JM254/284 Clutch Adjustment
Photos and Info provided by SPIKER

NOTE: before trying to adjust the clutch be sure the DECOMPRESSION LEVER and the KILL LEVER/KNOB IS PULLED so the engine can't start and will be easy to turn over using prybar on clutch bumps...
Above is the Left side of the tractor with the Left Clutch Cover FEL/HOE Bracket REMOVED for the procedure. I removed the bracket and left the FEL installed but have to SUPPORT the FEL see the Jack and 2x4. Removal was 4 large 18MM Bolt heads and 4 smaller 14MM bolt heads One PIN for the FEL to Bracker Quick Release mech. Also had to loosen the 2 14 MM head bolts holding the Steering HYD lines secure.
This is the Main CLutch linkage, with the Adjusting Clevas and Clutch Safety Switch. I had to adjust each of these slightly just for fine tuning, clevis is held in with a cotter pin and washer.
This is the Main Clutch rod, bolt and spring, lock nut and washer. I didn't adjust this as I wasn't needing extra CLUTCH but wanted FREEPLAY between the Main and the PTO clutch travel. If any adjustment is going to be needed be sure to mark the bolts orriginal postions so that they can be returned and or turns counted for even adjustment! the China Manual says that you have to adjust the clutch on a bench and to specific Specifications. Mine was still INSTALLED and I wanted to try and fix it with out breaking down the tractor. GLAD I DID! It was pretty straight forward and easy to do. On this you can see you need to GRIND DOWN a el-cheapo wrench to get under the Spring to loosen the LOCK NUT I used a 17MM YUGO wrench that was left on the floor when I bought the farm... It was a bit big so I suspect the NUT is actually a 16MM head...
This shows the marks on the MAIN CLUTCH not the PTO note the FORK and it has a different set up for Spring and Lock Nut setup.
This is the bolts that I had to ADJUST. NOTE: MARK THE BOLTS & NUTS BEFOR LOOSENING THEM WITH PERMANITE MARKER AND OR SCRATCH MARKS WHICH CAN NOT GET CONFUSED WITH WRENCH MARKS!!! ALSO MARK THE BOTLS AS #1, #2, and #3 as you proceed!!

I had to loosen the lock nut which was 16MM head then "loosen" the 21 MM head PTO Adjustment Bolt yes I said "LOOSEN" as in back out. To get MORE clutch free play between the Main and the PTO clutch. (The Tractor BOX had the thin 21 MM OPEN ended wrench and a 16MM box wrench which worked great.) I went 1 full turn and left the bolt marked face in the exact spot that it was except one full thread backed out. then RE-Tighten the Lock Nut. (My clutch and PTO was both engauging at the TOP of the Foot Pedal Travel) "I needed MORE room sepperating the two clutch postions. After doing this my PTO now engauges at about 1" travel UP form the FLOOR so maybe 3/4 of a FULL turn would have been enough. Easy to do by COUNTING the FLATS on the HEX NUT which hold the adjustment on the BOLT."
NOW making sure the decompression lever is ON DECOMPRESS I used a large wrench to move the flywheel 120 degrees to get to the #2 PTO adjuster bolt. and then MARK IT and loosen it just as in #1 and do the same for #3. ALL of them get marked that way and adjusted the same... I can't state how important the Marking of the BOLT and NUT HEADS are as well as MARKING the ADJUSTERS themselves it would be BAD to move one bolt 2 full turns and miss adjusting one compleatly! this would cause way funky clutch workings...
NOTE ABOVE the way I MARKED the #1/#2/#3 Postions on the Clutch Outter Housings. I used RED MARKER but I think White Paint Stick would work MUCH better. The RED was hard to see.

I had the FEL jacked up some and resting on the FLoor Jack untill re-installing the FEL/HOE bracket. mine was back a bit possably from setting overnight so I used the Comealong to PULL the bracket up that last 1/2 a bolt hole. I reinstalled the FEL PIN and Hitch Pin tighteneing it down. It wasn't hard at all. I also had to re-tighten the Steering Hyd Line Holding clamps. To help get the FEL to come forward a bit I loosened the 4 Front Mounting Bolts which are slooted on the FEL to Bracket Mounts. I re-tightened all the bolts (some I didn't touch but were loose from viberation.)


NOW that that was all done I checked over the tractor and trie out the clutch. everythign was great. also tightened the tractor bolts checking all of them as the FEL brackets were LOOSE! anyhoy I will PULL this when peoples get the INFO they needed...

Mark M AKA SPIKER
Support FEL before removing bolts and bracket
Removed Rear Bracket for FEL
Start Enable Switch and External Linkage Adjustment on the Clevis
Main Clutch Adjuster Bolt/Spring
Main Clutch Adj Bolts
PTO Clutch Adj Bolts
Loosen Bolts to re-install Rear Bracket
Comealong for pulling rear bracket back in place