PTO won't engage

[NTK1960]

Hello anyone,

I have an L3250 (4X4) that I cannot engage the PTO by clutching. When it happened earlier in the year, I adjusted the linkage to the clutch pedal and thought I fixed the problem, but that only lasted a time or two. IS my clutch wearing out (i believe its a dry clutch 2 stage). It shifts as it should for forward and reverse. I can dead start the PTO, but don't think I should be doing that all summer. Any advice is much appreciated in advance.

Thanks,

NTK1960

 

[85Hokie]

Could be in the shifter of the 4WD linkage too. Sometimes that needs a little TLC (oil-grease) to allow it to move freely.

On my two B7100's it does take a little "pull like hell" on the lever to make it go in and out of 4WD - sometimes I will grind the clutch too to get it in.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You don't adjust the linkage to adjust the second stage of the clutch, there is adjustment bolts on the clutch disk that you need to adjust.
You're going to need to get the WSM and it will walk you through how to adjust it.

 

[rbargeron]

There's some clutch adjustment reading here that might be useful, especially for a L3250 with 4wd and a loader.

If I'm understanding the situation right, its your travel clutch that's wearing out and adjusting it eventually makes the pto disk stop disengaging at full pedal travel.

 

[NTK1960]

yes, you've diagnosed the situation. As I read some of the info for adjusting screws... my access cover plate seems to be on top of trans housing towards the flywheel. I will look again tonight for an access cover on the right side, unless maybe you can tell me the L3250 access cover is on top.

Thanks again fro the help everyone!

 

[NTK1960]

Appreciate it, Thanks!

 

[NTK1960]

Still needing help with my PTO/clutch issue. Based on the feedback, I pulled the clutch cover plate just to see if I could make the adjustment myself. From what I read I thought there would be 3 adjustment screws for the pressure plate, that you could adjust one at a time by turning the clutch assembly little by little. All I can see is what appears to be friction disc between the pressure plate bracket and the flywheel, with one locking nut. It actually looks like 2 thin friction discs that spin free when the clutch pedal is depressed and snug to the flywheel with the pedal up. Upon further reading, I am now wondering if my throw out bearing might be welded to the PTO shaft. The tractor has 1770 hours, which I am told is pretty early for the clutch to going out under normal use. Help any body!

Thanks,

NTK1960

 

[100 td]

You mentioned earlier about engaging before start up.
Can you select/engage the PTO before engine start, then start engine with clutch depressed, and cycle clutch in and out - clutching the PTO drive.

 

[NTK1960]

If I dead start with PTO engaged, I can only cycle out, but can't get back in with clutch.

 

[rbargeron]

yes, you've diagnosed the situation. As I read some of the info for adjusting screws... my access cover plate seems to be on top of trans housing towards the flywheel. I will look again tonight for an access cover on the right side, unless maybe you can tell me the L3250 access cover is on top.......

The access for 2-stage clutch adjustment is not on top - its on the right side and it's covered by the loader frame. If it's a BF550, its right side lower frame piece can be taken off after removing the wedge. The 3 adjusting bolts will be visible from the side by rotating them into view one at a time.

 

[100 td]

If I dead start with PTO engaged, I can only cycle out, but can't get back in with clutch.

Not the PTO lever, the PTO drive, via the clutch, does full depression of the clutch disengage the PTO drive?

 

[NTK1960]

No loader on my machine. I did take the access cover off and the only thing that looks adjustable in there is one lock nut that can be loosened. The friction disc (it looks like 2 discs actually, fairly thin at that) spin free with the clutch pedal depressed and snug up tight when I let off the pedal. I was reading another blog thread that explained greasing the throw out bearing might be the issue. Is that accessed from the top cover plate?

 

[NTK1960]

Got it. When I removed the access panel only one lock nut is visible. I marked the nut, and turned the disc by hand one complete rotation. I don't see anything else in there looks adjustable. The friction disc spins freely with clutch pedal depressed, and it snugs up tight to the flywheel when I let off. I am wondering about the theory of the throw out bearing being froze, or locked to the PTO shaft. Is there anyway to test that theory and how would free it up?

 

[NTK1960]

NO... when I dead start the tractor with PTO engaged and clutch pedal depressed the PTO shaft turns immediately as if if no clutch.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If the clutch pedal moves and you can stop the tractor with the clutch pedal, it's not frozen to the slide.

I think the thin disks mean your looking at a split and clutch job.

 

[NTK1960]

Wow... not what I wanted to hear! Thanks though.

 

[rbargeron]

The adjustment procedure is to loosen the locknut and turn the end of each bolt so it backs out of the nut a little - half or one full turn is often enough. These three attachments describe it. The bolts are part 110 on the clutch drawing. If only one bolt is there, I'm wondering if the other 2 have backed out, dropping the nut. If so it definitely has to come apart.

 

[NTK1960]

Thanks for these diagrams. Perhaps now I can match up these diagrams to what I can see from the side view and figure out what's going with this Tractor. If It does need to come apart, due to lack of funds I might try to get through this up coming season with some light use and split it next winter, unless I lose the forward / reverse shifting too.

 

[NTK1960]

Well... amazingly I got back into the access opening and took another look using the diagrams and realized there was in fact 3 lock nuts. I did loosen each one, turned the adjusting screw in to the plate, and then backed of 3/4 turn... locked them back down, warmed up the tractor, clutched the PTO, and like magic I can now engage the PTO shaft with the clutch. Thanks for hanging with me on that. I've never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the box, but I am persistent. Thanks to all for the assist!

 

[100 td]

Well done, there are some great helpers here.