59 Cub LoBoy Clutch Explodes!

[DonMountain]

I was mowing grass 4 or 5 years ago with my 1959 International Cub LoBoy, and had been running in hot weather for a couple of hours on our farm, and the clutch made a bang noise and stopped working. When I tried pushing in the clutch it made a loud noise and the clutch pedal vibrated excessively. And didn't release the clutch. So, since it was still running in first gear I turned the throttle down and took the PTO out of gear and drove it the 1/4 mile back up our hill to the barn and shut off the ignition. Taking it out of gear with the engine stopped, my wife and I pushed it back into the barn and that is where it sat for these last several years. And my wife was so mad at me for all our antique tractors going bad all the time she insisted that we go out and buy a brand new zero turn mower. Over the last year or so she is starting to realize the old Cub LoBoy may still have its place mowing rough stuff around the edges of the fields and on steep slopes, so suggested that I repair it. I cleaned out the shop and took the mower deck off the Cub and looked into the inspection cover hole to see that there was a big chunk out of the carbon faced throw-out bearing and two of the clutch fingers had splits in them running down the sides where the metal is folded over. And they were loose to the touch. So, my question is: How do I fix this and where do I buy parts for this antique Cub tractor? And what parts do I need?

Don

[Bill Hudson]

Here you go, Don. This was about 18 months ago.

[quote]Fort Wayne Clutch and Driveline has a kit (pressure plate, clutch, TOB, and alignment tool) for $113. Ordered it one afternoon and it was delivered the next day. Their number is 800-258-8243.
/quote]

[DonMountain]

I haven't disassembled it yet but I am hoping to only need a new pressure plate and the throw-out-bearing. I also already have a couple of clutch alignment tools. I wonder if they sell just parts of their kit? Thanks for their phone number Bill, I will call them when I get it apart in a day or so.

Don

[ScottyD'sdad]

TM tractor one of our site sponsors, sells clutch parts.

Ed

[Don McCombs]

You would likely pay as much for just the pressure plate and TOB, as the kit Bill suggested.

[Dale Finch]

Make sure you pre-soak your throwout bearing (TOB) in oil for a few days or so then pump cheap grease into it before you install it. The TOB relies on the oils to penetrate the porous graphite for lubrication.

[Gary Dotson]

Cut your losses and just buy the kit. You already know you need the two most expensive components.

[Peter Person]

Make sure you pre-soak your throwout bearing (TOB) in oil for a few days or so then pump cheap grease into it before you install it. The TOB relies on the oils to penetrate the porous graphite for lubrication.

...and by grease, Dale means something like Tractor Supply's green cartridge grease.

2011 CubFest Northeast. Brand new throwout bearing.
Wrong grease!
Nowhere near enough grease.
Grease fitting faces down, overflow on top.

[DonMountain]

So, when I get that far, what kind of oil should I soak the graphite bearing in for a few days? Hypoid gear oil? 30W engine oil? Hytran? Sewing machine oil? I am going to start taking the Cub apart today if I can get my wife to help me lift off the engine cover/tank. Its been a long time since I tore one of these apart. But at least I found a set of wood wedges for the front end that I cut 40 years ago. So, is Tractor Supply's green cartridge grease actually green in color? Or red. I think I have some of their red grease in my gun now.

Don

[Don McCombs]

Same oil that you use in the engine. The green tube grease is dark brown in color. The best way to soak the bearing is to put it in a small ziplock bag, add several ounces of oil and let it marinate.

[DonMountain]

Ok, thank you very much. Now, any pointers on actually splitting the tractor? Besides prodding my more elderly wife from helping me take the cover off?

[DonMountain]

I cleaned up the joint area between the engine block and bell housing to get ready to unbolt and split the tractor, and noticed the hydraulic lines have to come off. Meaning I need new gaskets or seals on both ends? What is in these joints and where can I get them?

[Glen]

Hi,
Looking at your posts, you replaced the clutch in about 2019, I remember writing to you when you were working on it.
The Touch Control tubes have to be removed to split the LoBoy behind the engine.
Drain the Touch Control like the operator's manual says, remove the filler plug on the left side of the LoBoy, to relieve any pressure that might be in the system, then remove the drain plug, on the right side of the LoBoy.
The front of the tubes have 2 o rings to seal them, the rear has a gasket.
If the LoBoy has the under axle exhaust system, it needs removing.
The starter rod, choke rod, and throttle rod have to be removed.
The wiring has to be disconnected that goes from the dash to the engine. Or you can remove the 2 bolts holding the dash on, and move the dash with wires still attached, and set it on the engine.
Disconnect the battery ground cable first.
A socket with a long extension may work to remove the 2 dash bolts. Use a long enough extension that the ratchet is above the dash, to turn it.
Below is a listing for the gasket for the tubes at TM Tractor Parts.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/hy/310fp.htm

The o rings may still be good if you replaced them a few years ago.
Below is their listing for those.
http://www.tmtractor.com/new/hy/751fp.htm

Below is a pic from TM Tractor Parts of the the o rings at the Touch Control pump. They push into recesses in the pump.
I sent you a PM, you get to it at the top of the page.

[Glen]

Below is a post from the How To section on here about making splitting stands.
The one in the 5th pic down looks handy, it has a wheel.

viewtopic.php?f=144&t=60737

[DonMountain]

I really appreciate all the help I have been receiving on here. After reviewing all of this information, I have supported the bell housing/rear section of the tractor on a jack stand with wooden wedges that I can adjust in and out to maintain position. I placed a heavy transmission jack with wheels under the engine oil pan to lift and position the front section of the Cub. Loosening all the bolts, I am now trying to pull the two sections apart while maintaining an even gap between the two sections. So, now, how do I pry? or pull these two parts away from each other? I remember that there are at least a couple of pins or dowels between the two sections that can get stuck? Initially when leveling the two sections I had maybe a 3 or 4 thousandths gap at the bottom, so I adjusted the front and back halves back up slightly to almost close this gap. Should I adjust it back down again to get the gap and then put feeler gauges in this gap before jacking back up to try and separate it? Or pry it apart somehow?


Don