D2 5J question

My D2 sits in the woods and is covered with 2 tarps. One blew off and when I was putting it back on I noticed the left steering clutch lever was back towards the seat about 3". when I moved it forward and then pulled it back it went about 7" before I felt the clutch release. The right one felt ok with about 3-4" freeplay. The main feels stuck again, I had to cart tourches up on an ATV to free this one up before. what do you think happened to the steering clutch. It's been sitting about 4 years now. Thanks for any input as to what I'm facing now.
Joe VanDerwerker
Stony Creek, NY

It appears that your left steering clutch rusted up, expanded and took up all the free play in your linkage. If you are lucky you can run it hard with the left lever tied all the way back and break that clutch loose.
D2's are known to have the steeri9ng clutches freeze up when standing out in the weather for a while--tarp or not!

Tarps are good for keeping the rain, snow and sun off but they also keep the moisture IN.

Long story................short!!!! Drive the tractor if possible. 👋
If you don't want things to go wrong you have use it. I won't let mine set for any longer than six months.
good luck!

Most of the time, D2's sit with the drain plugs in, hence they fill with condensate or rain. Everyone recommends either removing them which lets the mice in. Everyone has a story on that!
Or drilling them and putting cotter pins in the holes to rattle around keeping the hole open.
I have drilled my steering clutch plugs and re-inserted them after sitting out all winter under a tarp.
Main Clutch drain plug was inserted soon after that. I haven't drilled it yet but will need to soon as it sits out untarped now. This time of the year its in use, so it doesn't always get tarped.
Keeping the clutches dis-engaged helps to prevent this problem but may or may not lead to spring fatige.
The problem is that if you use it where you may drive through water, then it may get up in those compartments but theoretically should drain back out and dry out from use.
Jeff