Clutch peddle not returning all the way

[Annaleigh]

Hi, First post here and wanted to thank all that contribute so much info and help on this wonderful site.

I just acquired a 1950 Farmall cub that would not run. My son and I got it running and we have been going through all the maintenance points.
One thing I noticed is that the clutch peddle is not coming all the way back up. The clutch seems to be working fine and there is no problem depressing the clutch and changing gears. The tractor does not jump or jerk when letting out on the peddle. So all that seems to be working fine. The problem is in the free play of the peddle. The return spring is connected but it takes more force then the spring has to get the peddle back up.
I can pull the peddle up by hand but it is fairly tight. It has about 1.25" of free travel before it starts to push on the pressure plate. It is the free travel that is to tight. What do I need to check first?
Thanks
Annaliegh

[john2189]

Did you try oiling it? I have to oil mine now and then, there’s a pivot point at the torque tube too. Or maybe the spring is weak,I think TM has them.

[JohnMihevic]

The clutch ha a small "stub end" that fits into and rotates in the torque tube housing. Get under the tractor and try to get some oil in there. You may be able to get a thin screwdriver in to pry the clutch away from the housing a little bit to get some oil down to the shaft. As a starter, penetrating oil may work better. IH should have put an oiling hole or mounted a grease fitting for lubrication. When I had my tractor apart, I drilled the torque tub casting to provide an oiling hole to the clutch shaft. When I'm done oiling, I put a small 6/32 screw in the hole to keep dirt out.

John M.

[DickB]

Check out the return spring. You might need a new one, or reattach your old one. It goes from the pedal to a slot underneath the floor. It snaps the pedal upright when you take your foot off the pedal. It would be an easy fix. A new spring can be ordered from TM.

[Dale Finch]

The "new" '58 cub I just brought home has the same problem...clutch actually works fine, but the pedal does not return all the way, though I can pull it up. I concur with the previous posts...either (or both) weak spring and/or sticky pedal shaft. So the first thing I started with was LOTS of penetrating oil at the clutch pedal shaft, then working it hard up/down/up/down, etc. It did seem to loosen up some, but will keep at it, when I get back out to the farm. If that works, I will follow it up with some better lubricating oil, and maybe a new spring just as a double measure!

Good luck, and welcome!!

[inairam]

Make sure the battery cable is not holding it up somehow as well.

[Dale Finch]

Make sure the battery cable is not holding it up somehow as well.

That's a very good point. There is supposed to be a "clip" (actually a small band that wraps around the battery and rear light cables) which prevents the clutch pedal from wearing through the insulation. It really is important that it's there, but it's fairly tricky trying to keep it from jamming against the pedal.

[Annaleigh]

Ok thanks guys! I was able to use some BP Blaster and get it freed up.. While working the clutch peddle and pulling outwards away from the tractor, the rod would move outward about an 1/8". I sprayed it in that position and then worked the lever as I pushed it back towards the tractor. After doing that for about 20 minutes, the peddle easily returns to the deck plate..

Maybe I should start another topic but I'll add it here for now... I was wrong about the 1.25 free travel in the clutch peddle, it has exactly 2".
There is a total travel of 4" from the deck plate down to the stop on the side of the tractor. 2" is free travel and 2" to release the clutch.
Is that ok?
I know on most older cars, less free travel means the clutch is getting thinner.

Thanks
Anna

[Glen]

Hi,
Welcome to the website.

2" of free play is too much. The free play is measured at the surface where you put your foot.

There are 2 different styles of linkage, or free play adjustments on Cubs.
The 1st was used when Cubs first came out, in 1947, until Cub serial number 32229. They use a little more free play than the newer style linkage.
Below are pages from Cub owner's manuals showing the adjustments, you can identify which one you have from the pics.
This page shows the 1st style adjustment. The free play for this style is 1 3/16".

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... age-40.jpg

This page below shows the 2nd style adjustment, it has a bolt that you loosen at the base of the pedal, it is easier the adjust than the 1st style. The free play for this style is 1".

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

After setting the free play to the right amount, watch when you first run the engine and push the clutch, for any metal to metal sounds, sometimes the clutch pressure plate fingers are set too low, and this causes problems with how the clutch works. Don't push the clutch pedal down far enough that it makes noise. Yours might work normally, this info is in case you hear noise.

The pics above show the clutch, grease the throwout bearing grease fitting, if it hasn't been greased lately. The people on here say use cheap grease, the oil in the grease has to absorb into the graphite material that is part of the bearing.

[Annaleigh]

Thank you Glen.. According to the plate near the steering gear box, it is a F-Cub with a serial number 88294. According to the list provided by TM, the tractor would be a mid 1949.

According to the links you provided (thanks), it has the adjustment right there at the clutch peddle.

The only grease gun we have on hand has white grease in it. We are assuming it is a lithium type grease and that is what we used to grease anything that had a grease fitting, including the throw out bearing... . What do you think about the lithium grease on the throw out bearing?

So if I understand correctly, the free play in the peddle is to keep the 1/8 gap between the throw out bearing and the pressure plate?
In my case where I have 2" of free play, The throw out bearing would always have the 1/8 clearance and more which would not create a problem. The problem with the 2" free play is that the clutch may not have enough clearance to keep from dragging when the peddle is depressed all the way down?

So if the clutch makes noise once i set the peddle free play to 1" and the clutch makes noise, the proper thing to do would be to adjust the fingers on the pressure plate? I understand that is a bit tricky! If it does make noise when depressed all the way down, could I just add a litle more free play till there is no noise?

Thanks
Annaliegh

[Glen]

Hi,
Sorry, you did put the year of the Cub above, I guess I read the other posts and forgot you put the year there. The info for both clutch styles might help someone else reading this post.

You know how the clutch works pretty well. Yes, if it makes metal to metal noise after you make the free play 1", the finger height needs checking, or setting.
But if you don't want to adjust the fingers, you could increase the free play some again, as long as the clutch releases fully.

The grease you used may work some for the throwout bearing, not sure. You could wipe a thin layer of grease on the front of the throwout bearing, part way around is good enough, the fingers will spread it around.

Below is a post showing how to adjust the pressure plate fingers through the hand hole under the clutch.
You may not need to do that.

viewtopic.php?f=141&t=66543

Below is the 1949 Cub owner's manual, if you don't have it. The experts on here recommend reading it. It has lots of info about operation, maintenance, and lubrication. There is a table of contents on page 1. It has pics of how the Cubs looked new.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

The recommendation in it to use motor oil in the Touch Control was changed later, to use Case IH Hy-Tran fluid. It is sold at Case IH dealers. There are other brands, be sure it works with IH systems before buying it. The system holds 3 1/2 Pints of fluid, to change the fluid, so a 1 gallon can is plenty.
Check the fluid with the arms in the rear, or down position, the owner's manual says.

Below is a pic from TM Tractor of the base of the clutch pedal. It makes contact about 2/3 of the length of the shiny part, in the hole made in the clutch housing, so it takes some oil to work into the hole. Some of them get tight from no lube, and need freeing. They usually do pull out about 3/16" from the housing, so that helps to work oil into it.
There is a clamp that goes on the left end for the linkage rod.

[Annaleigh]

Thanks for all the help! I adjusted the free travel on the peddle to 1" and everything is fine, no noise!

Again Thanks to all for the help!

Annaleigh