JD 5425 needs dry clutch adjustment

My JD 5425 4wd, 2005 model, purchased new, has a dry clutch with a cable to the clutch pedal that has been adjusted once at 50 hours(645 total hours) by a JD mechanic but even then the cable was too long. The cable needs further adjustment but cannot be made shorter, it has been shortened as far as it can go. When I step on the clutch pedal, the motor is not fully disengaged, and there is a whirring noise. What can I do short of taking the tractor to a dealer?

Robert

Usually as a clutch wears, the cable needs to be lengthened to get the pedal free travel adjusted. How much free travel do you have? It's possible the cable is stretching, but I doubt it. When you mention a whirring noise, I am afraid you might have a bad throw-out bearing which would make noise and also would cause a loss of adjustment. It can also be ruining your clutch fingers on the pressure plate. It sounds like you need to have the tractor split and replace the throw-out bearing at minimum and maybe already need a clutch if the bearing has been bad for a long time. Either way, the longer you run it wit a bad bearing, the more it will cost to repair. Wish I had better news for you, but that is what it sounds like to me.

I spoke with a John Deere service manager and I am taking the tractor in next Tuesday. He said he MAY to able to replace the cable, which would be the quickest fix. If not the tractor may have to be torn apart, and then see what happens. A throwout bearing could be involved, lets hope not.

Robert

Turns out the clutch is ok, still has 75% wear left. John Deere mechanic is relacing the clutch cable, but the whirring noise was from an input shaft bearing, which is also being replaced.

Turns out the carrier bearing was bad and the guide for the bearing was worn. The guide for the throw out bearing was worn. And the clutch cable had been stretched and was replaced. The cable may have been the incorrect one from day one.

R

They are doing it under warranty, I hope? Especially if it was the wrong cable from 'day one"?

No, not under warranty. A man did come out at 50 hours to adjust the clutch cable, under warranty, that is the time I should have been more adamant about "this appears to be an incorrect cable". Lesson learned.

Ouch. I think we've all had those lessons, in one form or another.