushed in the tractor will still drive in 1st and a little bit in 2nd... gotta use the one brake it has to stop it..
I don't know how long the bearing has been in this shape since before I began with it in June. That's why I'm thinkin about just ordering the whole kit.

[Glen]

Hi,
I agree with what Jim B. said above, after reading on here how some of the new pressure plates quit after a short time, then the people have to split the tractor again, and replace parts again.
The clutch isn't bad just because it is old.

The throwout bearing can wear down after years of use. The material sticks out of a new throwout bearing 5/16".
Grease the grease fitting while you are in there, if you didn't before. They say on here to use cheap grease, it has to absorb into the material. There is a small hole on top of the bearing for excess grease to come out.

You posted about when I did, after looking at your pic above, did you take the pic while pushing the clutch pedal down, it looks like there's no clearance between the throwout bearing and the fingers.
There should be clearance.
If the throwout bearing is worn at an angle, something is out of alignment, the bearing should wear straight.
The adjustment screw in the pic still has some it can be turned in, it is not all the way in now.
If it is not releasing, the fingers are probably not being pushed far enough ahead.
The fingers could be adjusted too low, or if the throwout bearing is worn, that could be part of the problem.
The fingers need setting to an exact height, the guys on here say 1 1/8" - 1 1/4" from the top surface of the fingers to the surface below the fingers, when the clutch is assembled on the flywheel.
Below is a pic of where to measure.

Can you post another pic with the clutch pedal up.

The guys on here say that the parts from TM Tractor are good quality. Here are their clutch parts.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/cl/cl_001newparts.htm

Below is a pic of a new throwout bearing.

[Scrivet]

I agree with splitting it to see what you need first. Old worn but serviceable parts will be better quality than new ones. I can't tell much from the picture because the angle is a little off, but the graphite doesn't look worn/bad to me other than being dry. Also seeing "red and tacky" grease on the zerk which usually means good quality grease, not the cheap stuff that the oil seeps out of, that you want to use in this application. Think the bins of $2.99, $4.99 and $9.99 tools with the yellow, red, and blue packaging in most any store that carries some type of hardware. They always have the small grease gun with a couple tubes of grease in a package and the cardboard tubes always looked oil soaked. That's what you want for the TOB, the good stuff is fine everywhere else. The TOB grease is just carrying the oil to the graphite which will suck it out. The "red and tacky" is like trying to suck a just made milkshake through a tiny straw.

[Eugene]

I don't know how long the bearing has been in this shape since before I began with it in June. That's why I'm thinkin about just ordering the whole kit.

Don't purchase the kit until you know exactly what you need.

Have had my share of problems with the after market pressure plates. First one I installed came apart on engine start up. The pressure plate finger height adjusting screws are sometimes to short to obtain the needed finger height.

If you do purchase an after market pressure plate you will need to adjust the finger height. The factor adjustments are not correct and then the finger heights are uneven, some times the finger adjusting screws are thread lockered in place.

If you need another pressure plate obtain a used IH plate from one of the site's advertisers or advertise for one on The Vine.

[ScottyD'sdad]

I use used IH pressure plates, since a new one fell apart, in use. Too much labor involved , to do over.

Ed

[punchofdeath]

Here are pictures with the clutch pedal up. https://imgur.com/a/82psE

[Eugene]

See Glen's photo, above, with a new throw out bearing.

In your photos the graphite portion of the throw out bearing appears to be unevenly worn.

After splitting the tractor, check the throw out bearing bracket(s) for wear.

[Jim Becker]

The throwout bearing shows both running at an angle and off center. Your throwout bearing holder is either bent, excessively worn, or assembled off center, possibly all three. Your clutch fingers look to be adjusted too low. Damage can be seen on both the pressure plate cover and the throwout bearing holder where they have been running into each other. That may have bent the holder.

You need to replace the throwout bearing, repair or replace the holder, and adjust the fingers.

[Glen]

Hi,
Thanks for posting more pics.
The fingers on the pressure plate look low, they have to be raised up to the measurement I said above, or the metal on the throwout bearing, or throwout bearing holder will hit the pressure plate, because the throwout bearing is moving too far forward.
If you hear sounds like metal hitting when you push the clutch pedal down, when the engine is running, the throwout bearing is moving too far ahead.

This can help you adjust the fingers through the hand hole.
A man wrote in the past that he made a heavy wire in an L shape, and made it long enough to stick out the hand hole, and the part of it that would be the base of the L,
1 1/4" long, then he put it in the hand hole, and could measure the height of the fingers accurately.
The tops of the fingers need to be all the same height to form a flat surface for the throwout bearing to push on.
The man said it was easy to set the fingers using the wire.
You need a good light too, and a 90 degree ratcheting screwdriver.
Dale Finch wrote that if you loosen the adjustment at the pedal base, then you can move the throwout bearing back, and there is more room for measuring the fingers.

If you are splitting the Cub to work on it, then you don't need the instructions for adjusting it through the hand hole.

It looks like there is worn off graphite material on the one side of the throwout bearing, where it looks worn, or shorter than the other side. You could use a screwdriver and remove the build up of worn off material, and see if the bearing looks worn straight, or is still angled.
A pic of it after scraping the worn material off would be good.

Below is a page from the 1955 Cub owner's manual showing the clutch, they are not complicated.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... e%2056.jpg

[Chris B. Memphis TN.]

Not knocking the suppliers here on this web site. I did split and rebuild my 1969 Ford 4000 3 cyl. diesel this last summer. Clutch Pressure Plate, Clutch Plate and throwout bearing I picked up local in Memphis. All the engine parts .040 pistons and rings, gasket set, new water and oil pumps and one injector came from Yesterday Tractor. I did pay tight attention to identify the parts I needed from their website. I had no problem with receiving parts here in Memphis. Back together the engine runs fine. Just my experience with Yesterday Tractor. I purchased two cubs just south of Atlanta Georgia a month ago. Found this site after the purchase of one running and one not. Belly mower, Belly disk and full set of cultivators came with the tractors.