Tractor won't move

[ChrisB]

I was hauling bales out to the cows the other night with a Case-IH 885 tractor and after hauling a couple bale out I went to pick up another bale and when I let the clutch out - nothing. It has a 4 speed with High, Low, Reverse transmission. No shuttle. It shifts fine with no grinding into every gear combination, but in every combination the tractor will start moving about an inch and then stop. The hydraulics on the loader work as normal and the PTO works as normal. I originally thought something with the clutch linkage, but I split the tractor and the clutch (which was replaced last spring) and all linkage appear to be fine. I didn't hear any odd sounds and the tractor didn't have a slipping clutch or any problems up to that point. Does anyone have any ideas? According to the book it looks like quite a project to get into the transmission.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[lavacarancher]

Hydraulic clutch assist cylinder? Input shaft in transmission?

 

[Ouachita]

Not familiar with this tractor. Does it have a differential lock?

 

[skyhightree1]

can you adjust the clutch?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Splines in clutch stripped? Stripped splines where transmission meets rear axle?

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks for the ideas.

Update - I jacked the rear tires off the floor and tried it and the tires would turn then. I don't know what that means though, it seems to me it could still either be the clutch or worn splines somewhere. I would sure like to know what the problem is so I know what to start tearing into.

 

[skyhightree1]

To me seems clutch is gone If it spins with no load on the clutch.

 

[D2Cat]

I would double check the clutch adjustment. Sounds like you had it adjusted minimally and the wear you put on it since you replaced/adjust it originally has taken it's toll and needs readjusted.

 

[Kingfisher]

So if you jack it up and engage 1st gear what happens? Can you change gears with the rear tires off the ground?

 

[ChrisB]

I would love it if it just needs the clutch adjustment. But wouldn't that have been a gradual problem where it started slipping? I agree that it really sounds like the clutch but have a hard time believing that is the problem. But I could be wrong.

To me it also sounds like it could be worn spines that catch enough to turn the tires when there is no resistance but slips when there is. But it seems like there should be a slit knocking or maybe a jerking once in a while as the splines attempt to catch.

Maybe I'll have to look into a clutch adjustment since I can split it an put it together again in a couple hours. If it's in the transmission I may bring it somewhere.

When I had the tires off the ground I never tried shifting into other gears. I can try it tonight. What would that tell me?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Jack the back of the tractor up and turn the rear tires by hand with the engine off and the trans in gear. See if you can feel anything slipping or cogging. Take the cover off the bottom of the clutch housing and have somebody turn the tire while you look in there and see if the clutch is spinning.

 

[ChrisB]

You bring up something interesting that I've never understood about this tractor. With the tractor in gear and parked on an incline the tractor would still roll forward. And also in the past I tried to pull start it one time and it didn't seem to even turn the engine over. I never understood how that was possible with a mechanical clutch. Or is there some other type of clutch in the transmission somewhere?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Hmm not sure on that one. Looking at the parts breakdown I don't see any type of clutch in there but there is also 3 different transmissions offered in that tractor so its hard to tell.

This tractor doesn't have a 2 speed powershift on it giving you 16 forward gears does it?

 

[ChrisB]

No. Just the 4 speed with the Hi-Low range.

 

[rla442]

You bring up something interesting that I've never understood about this tractor. With the tractor in gear and parked on an incline the tractor would still roll forward. And also in the past I tried to pull start it one time and it didn't seem to even turn the engine over.I never understood how that was possible with a mechanical clutch. Or is there some other type of clutch in the transmission somewhere?

If you tried to pull start it and the engine didn't turn over with the transmission in gear I'd say thats a pretty darn good indication that your clutch needs work. is this by any chance a dual clutch that runs the pto also?
You can try to pull the coil wire so the motor doesn't start and bump the starter with the transmission in gear to see if the tractor nudges forward or slips or makes noise. If you have a coverplate to where you can see the clutch and flywheel engagement, shine a light up there and use a pry bar on the ring gear or have someone with a wrench on the crank bolt to see if its slipping when turned.

 

[Nesikep]

We have a IH 684, and it sounds like the same tractor.. does it have a "Ratchet" style selector for gears 1-4 or a standard "H" style shift pattern?

We got our tractor as a wreck,broken in half at the bell housing.. I transfered all the gears, etc into a new tranny and to be honest it was pretty darned easy... take lots of pictures!

I don't think it's the clutch, that would be gradual, if the clutch was done last year, it probably isn't the splines there either.. I can only see it as a snapped/stripped output shaft spline. wether it's before the High/Low/Reverse gearbox or after it I couldn't guess at this point. If there's no grinding sounds I don't think it's actually anything with gears being broken or bearings popped.

I'd start with taking the covers off the tranny and having a look before splitting anything further. it really helps to have another front end loader to go further, or lots of floor jacks and jack stands.

How many hours on it?

Oh, does it have 1/2 speeds?


rla442... it's a diesel, no coil wires

 

[Ouachita]

The symptom you are describing can also happen when/if the pinion shaft slips out of the spider gear case, or if a C-lock clip fails and one axle spline slips out of a spider gear (or if splines are worn on just one axle). In other words, if for some reason there has been a failure in the rear end that has disengaged one axle, the other wont turn under power (won't propel the tractor). That's why I ask if the tractor has a differential lock, usually a pedal pressed with the heel of your boot. When you have the tractor jacked up, when you rotate one wheel does the other turn the opposite direction, or not rotate at all? Can someone hold the opposite wheel while you rotate the other?

 

[Ouachita]

Just throwing ideas out there. I have no experience nor IPC on your model tractor. Good luck

 

[Nesikep]

After a lot of though, I think it's an electrical problem... a lot of those series tractors had an electric over hydraulic half-speed or overdrive... I can't be sure on this, but I think it has 2 sets of clutches, and it could just be a wire fell off or a fuse blew or corroded.. Since he said he couldn't roll start it, that's because there's no hydraulic pressure on either of the clutches, so they both freewheel, this time I think it's there's no power to either solenoid, and the same thing is happening.


Want to sell the tractor to me?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

But he said the tractor was just a 4 speed with the Hi/Lo/Rev no 2 speed T/A......