# L185 clutch stuck? HELP!!



## wedoboats2

Can anyone out there help me. I have a 1977 Kubota L185 diesel tractor. I have owned and maintained it for the past 6 years, and it has been great. The last time I used it, it ran and operated good. This time when I started it up and tried to shift it, it acts like the clutch is not releasing, grind - grind - grind. I started it in gear and drove it around, no problem, but it just wont release. I have the shift to neutral to stop going foward, stepping on the clutch pedal won"t take it out of gear. I pulled the access cover at the clutch and watched the plate go in/out. HELP!! What do you think the problem is and how to repair it?? Any help would be great. I am a mechanic by trade, but I work on boats, not tractors. This tractor has pulled lots of boats and mowed lots of grass for me, and I am not ready to give it up. Mark B.


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## John-in-Ga

Welcome to TF, wedobots2, Sorry you are having a problem with your tractor.

The stuck clutch problem is something that occurs sometimes when a tractor “sits up” for a time. A very annoying problem to have. There are as many remedies for “unsticking” it as there are for the common cold. Like the cold remedies, some work for some people and some don’t.

Try the remedy my John Deere Dealer recommend when the clutch on my, at the time, new 5300’s clutch stuck.

Start your tractor and let is run at fast idle for about 45 minuets to get it good and warmed up. Then throttle down and force it into gear. In your case I’ll have to say something in the midrange area, as I’m not familiar with the transmission on your Kubota. Dive into a open area where there is plenty of room to turn around, throttle up enough that you can be sure you won’t stall the engine, and run the tractor; stepping down hard on first the left brake then right brake. Keep repeating with the brakes until the clutch comes loose. 

Mine did after about the third trip across my one acre yard.

Good luck with yours.


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## Live Oak

The operator's manual refers to using I believe a 1 inch block of wood to block the clutch pedal down which will hold the clutch pressure plate partially disengaged from the clutch disk during periods of none use and storage. If you don't take this measure; you run the risk of the clutch becoming "stuck" or rusted/bonded to the engine flywheel or pressure plate or both. When the clutch disk becomes rusted to or bonded to the engine flywheel; the clutch disk in which the transmission input shaft runs through and splined collar will continue to turn the transmission input shaft and hence the transmission gears at engine speed regardless of clutch pedal position. Not that this explaination helps you much now. More of a measure to help you understand what is going on and how to prevent it in the future. 

What John posted is a good way to unstick the clutch disk. Other methods are to chain the tractor to a large tree or immovable object by the DRAW BAR ONLY. (if you use any other attaching point, you can torque the tractor over and flip in on top of you) When the chain pulls tight, the shock load transmitted through the drive train can sometimes break the clutch disk free. 

Sometimes nothing works to break the clutch disk free and if you can gain access to the clutch housing from undernieth the tractor, you can use a very thin wedge such as a piece of plexiglass scrapper or a stout but thin putty knife or other tool to very carefully and gently pry the clutch disk loose from the flywheel and or clutch pressure plate. 

Worst case scenario is that you will have to split the tractor and separate the clutch disk if none of the above measures work. 

Anyhow, sorry to hear of the problems you are having, good luck with freeing up the clutch and be very careful. Hope this was not TMI. 

Welcome back to Tractor Forum as well!


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