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Why Hand Clutch,s

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Farmaller

12-24-2003 08:40:43

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Why do a lot of big tractors up north have hand clutch,s. What were there main purpose used for?

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Hoosierbuddy

12-25-2003 19:41:25

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

The hand clutch was used because the clutch it operated was a more heavy duty "Over-Center" type clutch.
The hand lever allowed it to be in the "Engaged or Disengaged" position.The over center types are a 2 plate style.
The foot pedal operated "automotive style", single plate clutch uses a foot pedal to disengage ONLY-as all other times the spring loaded pedal is in the Engaged position.
Some companys believed in the Over-Center type(JD,MM,Case),some belived in the foot operated single plate type(IH,Massey Ford).
HB

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buickanddeere

12-25-2003 08:50:55

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

The clutch was used to start and stop tractor motion. You used your hand instead of your foot to operate it. During that era there were lots of WW1,WW2, Korean vets plus cripples from farm accidents missing limbs. The person could be productive driving tractors equipped with a hand clutch. Probably the most misspelled word on this site is hydraulic.

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Mguy

12-25-2003 19:52:21

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Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to buickanddeere, 12-25-2003 08:50:55

I'll vote for (cylinder) and (clutch).

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Oh, I forgot.(prolly).

12-25-2003 19:54:08

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Re: Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Mguy, 12-25-2003 19:52:21

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Roland

12-25-2003 07:43:45

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

As a youngster I drove my older brother's MM G-705 quite a bit. Liked its hand clutch a lot. For any tractor that doesn't have a loader or some such equipment that requires you to use your hands for hydrolic levers, the hand clutch is great. The big advantage as I recall is that you can stop the tractor, even get off to fix something and leave her in gear. You seldom need to take it out of your favorite gear!

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Slofr8

12-25-2003 06:10:36

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

The only tractor I have (so far) is a JD B with a hand clutch. I got used to it and like it but one advantage I find not yet mentioned is that when I had to work on the clutch, I had it off the tractor in about 15 or 20 minutes. VERY easy to work on.

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DaveInMI

12-25-2003 02:49:21

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

Another advantage is the operator can sit a bit sideways on the seat to watch implement behind and operate the hand cluth without turning full forward (AC-WD).

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12-24-2003 19:47:46

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

Growing up all I heard from my dad was how much easier a hand clutch was to control the tractor, how much easier it was to operate, how much easier it was to hook up with, well you get the idea. He had grown up on a JD A and swore by that darn hand clutch. Haveing never worked one the whole idea seemed kinda nuts to me but I always nodded my head and went along with it. Recently he got JD60 and I have gotta admitt once you get used to it you can do things with it that are tough to to do with a foot clutch. But the key to the whole thing is getting used to it.

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greenbeanman in Kansas

12-24-2003 12:58:16

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

Many boys in my area grew up on Minneapolis Molines, which of course had hand clutches for many years.

The kids were on tractors at a very tender age compared to what kids are now a days.

Farmers would sometimes drill a hole near the top of the clutch lever, attach a leather strap, then use a snap to attach the other end to a harness on the child driver.

Should the child fall asleep and fall off-----well the theory was that the clutch would disengage and the implement would be stopped before running over the child.

Thankfully I don't know that the system was ever tested.

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chris

12-24-2003 18:22:51

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Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to greenbeanman in Kansas, 12-24-2003 12:58:16

Correct if I'm wrong, and more than likely I am, but the only hand clutch Minnie Mo I was close to had a hand clutch that you pushed forward to disengage and pull back to engage, so that theory of yours does confuse me. Unless there's only one model that does this. Please enlighten me.

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greenbeanman

12-25-2003 10:46:15

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Re: Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to chris, 12-24-2003 18:22:51

We had a GTB, a M-5, a GVI, and a G-705.
The M-5 had a foot clutch, the rest had hand clutchs that were engage by pushing the top of the lever forward, thus pulling it rearward would stop the tractor.

My uncle had a U, then later a GB. They also had the same type of hand clutch.

This was in western Kansas flat wheat country. Perhaps in other areas they mounted the lever differently. Simply hooking the throw rod above the pivot point of the clutch lever would change the direction needed to engage it.

Interesting to say the least.

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Tom

12-24-2003 19:01:10

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Re: Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to chris, 12-24-2003 18:22:51

It was a long time ago, and I was very little, but in the early 50's I used to operate an MM for the neighbor. It had a hand clutch that you definitely had to push forward to engage and pull back to disengage. I loved operating it because I was too small to reach the pedals on my folks Massey-Harris but I could operate the MM with no trouble.

Tom

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Mike (WA)

12-24-2003 12:18:45

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

The big "wheatland" tractors would get used from daylight to dark in the busy season, and operators often stood up for awhile on the platform, to relieve fatigue- and the hand clutch was easier to use while standing. An old neighbor recalled when he was about 12, he was plowing a huge field in North Dakota- drifted off to sleep, and the tractor continued plowing, sort of wandering off across the country. When he awoke, he had no idea where he was- so did the only thing he could think of- turned around and plowed back (for about 2 hours)until he could get back on track.

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12-25-2003 05:40:21

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Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Mike (WA), 12-24-2003 12:18:45

Grandpa heard of a guy that did that on an ETD! Never was heard from again! Guess that is why the ETD's are so rare these days!

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K-Mo

12-24-2003 10:30:33

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

I have an old Tractor Supply catalog listing an add on hand clutch attachment for Farmall tractors. It states advantages like getting the tractor through a gate without getting on the tractor and for operation by children who couldn't reach the clutch pedal.
You'll never see that kind of advertizing statement in this day and age.
Dad had a SC Case I grew up on. The hand clutch worked great for me. I could cultivate corn by myself at the age of 5 or 6. You could "slip" the clutch for backing up to hitch wagons etc. I didn't like the clutch on JDs. Once a kid got it engaged you were never sure if you could get it to disengage when you wanted it to. It probably took more force to operate it than I weighed at the time. Of course I never ran a JD long enough to get used to it.
K-Mo

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Ron

12-24-2003 09:16:09

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Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 08:40:43

Many of us feel that we have better control over a long day's work with a hand clutch...I know, I do... Maybe it is because I don't usually have 10 pounds of mud on my hand, like I might have on my foot..!! Many tractors have ( had) two clutches..one foot and one hand..the hand clutch was used a lot to let the tractor ground speed slow, to let equipment clear, without having to completely stop.. I always viewed a foot clutch as a little like a "Suicide clutch"....if your foot slips, nothing is going to stop the tractor until you get back on it..

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Farmaller

12-24-2003 11:21:19

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Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Ron, 12-24-2003 09:16:09

I was thinking maybe they were used for a specific task like pulling combines.

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Ray,IN

12-24-2003 19:59:38

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Re: Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Farmaller, 12-24-2003 11:21:19

Really great for baling hay. You can avoid most clogging by just slipping the clutch a little, and a hand clutch is much easier to "feather".

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steveormary

12-25-2003 20:13:56

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Why Hand Clutch,s in reply to Ray,IN, 12-24-2003 19:59:38

To Roland;

If you are going to leave a hand clutch disengaged and get off the tractor to make equipment adjustments or repairs please dont leave tractor in gear or PTO lever engaged. Move gearshift lever or pto lever to neutral so if the clutch would happen to engage you wont get injured.

steve

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