I know little about this type of clutch but I see a disc that looks pretty thin, and a dry clutch release bearing and very dry zerk fitting.

FWIW.

What's also bothersome is that dark dusk all over that pressure plate is clutch facing material. That clutch looks like it has slipped a bunch...perhaps since you have had the tractor. If you have free play and you can see that the clutch fingers are not touching the release bearing when the clutch is fully engaged....you are about out of options. It's clutch time.

So, what would the cost estimate be to get this done?


Is this something a fairly handy guy can do himself? Or am I better off trailering this thing 350 miles each way to have a Foton dealer take care of it?

Thank you for all your help.

Joe

An 11" (Chinese) clutchpack may run over $1000 with freight. Even a friction disc alone may run >$125. Since repairing/replacing a clutchpack involves separating the tractor into halves at the bellhousing, lots of labor hours will be involved too. And whether you just need a disc, or a whole clutchpack, may not become evident until the tractor is actually split. So considering that a FT704 typically weighs in at over 4 tons, I'd let the dealer handle it. Be aware though, you may be in for an uphill battle trying to get the warranty cover a clutch replacement. Usually clutch discs are treated as consumables. Only thing you got going for you really, is that the clutch only has 22 hours on it.

Given the amount of heavy lifting involved here, I think the first avenue would be to try and convince the dealer that the clutch was never right from the git-go. First thing they'll counter with is advice about "riding the clutch". Beat him to the punch, and state emphatically that your foot never touches the clutch pedal unless/until it's time to change gears or direction.

If/when you get the dealer to treat it as a warranty issue, I'd push for a complete clutchpack replacement (as opposed to just a disc replacement), and insist that the throwout and pilot bearings get changed in the process.

//greg//

Reading your posts from the beginning there is one thing that bothers me. That is that at first the clutch won't release all the way and now it won't engage all the way? Check to see if your clutch has a floater plate between the disks. If so have somebody push the clutch all the way in and hold it. You should be able to move that floater plate. If you can't it may be hung and causing your clutch problems. That plate has to be able to move. For sure check this before you start tearing things apart.

Larry

Thank you Larry,

I will check for that. However, that may be a few weeks away as the farm is 135 miles away.

When there, I will try to snap some better photos from various angles with and without the clutch pedal depressed.

Thanks again,


Joe

Hello this is Red Horse Equip, You took some good pictures and I could see the clutch dust all over the clutch and this unit is getting a lot of moisture in the bell housing, I would check on adjusting your free play and I do know a person needs special tools to adjust the clutch itself because you cannot reach the adjustment nuts, I would say take to the dealer, unless you want to tackle the job. Good Luck

I probably know less than most of the other posters, but perhaps check if there could be a broken or sheared pin in the clutch linkage. My little 284 Jinma exhibited clutch problems, and I immediately went for the difficult solution (adjusting all the clutch arms inside the bell housing) until somewhat later I found that the pin between the lever arm and the clutch shaft had sheared. After I re-adjusted everything, replacement of the pin (external to the bell housing) was a relatively simple fix. And cheap.
Mike