Growling steering clutch

Your John Deere should have about 1/2" to 1" of free travel on the friction/steering lever (at the top of the lever), that is no resistance other than the return spring. Then you should feel the release bearing engage the clutch fingers and the resistance will increase and the clutch should be released in 2 or 3" of lever travel. You can check this by pulling both levers back at the same time and the tractor should stop movings at this point. If the tractor turns one direction or the other, one or the other clutch is out of adjustment. The last 2" or 3" of travel should engage the brake. If the clutch is not fully released before the brake is applied you can get some growelling as the engine power pulls through the brake and the partially released friction. Another check on the adjustment is to find a hill the tractor will roll down in neutral. Stop on the hill, shut off the engine, put the tractor in first gear and release the foot brake. Now pull back on both levers and the tractor should begin to roll as the friction/clutches release and will stop as you continue to pull the levers back into the braking position. If the tractor does not roll, then the brakes are being applied before the frictions are released. Step on the foot brake and release the levers. I have had people scare themselves releasing the levers only half way and rolling down the hill. For some reason they would not completely release them so the friction/clutches where engaged and they would not apply the brakes and down the hill they would roll.

I have always liked the 440s a fun little crawler.

Good Luck,
Lee