injun38

I hope someone may be able to help me.

I bought a used White 2-44 which is basically the same tractor as an Oliver 550. The white 2-44 is a construction tractor with a backhoe.

The Bevel pinion shaft and differential had problems and the parts were hard to find and VERY expensive so I took the advice of a few local tractor parts stores and I swapped the Transmission and and rearend, housing and all with a 550 tranny and rearend. I used my centerframe that houses the clutch shaft and PTO parts. I never touched the clutch or pressure plate. They stayed attached to the tractor as I split the tractor and bolted on the 550 tranny to the centerframe. After putting it all back together I could not get the tractor in gear. THe gears work fine and I can find all the gears but the clutch is not dis-engaging.

I followed more advice and changed the clutch, smae problem. I put new Lever return clips on my pressure plate. same problem. I tried adjusting even though I did not change any of these parts in the first place. THe centerframe and cluth assembly are the same as before the swap. The tractor went in and out of gear just fine before the swap.

I have been working on this problem for two months now. Splitting the tractor, adjusting and re-bolting.
Please help me if you know of anything that might be the problem.

Please e-mail me at injun38@hotmail.com

Live Oak

Have you checked to verify that pilot bearing and the transmission input shaft are not binding? The outside diameter of the pilot bearing portion of the trans. input shaft may have been a slightly larger diameter or perhaps some debry or corrosion could have gotten wedged in between? This would have the same effect as the clutch failing to release. Can you gain access to the clutch housing to observe how and if the clutch is functioning? If possible, I would try to observe what exactly is taking place and work from there. I wish I could be of more help. More folks I am sure will jump in and have some good ideas. Good luck with it and keep us posted on how things work out.

injun38

Thanks for the reply. I will give the pilot bearing a look and see if that is the problem. I appreciate you sterring me in a different direction then what I was thinking.

Live Oak

In the event that may be the case, you will have to split the tractor again and either install a proper size pilot bearing or determine what got wedged in it. Sure hope it is as simple as that. The other idea that comes to mind is that the input shaft of the 550 tractor half may be slightly longer and binding up against the pilot bearing. If in fact the clutch is functioning properly and releasing, not much else comes to mind that could be causing this. I will definitely be interested it what the final call is.

Please pardon my manors injun38. Welcome to Tractor Forum! We are glad you found us but hope the tractor circumstances improve greatly.

injun38

I will post the results so anyone else that may have this problem can find assistance.

IS the pilot bearing easy to replace?

Live Oak

In most applications, the pilot bearing is a metal round, bored out bushing or in some instances has roller bearings. It is driven into to a recessed hole in the center of the flywheel. In most cases it is pulled out with a slide hammer type puller. You may (read probably will) have to remove the pressure plate and clutch to get at it. Installing it typically requires a bushing driver or a substitute such as a rachet socket or piece of bar stock.

IF in fact the problem is in this area and you have verified the clutch is functioning properly; then you will have to determine whether the trans. input shaft is too large a diameter for the pilot bearing/bushing and or something is wedged in there OR if the trans. input shaft is too long and binding against the pilot bearing. In the latter case you may have to machine the pilot bearing down to create some clearance on a lathe. If the pilot bearing is too small a diameter for the trans. input shaft; you will have to line ream the pilot bearing/bushing to enlarge the hole ot the correct diameter.

Again, these are just speculative ideas I am throwing out and the problem could be something totally different. What........ I have not idea but this is about all I can come up with at the moment. Aside from the issue that perhaps the 550 trans has some problems of its own that are causing this. I am assuming that you verified the 550 trans was in good working order prior to installing it.

injun38

The pilot bearing I just checked. it spins freely and the extra shaft I have spins freely inside the pilot bearing.
I am at a loss here. I am ready to junk this tractor.
The tranny would not have anything to do with the engine not releasing from the clutch shaft. As I said before. It worked fine before and now it doesn't. I did not disturb the the clutch or pressure plate in any way during this swap. I even tried both shafts that I have. they are identical but I tried each one anyways.

Live Oak

How long has the tractor been setting inactive? My reason for asking is that I am thinking the clutch disk may be stuck (read rusted/corroded to the pressure plate). This can have the same effect. Many gear shift type tractor operator's manual call for placing a wood block under the clutch pedal to prevent this from happening. When this happens sometimes you can depress the clutch pedal and block it down and then attempt to separate the clutch disk from the pressure plate with a plexiglass wedge or putty knife or similar very think tool. There are other shade tree solutions that I will not go into. I was thinking that if your machine has been setting for an extended period of time; the clutch disk may be stuck. The brain fart idea popped into my head tonight and I don't know why I did not think about this before.

injun38

The tractor was being used up until I split it to do the tranny swap. The cluct is not rusted.

Can the throw out bearing fork slip? Is this possible.

Live Oak

I have seen instances where the throw out bearing fork pivot broke off inside the clutch housing. This could achieve the same result.

I am not familiar with this particular machine. Does it have a hydraulic slave cylinder on the clutch? This is not a typical set up for this type of machine.

injun38

The clutch workings are all mechanical. I know it is not broke.

kenbect

I am having similar probllems with my 550 since splitting the tractor to rebuild the pto clutch. The main engine clutch will not release enough to disengage. Did you ever find a solution to your problem or does anyone have any suggestions? I have put the tractor back together and resplit several times and can't seem to get things to work right. I di not service the main clutch, just the pto clutch.

k1burner

I am not very knowledgeable about Oliver 550s but as a suggestion J. Schwiebert on the Yesterdays tractor discusion board is a wiz when it comes to Olivers, I would drop a thread and I would bet he could help you.

Good luck