D 15 clutch adjustment

Have my engine installed with rebuilt clutch also had my flywheel turned . Trying to get 1/4 inch gap between front of release bearing and pressure plate finger . Backed my clutch pedal rod out so far that it fell out . Got it threaded back up a couple turns and I have about 7/16 inch gap . Sure hope there's an easy fix for this . THANKS !!

Thanks Dr Allis . I've been spending a lot of time looking up in that inspection hole . Sounds way better than taking it all apart again . Thanks !!

I used an overhead 4x8 Ibeam and two chain hoists on trolleys. Be sure to wedge blocks intot he tierod ends. They keep the front wheels from going 'funny' when you roll the 'front half' forward. I used solid wooden blocks under the tranny/rear section,put in gear and light tension on the chain hoist. I know maybe overthought it but better safe than ,oopsy, crash, dang, now I need a lot more than bandaids.....

Karl , I pulled hoods , rad , etc . Then jacked up the tractor some about where the clutch inspection hole is . Then rolled the front axle out with my fav sons help . Then pulled the engine and put it on my engine stand . I used the valve cover studs to pull the engine . Probably not the best way to do things but it worked . Hope this helps you a little .

Tracy , I don't know how much was turned off my flywheel . Just enough to make it flat I guess , and Rick rebuilt my clutch . Wish I'd have paid more attention before I put the motor back in . Thanks !

Yeah thanks Tracy . Guess I'm gonna try to adjust the fingers through the inspection hole . Feel sure Rick had it set up right . Kinda worried I did something wrong but sure don't know what . Oh well . It's just nuts and bolts right ?

Ed...Yes, I had the clutch set properly like it should have been. Tracy and I have discussed this problem ourselves before and the more that's taken off the flywheel the farther away from the fingers the throw out bearing will be, so it would need to be re-adjusted to the 1/4" clearance. If it gets too far away and adjusting the fingers don't help, you probably need to get a new flywheel, because who knows how much has been taken off? Most people don't even think about that part. A guy could shim the flywheel at the crank...it's been done before, but you don't have a way to know just how much to shim it, unless you could find a new one at a dealer or something and check the thickness...that would work, too. A few things to consider when doing a unit in a D15. Seems to happen with that model a lot...Rick

Edited by Rick - 25 Aug 2020 at 6:33pm

I would hope you have a new throwout bearing ??

The length of the clutch pedal rod doesn't really affect how far forward the throwout bearing can go. There is an internal stop inside the bellhousing that limits the forward stroke. You must make the pressure plate fingers come back towards the throwout bearing. No need for a flywheel spacer, just adjust the fingers. I've had to machine some of those flywheels multiple times (5 times on a loader tractor) over their lifespan, so much so, that we were machining into the ring gear some. Always adjusted the finger height when assembled and it always worked out fine.

Count how many "flats" you move the first bolt and make the other two the same.

Well, if the clutch slipped with 1/4" distance from TO brg to finger tips, they must have machined the flywheel and then didn't machine the ring gear to allow the pressure plate to clamp up properly to the flywheel. That particular flywheel/pressure plate/ring gear must have the ring gear machined too at some point of depth. If that isn't done it can't work right.

Dr. Allis, that's right...the ring gear should also be turned, because otherwise it would be riding on the ring gear, allowing it to slip...that's true...not trying to pi$$ anyone off, just trying to help...not my first day on the job...

As long as it fully releases when clear down, that's the way I like it  !!! That "free-play" slowly, but surely diminishes as the clutch wears. Too many tractors I have seen let the freeplay get to zero and have a throwout bearing fail or clutch begins to slip, when there is still life left in the clutch, if it was adjusted properly. It's up to you. It's your tractor.

Happy to say that my fav son came over today and we now have the clutch adjusted properly . Should be good for 50 years , or so . Thanks for everyone's help .