John Deere mower with blade clutch bearing seized

[Mark31]

I've got a seized blade clutch on my John Deere GT245 mower. 54 inch deck, 20 hp Kawasaki. It got so hot the blades can't be stopped, had to take the belt deck off. If the engine is started, the clutch get super hot immediately. I've sprayed Kroil (THE best penetrating oil) on it a couple of times. How do I get it off without ruining my crank?

 

[B.G. Smith]

It is held in place by a long bolt that engages the crankshaft. If you can raise the front of the mower to get access, drop the front of mower deck, remove the mower drive belt and then you will have to remove the screen on top of motor and have someone hold the big nut on top of engine so it wont turn then remove the bolt, Disconnect one of the battery terminals for safety. bg

 

[Mark31]

BG, I've got the bolt out. The bearing got so hot I wonder if it has welded itself to the crank. I can't get the clutch to move down (off) a micron. Kroil (Kanolabs.com) says it penetrates into a millionth of an inch. Someone who used to work for Fluor-Daniel servicing giant hydro-electric stuff told me about it. Mark

 

[B.G. Smith]

Hope the Kroil works. You might try tapping the end of the clutch where the bolt came out or if you have something that will fit the flats on the bottom of clutch, try moving it back and forth. bg

 

[Ken Bultman]

You need to go to my tractor forum under JD lawn and garden tractor and ask that question.That forum is full of good information. I'm on that site everyday

 

[BIGNASTY]

I bought a Z Turn JD what a HUGE disappointment only a couple of years old and falling apart, Its not like we use it ALL YEAR with snow on the ground for 6 months of the year. Took it back and some unlucky guy wanted it and so he paid the price
I went to another Z Turn but a MUCH BETTER MACHINE http://www.scag.com/zeroturns.html

 

[jhenderson]

Big, I did what you did but on a woodcutters budget. My theory is better to buy a used commercial machine than a new homeowner piece. I bought a 20year old Hustler. I tinkered on it for a few days and have done nothing but regular maint on it for years now.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Big, I did what you did but on a woodcutters budget. My theory is better to buy a used commercial machine than a new homeowner piece. I bought a 20year old Hustler. I tinkered on it for a few days and have done nothing but regular maint on it for years now.

Mine is new but I get what your saying. This mower is light years ahead of the JD. We've made a couple of ranges 1, 100yds x 35yds wide 2, 1200yds x 50yrd . The second one im looking at a 3 point mower deck to pull behind the tractor & PTO driven. Im sure that the above mower would work, I'm holding off on any purchase until the grass that was planted on the 2ond range come in (first year it's planted) I could have a change the new mower will do 10 MPH & still have a nice cut.

 

[Mark31]

I ended up tapping the spacer on the bottom of the clutch and cutting a piece of redibolt to put up in the crankshaft to prize against. I cut the rivets holding the clutch together and got the bottom off. The culprit was the bottom bearing with Poland stamped on it. The outer shell had just enough lip on it for a puller to get a bite and get the top bearing off. Not many hours on the clutch. New clutch was only $275.32.