Need some advice please.
Went to start the tractor a few weeks ago and could not get the pony motor started. Determined it had no spark. Removed the mag and sent it off to be rebuilt. Took me several hours to get all the timing aspects correct and got the pony to fire off and run last night about dark. Thought I was home free and shut everything down for the night. Got up early this morning and the pony fired right up. Went to start turning the main engine and the starting clutch started slipping. Pulled the cover plate to adjust it and found out quickly that it was at the end of the adjustment and would not tighten further. Also found quite a bit of oil in the clutch housing.
Appears to have come through from the pony motor. In reading the manual I learned that in order to work on the clutch I need to remove the entire pony motor, clutch, and starting transmission. My questions are:

1) Is there any way to replace the starting clutch without removing the pony motor?
2) If the answer to 1 is no can anyone recommend a mechanic in the Albany, Georgia area? I lack the lifting capability on this size and weight.

If I get the pony removed then the choice of repairing or changing to direct electric start comes into play.

Any and all thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Robert(goldminer7759)

Please stay with the starting engine if possible. If you go electric start forget starting in even cool weather without glow plugs, plus the expense of the starter and the large batteries. The starting engine also adds to main engine longevity by allowing the main engine to obtain oil pressure or even to heat the cylinders before firing-up. I cannot help with your questions, but my advice is to find a operation and maintenance instructions book, a parts book and a service manual on ebay or from other sources. These books will save you a great deal of money and heartache.
Best Wishes

Hi GM,
at The Dealer we used this bracket--I can say it had lots of extra holes drilled into the back plate-- to remove the pony on my RD6 in the field.
I lashed a piece of 2" water pipe across the front canopy sweeps and hung my chain block from there to swing the engine out onto a suitable board on the track.
I swung the board around to slide the pony into my trailer to take it home and unsieze it etc.
Put it back the same way--all on my own with no help.
It can be done if you have these tools available.
You will likely need more and/or different centered holes in the back plate to fit the early pony block.
Have also seen a bracket made up to fit the pony block right side cover plate bolt pattern.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Eddie B.

I agree with both replies , I too have used a make shift hoist built off cage , 6x6 and 2 sets of come-alongs ,1 for pony removal and the 2nd futher out on 6x6 to take over for the swing out and in to pick up bed , I use 2 " ratchet straps to hold in place on cage. 3-4 hours and its in the truck . I ordered all new gaskets and clutch pac and any thing else that I could get to on the clutch side , my pony had great compression so I left alone. think my parts were around 225 $ and a week to arrive .
Happy tracks !

Thanks for the info and ideas. I do have the service manual and the parts book. Just a bit bummed mentally as I was hoping to get fire breaks pushed out and some burning done before April 1st. Not going to make it this year.
Any thoughts on the oil in the clutch housing?

Thanks to all for your responses!

Robert(goldminer7759)