Stuck clutch

[Andy Nash]

I have acquired a new to me grain bucket which has come with a 1976 manitou forklift.
I could scrap the forklift and still be quids in, but it runs really well holds oil and water and everything seems to work so I’m loathe to weigh it in.
I just cannot get the clutch spinner plate to part company with the flywheel. I’ve removed the cover underneath and slackened the cover bolts right off and made wooden wedges to hold it off the flywheel. I’ve even squirted wd40 through the cover onto the splines and tried bashing it but nothing has worked.
Anybody got any ideas ?

 

[Lincs Lass]

Split it to get the clutch out ,,if you had ideas of scrapping it then you wont loose anything by pulling it apart ,,might just be something simple in which you will gain a decent forklift ,,or if its terminal ,still weigh it in

 

[essexpete]

Have you tried towing it?

 

[Cowcalf]

JACK THE DRIVE AXLE OFF THE GROUND START IT UP IN GEAR THEN WHEN WHEELS SPINNING WELL JUST TRY BANG THE BRAKES IN SHORT JABS WITH CLUTCH DOWN FOUND THAT AS GOOD A WAY AS ANY

 

[Spuddler]

Have it in gear and put the back tractor wheel against the manitou wheel and try and climb the tractor wheel over, this puts pressure on the clutch to release.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

You need to get it the engine as warm as possible then drive around jabbing the brakes with clutch pedal down for the shock load to release it. Then just slip the clutch for a few seconds and away you go.

 

[glasshouse]

I have acquired a new to me grain bucket which has come with a 1976 manitou forklift.
I could scrap the forklift and still be quids in, but it runs really well holds oil and water and everything seems to work so I’m loathe to weigh it in.
I just cannot get the clutch spinner plate to part company with the flywheel. I’ve removed the cover underneath and slackened the cover bolts right off and made wooden wedges to hold it off the flywheel. I’ve even squirted wd40 through the cover onto the splines and tried bashing it but nothing has worked.
Anybody got any ideas ?

S

I have acquired a new to me grain bucket which has come with a 1976 manitou forklift.
I could scrap the forklift and still be quids in, but it runs really well holds oil and water and everything seems to work so I’m loathe to weigh it in.
I just cannot get the clutch spinner plate to part company with the flywheel. I’ve removed the cover underneath and slackened the cover bolts right off and made wooden wedges to hold it off the flywheel. I’ve even squirted wd40 through the cover onto the splines and tried bashing it but nothing has worked.
Anybody got any ideas ?

i will give you scrap +

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Have it in gear and put the back tractor wheel against the manitou wheel and try and climb the tractor wheel over, this puts pressure on the clutch to release.

This will be on the wreckers thread next week

 

[livestock 1]

The highest gear is where you will be the most likely to break a stuck clutch
You will need to have the clutch depressed throughout the procedure
I’ve seen them pretty badly stuck when there would be no chance apart from splitting

 

[borderterribles]

JACK THE DRIVE AXLE OFF THE GROUND START IT UP IN GEAR THEN WHEN WHEELS SPINNING WELL JUST TRY BANG THE BRAKES IN SHORT JABS WITH CLUTCH DOWN FOUND THAT AS GOOD A WAY AS ANY

If you use this method, do not underestimate the sideways thrust that is released if/when the clutch becomes unstuck. Jacks or axle stands aren't suitable. Large wooden blocks as a minimum. It will be very messy if it comes off the supports!!!

 

[Andy Nash]

Thanks very much for the replies.
I am very reluctant to split the thing except as a last resort. It is actually a Bradford built IH, something like a 444 I guess, reverse drive and with massive chassis rails down the side of the engine and the hydraulic oil tank looks to be in the way. It looks like the front weight needs to come off too.

The previous owner has tried towing it, I can’t until tomorrow when I have some help.

I like the idea of jacking it up and jabbing the brakes, just not sure if it’s got any yet!
Good point about the safety aspects of doing that; noted, and thanks for mentioning it.
Do you think that would be better than just driving it about jabbing the brakes?

My other idea as a last throw of the dice is to wedge the flywheel solid with bits of wood and try towing it in top gear. Either it frees it or breaks something. Or muck or nettles as we say round here.
I bet any technicians reading this are having fits! Don’t drop your laptops lads!
Thanks again.

 

[Dry Rot]

If you can get access (see below), spray some hydraulic brake fluid onto the clutch plates, put a six inch concrete block on the clutch pedal, and go and do something else for a couple of days.

Stress free, damage free, cost free, and it works.

Worked on my MF135. Just take the starter off to get access and use an old washing up liquid bottle to squirt the brake fluid in.

 

[Andy Nash]

Brilliant! I’ll give it a go.

 

[Ley253]

Run it until its as hot as you can get it, lock the clutch pedal down and leave to cool, there is a good chance the plate will free with the contraction of the flywheel etc on cooling. This does work, I have used it quite often. As you can free the cover(pressure plate) from the flywheel,you could try a thin wedge driven between the plate and flywheel, providing the flywheel is flat.

 

[Ley253]

If you can get access (see below), spray some hydraulic brake fluid onto the clutch plates, put a six inch concrete block on the clutch pedal, and go and do something else for a couple of days.

Stress free, damage free, cost free, and it works.

Worked on my MF135. Just take the starter off to get access and use an old washing up liquid bottle to squirt the brake fluid in.

Brake fluid is very corrosive, and also absorbs water, unless you steam clean the housing afterwards, everything will rust at a rate of knotts !

 

[Dry Rot]

Brake fluid is very corrosive, and also absorbs water, unless you steam clean the housing afterwards, everything will rust at a rate of knotts !

I don't know about that, but the tractor is still here and used almost daily! Maybe that's what keeps the rust at bay?

 

[Gapples]

Can you see the clutch plate at all ?
I'm wondering if it's got really hot & 'welded' itself to the flywheel ?
Ones that just stick normally crack back off quite quickly using the methods described.
They occasionally break off the friction material in coming away from the flywheel & you wind up having to split them anyway, which isn't that bad a job to be fair, yes you need the big weights off though.

 

[Netherfield]

Can you see the clutch plate at all ?
I'm wondering if it's got really hot & 'welded' itself to the flywheel ?
Ones that just stick normally crack back off quite quickly using the methods described.
They occasionally break off the friction material in coming away from the flywheel & you wind up having to split them anyway, which isn't that bad a job to be fair, yes you need the big weights off though.

And sometimes rip the centre out of the plate and still leave the lining stuck to flywheel, but it's worth a try.

 

[Andy Nash]

Can you see the clutch plate at all ?
I'm wondering if it's got really hot & 'welded' itself to the flywheel ?
Ones that just stick normally crack back off quite quickly using the methods described.
They occasionally break off the friction material in coming away from the flywheel & you wind up having to split them anyway, which isn't that bad a job to be fair, yes you need the big weights off though.

Yes there are 3 cut-outs in the cover just outboard of the thrust bearing. You can see the spline shaft, the splined boss of the clutch plate and some of the coil springs in the friction plate. You can even trap a long screwdriver in the spring, apply leverage and the plate will flex backwards minutely on the spline shaft. It will not offer to turn though even if you hammer the end of a long bar shoved in.
Think you might be right and it’s been cooked and welded itself solid, in which case there is no alternative to splitting it if I think it’s worth it.