312-H pedal conversion

[HVYTWR 12]

Hello all!🙂I've been browsing the forum for quit a while now but this is my first post. I recently acquired a really nice 312-H from a friend that passed away last year. It's a 1992 model year with the M12 Kohler and the Eaton model 11 transmission. Only 110 hours on the clock and stored inside all it's life so it's in really nice shape. I found a nice 42" rear discharge deck for it and have been very happy with it except for the hydro transmission hand control. I've been trying to figure out a way to convert to foot control and saw Matt's pedal kit on this forum. I'd love to find one but it looks like he's not making them anymore??? Does anyone know if he's planning to make anymore? Otherwise I'll try to build my own, I already have a brake pedal from an 8 speed on hand. 

 

My tractor also had a tiller on it which I'm not sure am going to keep so that might be coming up for sale soon!

[953 nut 54,949]

Sorry for the loss of your friend but glad you found us and joined up. Here is a post with information about s member who makes the foot controles now.

 

[Ed Kennell 37,961]

to the     Foot controlled hydros  are the bomb.

[lynnmor 7,294]

 

Somehow I survived the past 33 years using the hand control.  Ask yourself if you want something on the floor controlling your foot 100% of the time, and no place to rest your foot if you want to get off the pedal.  I can see it if you have very short back and forth movements, but it is no big deal.  Adjust the drag on the hand control and use it for awhile before altering something that works.

[Handy Don 12,089]

10 hours ago, HVYTWR said:

been browsing the forum for quit a while now but this is my first post.

Welcome and we’re glad you are comfortable posting pictures (yay!) and asking questions (yay!).

[PWL216 887]

42 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

 

Somehow I survived the past 33 years using the hand control.  Ask yourself if you want something on the floor controlling your foot 100% of the time, and no place to rest your foot if you want to get off the pedal.  I can see it if you have very short back and forth movements, but it is no big deal.  Adjust the drag on the hand control and use it for awhile before altering something that works.

@lynnmor Are there instructions on how to adjust the drag? Thx!

[lynnmor 7,294]

7 hours ago, PWL216 said:

@lynnmor Are there instructions on how to adjust the drag? Thx!

It is in the Owners Manual .  You just turn the nut till you get about 6 pounds of pull on the handle.

Edited May 8 by lynnmor

[Fordiesel69 259]

While on the topic should any of that linkage get lubricated with anytjhing.  I heard no oil or grease but wondering about dry graphite or like a thin coating of antiseize?

[davem1111 2,027]

11 hours ago, HVYTWR said:

 Otherwise I'll try to build my own, I already have a brake pedal from an 8 speed on hand. 

Welcome to the forum! 

 

I have managed to build my own pedal motion control, as a few others here have.  It still needs some adjustments (mainly that my leg is too short so I need to add a block or something to the pedal...) but it works (admittedly, it's not pretty  ). Using an actual WH brake pedal from an 8 speed would look much nicer, for sure. 

 

You would need to make some modifications to your belt guards to do it the way I did though, at the least. I'll probably post some newer pictures here soon, when I have some more time to mess with it:   

 

 

11 hours ago, HVYTWR said:

My tractor also had a tiller on it which I'm not sure am going to keep so that might be coming up for sale soon!

 

 

Wish you were closer - I'd love to get one of those....

[Handy Don 12,089]

1 hour ago, Fordiesel69 said:

While on the topic should any of that linkage get lubricated with anytjhing.  I heard no oil or grease but wondering about dry graphite or like a thin coating of antiseize?

No lube at all at the interface between the linkage and the control arm plate, as specified in the manual.

[Lee1977 6,632]

I hope you have a large aircompressor to blow the grass and trash out of you hydro pump. I think you got the wrong mower deck for a hydro, but all mower decks put a lot of trash and grass on the hydro pump.

That hydro pump need to be kept clean.

[Handy Don 12,089]

5 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

I hope you have a large aircompressor to blow the grass and trash out of you hydro pump. I think you got the wrong mower deck for a hydro, but all mower decks put a lot of trash and grass on the hydro pump.

That hydro pump need to be kept clean.

Definitely agree on keeping the hydro clean.

Installing a flap on the back of the rear discharge deck will help redirect the cuttings down and back. I used 4” plastic cove base from a big box store.

[HVYTWR 12]

1 hour ago, Lee1977 said:

I hope you have a large aircompressor to blow the grass and trash out of you hydro pump. I think you got the wrong mower deck for a hydro, but all mower decks put a lot of trash and grass on the hydro pump.

That hydro pump need to be kept clean.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up, I'll keep an eye on it. I did try some gator mulching blades on it and it definitely kicked up a lot of clippings on the tractor for some reason. Then I switched back to the stock Toro blades and it stays pretty clean. I really do like the rear discharge deck, it works very good for my purposes. It's actually a recycler deck but I removed the insert and just use it as a regular deck, mainly because the recycler deck doesn't work well in wet grass.

 

 

[Bill D 1,892]

I've built two different styles of foot pedal control for my hydros.  The build threads should be in the modification section. I'm not sure how to add links.  I definitely prefer the foot pedal control.  I built mine with automatic return to neutral.

[cafoose 3,354]

23 minutes ago, Bill D said:

I'm not sure how to add links.

 

[Bill D 1,892]

Just now, cafoose said:

 

Thanks 

[Bill D 1,892]

Sorry for the loss of your friend.  Beautiful machine.  Keep his memory alive by taking good care of it.

Edited May 8 by Bill D

[kpinnc 11,847]

2 hours ago, Bill D said:

I built mine with automatic return to neutral

 

I did not. The left pedal will return the pedal to neutral. Also, if you drop the friction on the cam plate to a comfortable level, the hydro returns to neutral by itself. 

 

It's a preference, and I certainly understand that. Bill's design for it is likely the nicest you will find. 

 

[lynnmor 7,294]

7 hours ago, Fordiesel69 said:

While on the topic should any of that linkage get lubricated with anything.  I heard no oil or grease but wondering about dry graphite or like a thin coating of antiseize?

 You can and should oil every moving joint and bushing EXCEPT the place where you adjust the friction washers on the cam plate.  Motorcycle chain lube works well if it is the type that runs in thin and then thickens.  I like to disassemble, sand the washers flat and clean it with parts cleaner if adjusting becomes troublesome.  It is a good idea to remove the console plates, rear fender and gas tank to clean things right.  If you wash the tractor or use it in the winter snow, debris in there will hamper cooling and cause rust since it never completely drys.

[Bill D 1,892]

2 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

I did not. The left pedal will return the pedal to neutral. Also, if you drop the friction on the cam plate to a comfortable level, the hydro returns to neutral by itself. 

 

It's a preference, and I certainly understand that. Bill's design for it is likely the nicest you will find. 

 

Thanks for the compliment!  

[HVYTWR 12]

Thank you all for the condolences, I wasn't expecting that. This just shows the kind of thoughtful people that are on this forum and I feel honored to be part of it. Here's a photo I just took today after cutting some grass. These are some of the coolest tractors I've seen, I love the simple, rugged design! There's not a lot of these out here on the west coast.

 

 

[Handy Don 12,089]

10 hours ago, HVYTWR said:

There's not a lot of these out here on the west coast.

Your late friend knew his stuff. Now you can spread the word to your fellow “left coasters”, right?

[HVYTWR 12]

51 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Your late friend knew his stuff. Now you can spread the word to your fellow “left coasters”, right?

  Left Coasters......I like that!

[HVYTWR 12]

On 5/8/2024 at 6:05 AM, lynnmor said:

 

Somehow I survived the past 33 years using the hand control.  Ask yourself if you want something on the floor controlling your foot 100% of the time, and no place to rest your foot if you want to get off the pedal.  I can see it if you have very short back and forth movements, but it is no big deal.  Adjust the drag on the hand control and use it for awhile before altering something that works.

 

Lynnmor, you make a very good point. I was determined to convert to a foot control and went through the trouble and expense to make my own kit using a factory brake pedal from an 8 speed. I figured that the only way I would know if I would like it was to built at least part of a pedal system to be able to try it for myself. As it turns out I don't think the foot control is for me, I have pretty long legs and it's just not comfortable for me to have my foot on a pedal 100% of the time. So, I think I am going to sell what I have built so far in the marketplace. I designed it to have the linkage fit neatly behind the belt cover with no modifications. It will be a great start for someone, it will need a reverse lever and return to neutral mechanism of some sort. Here's a couple of pictures of it.

 

 

[Handy Don 12,089]

7 hours ago, HVYTWR said:

I have pretty long legs and it's just not comfortable for me to have my foot on a pedal 100% of the time.

Both you and @lynnmor have made good observations about how user experience and ergonomics are a huge factor on pedal motion control. I’ll note that it’s no accident that high-end hydrostatic garden tractors started to have a cruise-control feature.

We tall folk have the benefit of seeing above the throngs in crowded settings but live with bumping our heads on chandeliers and not fitting comfortably in compact economy cars or on small garden tractors (I built a custom seat setback for my 854 and installed sliders on two other tractors).

Edited May 29 by Handy Don