Ford 861 Manual
Hi, I have my grandfathers Ford 861. It has been sitting in Oklahoma since the late 70s out in the rain so as you can imagine it is rusted in places. It hadn't been used in about 10 years and I've brought it back to the farm. I got it running and have been using it. A week ago, I was brush hogging with it and the clutch was working fine. I parked it in the barn.
Yesterday I went to use it and I pushed the clutch down, but it only came up half way. It takes about 10 to 20lbs of pressure to pull the clutch lever back up.
The tractor still moves, but the clutch lever is really stiff for the last half of it's travel. I have an IT Shop and Service manual for the 800 series tractor, but the clutch section is very limited. I need two things. 1) What would make the clutch lever move freely on the lower part of the travel and really hard on the upper part of it's travel?
2) What manuals do you recommend? I need a better one. This one doesn't even have a wireing digram in it. Some of the wireing is missing and I want to get my fuel gage and generator not charging light working again, not to mention the clutch. Thanks in advance! Free 2003 honda vtx 1800 owners manual. Howdy Sojourner, Welcome to the forum.
I suspect you may have rust and debris buildup on the transmission input shaft housing where the throwout bearing hub rides forward/aft when you push the clutch in and release it. Don't know why it didn't show up earlier? Firstly, make certain the weep hole in the bottom of the clutch housing is open. The purpose of this weep hole is to drain off any leakage from the engine rear main seal or from the transmission input shaft seal, so the oil doesn't get on the clutch. It should have a cotter pin sticking out of it to keep it open.
Wiggle it around and run a wire up alongside it to ensure it's open. Try this: Get a can of spray brake cleaner with a spray tube. Pull two base/mounting bolts from one side of the steering gearbox. These holes should give you very limited access to the rear of the clutch housing. Have someone work the clutch as you direct spray thru the holes towards the shaft below, where the throwout bearing rides.
Ford 861 Tractor
See if you can get the clutch to free up. The brake cleaner will not damage the clutch disc. Hope this makes sense to you. If not, fire back any questions.
You can get service manuals for your 861 from various sources on the internet. Ebay usually has a good selection. You will get the best bang for your buck by buying a full service manual downloaded onto a CD.
I finally figured out what the problem is with the clutch. I had been brush hogging with it, and a piece of wood was thrown onto the running board. It got between the rod that goes through the running board and the board.
Ford 861 Tractor Manual
It was just thick enough to cause problems only when the clutch lever started to get close to the end of it's travel. I was working on the wiring trying to get the generator to work, dropped the nut off the terminal block and was looking for it. I was on my knees and looked down at the running board and saw that piece of wood under the clutch rod. I pressed on the clutch, got the wood out and now the clutch works fine! Thanks for all your advice. And suggestions!
Sometimes the problem can be the simplest of things.
Equipment dealer and friend Terry Jones sold Ralph the 861 in December of 2007. Buying the 861 was a purchase made from the heart. His family’s first tractor was a 1950 8N and the similarities of the two tractors rekindled memories from that earlier time.
After buying the 861 he had to truck it seventy miles to his home. It was in very bad condition and would put Ralph’s problem-solving skills to the test. With the help of a forty-dollar Ford service manual and a fifteen-dollar owner’s manual, the restoration began. Ralph was fairly sure the oil had not been changed in the 861 for a long time because the once square oil plug was so rounded off that it was impossible to remove it in the conventional manner. Telltale marks on the plug were evidence of numerous unsuccessful attempts to remove it. After several more conventional attempts of his own, Ralph realized he had to get creative and come up with a better solution. A pipe wrench with a jack held tightly against it to keep it from slipping off the plug proved to be the solution.
Soon the old plug was out and a new plug solved the problem for future oil changes. For the next year Ralph worked on the little Ford; each day it was closer to the tractor that had come off the assembly line fifty-plus years earlier.
The engine did not require a great deal of mechanical work- spark plugs, a couple of gauges, a thermostat, and fuel shutoff valves had it running fine. However, the appearance of the 861 required a great deal more work than the engine did. There was sheet metal that had to be repaired and dents to be removed.
The special Ford paint cost over $150 and the correct decals were $75, but both were necessary to make sure it was restored correctly. A new seat was $110, replacing the missing hood emblem was another $70 and topped off the completed restoration at $800.
The 861 is Ralph’s pride and joy. He still uses it around the acreage where he and his wife Maxine reside near Houston, Minnesota. One day the 861 will be handed down to a younger family member, but until that time the couple will enjoy using it to give their signature buckboard rides. They own a 110-year-old horse-drawn buckboard that is the type early settlers used.
Ralph said he uses the Ford’s 41 horse team (horsepower) and hooks it up to the buckboard for rides at church picnics and family gatherings at their acreage.