Clutch release bearing on a B

The clutch was sticking on my B today and I thought it was just because I hadn't run it in a while but then I could not get it to engage and it wouldn't go into gear.  I felt in the inspection hole and a ball bearing came out and the races are very loose.  So I guess it has failed and needs replacement.  This is the most significant repair I will have attempted so I would appreciate some advice:

You will need an engine hoist , or a chain hoist, and some blocks. Jack up the tractor and block it under the torque tube. Then remove the valve cover and attach a chain from two points to support the front end. Then pull them apart. I like to raise the tractor slightly when I block it to take some weight off of the front wheels. You do not ned a puller the remove the throw out bearing. A good vice will do. Be sure to check other items as previously stated. LOL Bob

Don't do it alone! Two person job.   Drop two heavy pieces of channel down to the floor, mounted to the four holes on the torque tube. I welded a horizontal piece to the channels 8 inches off the floor. So I can mount the channels, then roll in floor jack, lift tractor, put a one inch board under, take jack out, better than NASCAR pits! Not tripping on anything. Engine hoist on the front end works nice, give yourself room. If ball bearings are loose, think you many need to look at how it effected the push on clutch plate. New pilot bearing for sure, Sandy Lake gots the bushings. Get a chance to to see the pilot bearing wick. I replaced my wick, but don't know if it was worth it. Grease up that pilot bearing! Two people to align it all up on assembly! Not a bad job, should check the oil pump out while you are there!

PatrickBeth wrote: Don't do it alone! Two person job.   Drop two heavy pieces of channel down to the floor, mounted to the four holes on the torque tube. I welded a horizontal piece to the channels 8 inches off the floor. So I can mount the channels, then roll in floor jack, lift tractor, put a one inch board under, take jack out, better than NASCAR pits! Not tripping on anything. Engine hoist on the front end works nice, give yourself room. If ball bearings are loose, think you many need to look at how it effected the push on clutch plate. New pilot bearing for sure, Sandy Lake gots the bushings. Get a chance to to see the pilot bearing wick. I replaced my wick, but don't know if it was worth it. Grease up that pilot bearing! Two people to align it all up on assembly! Not a bad job, should check the oil pump out while you are there!

Thanks for the advice.  What should I look for on the oil pump?  It seems to have pressure on the gauge.

As the front end, engine and axle/wheels, is the most unstable and hardest to move I block it, hang it from a beam and move the rear end. You need a dolly and some stable blocks to block up under the torque tube/bell housing and then you can roll the back half of the tractor away. You will need a pilot tool to line up the clutch if you take it off of the flywheel. You can make it out of wood if you have a lathe or can spin a dowel someway. It needs to fit the inside of the splines in the clutch disc and be reduced in dia. for an inch or tow to fit the pilot bearing in the end of the crankshaft.  Done carefully splitting a tractor isn't difficult, especially a B. Tom

When I split my B this spring, had good oil pressure on gauge, but when I took the pump apart, I found an old piece of bearing shim, about half the size of my pinky nail! While you are looking at it, might as well check it out. From SandyLake or elsewhere buy the onion gasket for the rebuild of the oil pump. Check the book for the clearance of the pump plate and vane, .oo4 but that's from memory. You also check with a feeler gauge the clearance tight spot of the vane and sidewall, maybe that's the .004 measurement, again from memory. There is also a spring, ball, and little retainer post. It's not a bad job, the whole splitting of it, just take your time, and don't drop anything! I also found on my 38, it's hand crank so 9 inch clutch, but someone in the past has a 8 1/8 clutch in there! So cleaned that up. Machining of the flywheel is 25 bucks well spend. Has anyone ever seen the cork plug in the balancing hole on the flywheel? I thought a broken stud, but it was a piece of cork! Might as well change the felt rear seal!

Edited by PatrickBeth - 10 Jan 2016 at 5:40pm

I read or heard somewhere that there is a "wick" in the end of the crankshaft that provides just enough lube to keep the pilot bushing from being dry all of the time, which could cause it to seize to the input shaft. 

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It's hard to see much mention in the book for the wick. Sandylake stocks them. It's about 5 inches long 1/2 inch dia. It's like a tights white cotton wick. I don't think you could push it through the hole in the center of the crank from the outside. My old one looked like a cinnamon twig, some say originally asbestos. It was hard enough with the crank out to do. Most drill and tap a plug to seal the hole, there is a pilot bushing bronze in mine, some had fancier bearings or modified the flywheel. Grease up the bushing real good, it lasted how many years without a problem, should be good for our life time.

Edited by PatrickBeth - 27 Jan 2016 at 6:53am

Fred

You got one down south here you are working on? LOL

Easyiest way to disconnect that arm is at the front end of the arm.

Remove the cotter pin, with a large screwdriver Back the end plug out, Lift arm off stud.

Gary

The engine can't flop sideways when it is lifted from the valve cove bolts. You lift the engine and the front axle just hangs there. Your not jacking the engine from underneath.

Not sure what part you're talking about.  The "return" spring on a B is outside near the pedal assembly.  Nothing inside the torque tube.  

This is on a CA but I think it's the same.
Hervey

Yeah there's a hole there about midway between the other two. The B might attach differently. Sorry if this is apples and oranges.
Hervey

DanC911 wrote: That explains the cotter pin in the linkage.  What does the other end hook to?  It looks like it goes through the pedal below the linkage.

If it went thru the pedal, it won't pull the pedal back. I has to hook to the cross brake shaft or something else that doesn't move.


Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 29 Feb 2016 at 5:17pm

I didn't find a hole in the pedal so I hooked it to the cotter pin that holds the pedal on the shaft. Seems to work. Well except for my next post below