In an earlier thread, I had mentioned that I had gotten another D2 and succeeded in making it run again.
I did not mention that I was very concerned, as I couldn’t get it in gear. Turns out that either the first or second owner had made some modifications to it.
He was an orchardist, so he reversed the clutch handle operation, to what I call a suicide clutch; instead of pulling the lever towards yourself to engage, it would disengage instead. Instead of being connected ti the hole in the lever above the pivot point, he added a piece of flat bar with another hole to reverse the action.
I have never encountered this except on a Minneapolis Moline tractor I owned. Great idea if you’re in an orchard and need to stop in a hurry!
Just wondering if anyone else has had a CAT modification of this sort. It definitely takes some getting used to, I may just remove the flat bar and make it “normal”. JM 

That’s how the clutches are on all the Tailseat GAS tractors 10,15,20,22 just a little older than your D2s Just start bringing home gas orchard tractors. You will be good with that clutch in no time! 🤣

Well darn it, I learned something today. Our 22 was missing the clutch lever, so I never knew that.
I also learned that if I am bidding online, I need to watch the items I lust for. I missed out on a Two-Ton today; did it go your way? Thanks JonMark. JM

Some wheel tractors work the reverse to the Caterpillar direction, Fiat dozers also work the reverse direction, as well their direction reverser works in the opposite direction as well, then International master clutch works like a Cat, the decelerator is under the left foot, direction reverser works like a Fiat, then we have Fordson E27N wheel tractors with the clutch under the right foot and the turning brakes under the left foot. All these things to catch the unwary.

Wombat

I do not feel so silly for asking now. See? even a guy like me can learn something everyday. The thought of collecting gas tailseat machines never crossed my mind, I should save that project for some of you other folks, as I have a tendency to gather more of everything that I do not need. Thanks for the replies. JM

2 ton no not me ! As you know I Have a couple already

Well someone was actually putting his afford into making the clutch work in reverse. I do have to mention never have heard the term suicide clutch before? Maybe also cause im too young to know about these things: But I don remember a old crawler owner told me never to use a prybar to adjust a clutch when it is spinning on the engine. I don't know why in da heck would anyone in his right mind try to use a prybar to do clutch work on a dozer that has a working engine? That is something I would leave for the experts to figure out.
So much he told me that some CAT clones had issues with stuck linkages on the clutch compartment and people would fix it by prybaring it with a working engine. But that was also one way to get killed easy. Sorry for the off topic just had to mention it.

I have only drive one 22 and it had a foot clutch. So I thought all the small gas ones where that way.


Commercial airline pilot retired out here on a walnut orchard and the first crawler he drove was a gas start IH. The throttle on those is reverse of a Cat. Bought a D4 D and he cussed the throttle claiming Cat had to be wrong as every airplane was like the IH, so you pushed the leaver for more. He talked of changing it but don't know if he did. As he sold the walnuts and moved on.

My uncle claim the IH throttle saved one neighbor clearing trees as limb hit his head and nocked him out. but pushed the throttle back to him and killed the engine. 

Just what ever you are us to. As I started driving Johnny Poppers 3 or 4 years after learning Cats.  They have clutch on the wrong side going the wrong way. But after a day or to I just grabbed it and went no more thinking of which way.

the only reference to a suicide clutch i knew of was the clutch on my 1947 Indian scout--took down a garage interior wall once when i couldn't get it disengaged once