| Author | Message | ||
     Frank Dodson |
I have a 550 with the pto engagement in front of the operator. The pto has a tendency to jump out of gear. Is there an adjustment or do I need to get new disc. | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
If the lever doesn't 'snap' over-center, then you can tighten the PTO clutch pack. Under the tractor, where the rear section meets the middle section, there is a plate with four 1/4" bolts. Remove them and the cover plate will come off. What you'll see will be similar to this.  This PTO clutch is from a 2050, but the way you adjust them is almost indentical. You'll need to turn the PTO clutch assembly until you see a spring loaded pin that comes out of the casting that the blue arrow is pointing at. (I didn't think to rotate the assembly to take a picture with the pin in view, and it's been 4 months since I put this tractor back together. Needless to say, it doesn't show in this picture.) This spring loaded pin will be engaged in one of the notches like the red arrow is pointing at. To adjust, take a long screwdriver or punch and hold the spring loaded pin in and take another punch and turn the adjusting nut in. This nut has right-hand threads. Try a few notches at a time. It should take around 35 pounds of force on the PTO lever to make the clutch 'snap' over-center. If this doesn't work then you are probably looking at splitting the tractor and replacing the plates inside the clutch pack. | ||
| Jerry Wilson |
I tried to post a message Friday to see if anyone would have any infprmation concerning the PTO in a '61' 550. I hit a stump with the bushhog and since then the PTO would not disengage fully. I backed off the clutch a few notches and this did not help either. Since then I was bushhogging and the PTO quit turning. I tightened the clutch a few morw notches and it would turn for a little while and when I opened it up I notcied some teeth off of a gear had been sheared off and were laying in the bottom. Any suggestions? | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
I think you are looking at splitting the tractor to see where the pieces came from. If there are pieces in the bottom, then something is broke, and the only way to fix it is to open it up and replace the offending parts. Parts are available for the PTO clutch, but it can be a little pricey. Let us know if you need any info on splitting and repairing the PTO clutch. | ||
| Jerry Wilson |
I appreciate your response and that is what I thought I would have to do in the long run. What is entailed in splitting the tractor and will I need manuals or is not that complicated? I have found three versions of manuals, user, parts and service and the service manual is pricy in it self. | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
Splitting the Super 55 and 550 is pretty easy and straight forward. The most important thing is to properly support each half of the tractor while it is split. The back half isn't bad, but the front can pivot on the front axle pin and possibly tip to one side or the other. The easiest solution is to wedge a piece of wood on each side, between the front axle and the main frame, to keep the front from pivoting. A floor jack on wheels is nice for the rear half so it can roll away from the front half with ease. The split is called a 'Z' split, because the top half of the center section stays with the front and the bottom half stays with the rear. Looks like a Z from the side. The steering box stays on the top half, and there is no need to remove any of the steering components. Remove the foot rests and tin work around the foot pedals. Then remove the anchors the hold the stabalizer arms. The stabalizer arms can be left attached to the front axle. Disconnect any wires that go from the dash to the rear end. Then just remove any bolts that hold the top half to the bottom half. Also remove the any bolts that connect the top half to the rear end and any bolts that hold the bottom half to the front frame. Then roll the 2 halves of the tractor apart. The PTO clutch will stay in the back half. There is a special tool required to loosen a spanner nut that holds the PTO clutch drum on the shaft. Many people have talked of making their own spanner wrench to remove this nut or using a chisel to loosen and tighten it. Other than that, I don't think any special tools are required to tear down and reassemble the PTO clutch. The Oliver shop manual is nice to have since it walks you through this step by step with pictures. I would recommend having one on hand when doing this for the first time. A gentleman that posts here occasionaly as "Super 55" might have the pages of the Oliver Manual that you need scanned and posted on a web site. Maybe he will see this. Otherwise I can scan my manual and post the needed pages. But I wouldn't be able to get to it until next week. | ||
| Jerry Wilson |
I would appreciate your posting these pages at your convenience and I will attempt to locate a manual in the near future. I will be sending my application and check to become a member of you group and hope that you have other members from Tennessee since I see quite a few Oliver tractors locally. Thanks for your help with my problem and wish me luck on putting this great machine back in service! | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
We currently have 2 members from Tennessee. One from Knoxville and one from Springfield. We could always use another one! It will be next week before I can get to scanning those pages, but I'll get them posted soon after. The 550 is a great tractor and I don't think you'll be disappointed in spending the money to make it right again. | ||
| Jerry Wilson |
This is nice to know since my heritage is from Springfield and the uncle I bought the tractor from lived there. The world may be getting smaller all the time. I appreciate all you are doing for me and hopefully my membership check will arrive today. I hope to call and get wind chime and a throw blanket today. Thanks again! | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
Jerry, I just got home from the HPOCA summer show in Iowa, and your check was in the mail. Thanks for sending it in. You may not have been able to get ahold of anyone for the wind chimes, since Larry was at the show too. Be looking for a newsletter in the near future. I am going to start printing them tomorrow. | ||
| Chris Losey (Admin) |
Jerry, I finally got those pages scanned. You can view them by clicking on the 'Photos' icon in the left menu and then click on the link to the new Oliver Gang Photo Gallery. They are in the Service Manuals Photo Album. It includes pages for both the Z split and all pages for rebuilding the PTO clutch. Let me know if you have any trouble getting to it. | ||
| Jerry Wilson |
I appreciate the manual and now I can feel a little comfortable in this adventure. I received my first newsletter also and I really enjoyed the articles. It is nice to have a little down to earth human interest news in ones life! Thanks for everything and I will make plans to attend one of your upcoming events. |
