Alrashid2 171 #1 Posted Friday at 04:49 PM Appreciate the advice, brothers. I have read on here that this isn't uncommon, but it's becoming a real problem for me. My 312-8 clutch is too sensitive. It feels like there is just a quarter inch in movement of the pedal between the clutch being disengaged and it being fully engaged. Every other time, despite constantly practicing and letting off the clutch as carefully and slowly as I can, the tractor jumps forward and oftentimes I get a bit of air on the front wheels! Today it was too much. Finally got rain so out back is muddy. I was trying to go uphill, slightly to the left, and the whole thing spun out, wheelied, and i smashed the front end into a log I was trying to turn around... I got so much air that is just shot a few feet straight forward because the turning front wheels weren't in contact with the ground! Nearly flipped backwards... Not sure what to do. No, nothing is catching or grabbing on the pulleys or belt. The pulleys appear to be clean and fine, and the belt is in good shape... I know these don't have real clutches, it's just loosening/tightening the pulley. Is there anyway to allow the belt to "slip" more? Seems wrong, but could I oil up the pulleys a bit to allow some more slippage? I don't want to create a nuisance or worst, something dangerous. Thanks guys... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #2 Posted Friday at 05:09 PM What kind of belt is on this tractor? 19 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said: Seems wrong, but could I oil up the pulleys a bit to allow some more slippage? Seems wrong because it is wrong. Do not do this. Have you inspected all three pulleys to verify that they are clean and shiny and not rusty? What is the age of the belt? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #3 Posted Friday at 05:13 PM @ebinmaine id figured but never hurts to ask right No idea what belt is on it. I can try to get a picture later. I've yet to get in there to see the pulleys in detail. Is it as simple as just pulling the right hand side panel? If I get time I'll look at her tonight and post back! Any advice on how to clean up the pulleys? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 7,004 #4 Posted Friday at 05:15 PM My 14-8 does a similar thing frequently, though not as severely. When it happens, it will carry the front wheels maybe 6" before they land. Kind of annoying when working near the edge of a ditch, or near a fire. The preferred drive belts have a woven surface of some sort. I think it reduces the 'grabbiness' between the belt and pulley. Take a look at the condition of the sides of the belt and the condition of the groove in the drive pulley. Roughness on either probably contributes to clutch grab. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #5 Posted Friday at 05:57 PM I just adjusted the clutch pedal a bit to make the angle a bit more comfortable. On a flat paved driveway, put it in Third High gear and as carefully as I could, and taking much more time than I would normally, i let off the clutch pedal and again, got air! Ugh!!! Granted, I have a steel hitch on the back, and 20 gal of gas in 2 cans, but I can't believe that small amount of weight in the back would be so detrimental. It's making me worried as I need this for heavy pulling and moving things around! I just pulled the side cover so I can look at the belt. Will snap some pictures in a minute. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #6 Posted Friday at 06:03 PM (edited) Pictures as promised. Maybe the pulley surfaces are a bit too rusty? I'm thinking maybe I can get in there, remove the belt one pulley at a time, take some Scotch Brite and "sand' the pulley surfaces down, then clean them with brake cleaner? I thought I saw a post here about wiping mineral spirits on the belt too... Does this belt look appropriate? I have read there are different versions but no idea how to decipher. No more lettering/part# on this one. Edited Friday at 06:03 PM by Alrashid2 Belt photos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #7 Posted Friday at 06:04 PM (edited) Needed another post due to image size limit Sorry I don't know the exact nominclature - let me know what these pulleys are actually called! Pic 1: crankshaft pulley Pic 2: clutch pulley Pic 3: transmission pulley Edited Friday at 06:05 PM by Alrashid2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #8 Posted Friday at 06:14 PM Your nomenclature is doing just fine. There are ways to reduce the size of the images but I don't know what they are. You can also solve that by becoming a supporter. Best 20 bucks you'll spend this year. Those pulleys could be cleaner but I've seen much worse. Couple things come to mind. When you let the clutch out what is your engine RPM? Is there perhaps some sort of worn out component like a gas cylinder or idler bearing? 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #9 Posted Friday at 06:35 PM (edited) Thanks @ebinmaine. I'll still try cleaning the pulleys. I found a post way back from @stevasaurus (thanks btw!) about sanding the pulleys and wiping them all down with mineral spirits... will try that tonight. Wondering though if I can do that with them in place? I'm not sure how to remove the pulleys, and I'm also having trouble getting the belt itself off... Assuming I have to remove the PTO brake to get it off up front? Got it off the transaxle pulley fine but can't get it to slip off the clutch pulley, as there is some sort of guard on it and the gap is tighter than the thickness of the belt. When I'm letting the clutch out, I'm usually at full throttle. I think it's 3500 RPM? Should I not be? No idea on if any components are wore out. None of them seem bad though. Pulleys move but don't spin too freely, no grinding or noise, no excess play by what I can tell... I did find a belt part # though, though it's very hard to tell what it says... pic attached. I see WHEELHORSE but the numbers I can't tell. 7473 maybe? If so that would be an original Wheel horse part! Edited Friday at 06:37 PM by Alrashid2 Pic Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,741 #10 Posted Friday at 06:43 PM Remove belt guard. Push in clutch and remove belt. Sand, Scotchbrite, clean all rust in pulleys and then wipe with mineral spirits. Do not soak the belt, but use mineral spirits to clean belt. It's hard to tell, but it looks like you may have the cloth covered belt. If not, get one...I hear they have them at Tractor Supply. @gwest_ca can help you with the correct size. Replace belt and guard. The guard is your clutch and must be mounted to funnel slack in the belt toward the drive pulley. To minimize wheelies, start out in as low RPMs as possible. You can clean the pulleys in place. DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER ON ANYTHING EXCEPT BRAKE PARTS AND PADS. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #11 Posted Friday at 06:49 PM Thanks for explaining @stevasaurus What do you mean exactly by the guard is your clutch? Youre talking about the big side panel by the footrest right? So that is more than just a cover? That sgreat to know because I just ran it for a few minutes to move it between garage bays without the cover on - woops! Any advice on how to remove the belt? I can't get it through the gap on the little guard on the Clutch Pulley... I believe someone helped me in one of my earlier posts with a replacement belt. I have here in my notes that Tractor Supply Company part # 4461826 should be the replacement! Maybe I'll just order that now and replace since I'm in there already... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #12 Posted Friday at 06:59 PM The belt you have doesn't look too bad and it's an original Wheel Horse belt. Remove that and verify condition before you spend money on a new aftermarket. Might be perfectly fine. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,741 #13 Posted Friday at 07:00 PM To actually remove the belt...you can bend that guide enough to get your belt off the idler pulley, just bend it back into position when you put the belt back on. The input pulley on the trans is held on by an Allen Head Set Screw with a Woodruff key in the input shaft. You have to open the PTO linkage ot get the belt off the drive pulley. I would leave the drive pulley alone and on the engine, they come off, but not easily and you can damage that pulley. Just clean it good and mineral spirit it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #14 Posted Friday at 07:00 PM Thank you @ebinmaine. I'll try just cleaning it for now. Hoping that cleaning the belt, sanding/cleaning the pulleys, and trying to start in a lower RPM will all help negate the jumping. I don't need to kill myself on this thing! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #15 Posted Friday at 07:04 PM I don't normally run my tractor in third gear because my terrain is really rough and second is about all I want. But on the rare occasion that I am in the upper yard and feel like doing six plus mph for a few feet, I always start third gear with the engine just above idle. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,741 #16 Posted Friday at 07:08 PM The guide on the tension pulley is just to keep the belt on that pulley when you push in the clutch pedal. The belt cover, when the clutch is pushed in, funnels the slack in the belt toward the drive pulley on the engine. That enables the trans input pulley to stop turning so you can stop the horse and shift gears without grinding. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #17 Posted Friday at 07:14 PM Thank you both so much! Will do all the recommended and see if it helps. Will report back! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #18 Posted Friday at 07:43 PM Welp, got in there and took a Scotch Bright to all pulley surfaces, cleaned the surfaces with mineral spirits, and thoroughly wiped down the belt surface with mineral spirts too. Let it dry, put everything back together, and took her for a spin... It is a hair better, I think... unfortunately still jumping like a bronco though! Taking the weight off the back helped a bit obviously. I think lowering RPM helped a lot too. Even still though, when starting in 3rd gear, slightly uphill, lowering the RPM didn't matter - still jumped and got air! Maybe I'll try just running in second gear. I'll also ensure that, when I do need to take off facing uphill, I'll make sure I can go straight and am not turning, so I don't slingshot into another log or boulder I'm also thinking of adjusting my routine. I'm going back and forth in a straight line, uphill to the house, turning around, then downhill to the firewood, and repeat. I'm going to see if I can instead do something of a circle trail: go around the garden area up another less steep path to the house, unload, then go downhill my typical straight path, and in a circle like that. Might be best to just avoid the problem area. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #19 Posted Friday at 07:46 PM 1 minute ago, Alrashid2 said: Might be best to just avoid the problem area. We have 10 or 11 acres of mountain side forest. Some areas are just not accessible by tractor. Choose carefully and adapt. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #20 Posted Friday at 07:50 PM Will do! Hey, i found a thread where an almost identical situation was happening to another WH member here, and you also commented! Wonder if he ever figured it out? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,508 #21 Posted Friday at 07:53 PM 2 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said: Will do! Hey, i found a thread where an almost identical situation was happening to another WH member here, and you also commented! Wonder if he ever figured it out? Might be a decent idea to send them a PM just for kicks 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,562 #22 Posted Friday at 08:31 PM Not a fix but, why not add some weight up front? I bet it helps...Weight is your friend on a ... 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alrashid2 171 #23 Posted Friday at 08:36 PM Agreed @SylvanLakeWH - I just need to find a cheap, easy way to add a bit of weight. I'll have to do some research 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,562 #24 Posted Friday at 08:48 PM Dumb bell or weight machine weights... watch for them on trash day at the curb... I have 250 lbs for various uses free of charge... 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,178 #25 Posted Friday at 08:58 PM (edited) The clutch on my 310-8 works perfectly. The clutch can be eased in with no grabbing. I use the TSC wrapped belts. Note the amount of travel in the idler pulley. Does your idler pulley have the angled plate behind the belt retainer? This plate should contact a clutch dampening cylinder that eases the belt into tension. Edited Friday at 09:03 PM by Ed Kennell 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
