312-8 hard to get into gear

[bizzo15 52]

Hey guys,

 

So I picked my 1998 312-8 up a few months ago and I absolutely love the tractor, it mows great, runs strong and is in really good shape.  However I'm noticing that it seems to be difficult to get into gear most of the time.  It's mostly 3rd gear that's the problem but it's also happened when trying to get into the other gears.  It's like the linkage is binding up.  Is this as simple as a linkage adjustment.  If so doesn't anybody have an instructional guide on doing this?  I've turned wrenches before but never on a wheel horse.  

[stevasaurus 22,841]

Is the trans grinding the gears...thus making it hard to shift?   Or, is it an actual shifting pattern problem??

[bizzo15 52]

Pattern, once it goes into gear there's no grinding or anything out of the ordinary.

[daveoman1966 3,758]

Maybe there is too much play in the shift lever itself and there is a way to adjust that.   You need to access the base of the shift lever to check it out...not sure which panels to remove, but only a couple.

 

Once you can access this DOG POINT SCREW, release the jam nut and reset it so that the shift lever doesn't slop around at all....but no so tight that it pinches the lever ball  on the end.  The shift lever should NOT move up & down in the trans case.

 

It occurs to me that now is a good time to inspect the little ball at the end of the shift lever for wear.       

 

This is a typical 8-speed trans and the dog-point screw location and what an NON-WORN shifter ball should look like.

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,090]

Make sure the donut on the shifter is tight on the shifter. It is retained by a spirol pin that shares the same hole the dog-point set screw uses. Have seen that pin shear.

#933169 replaced by 32121-108 is a 5/32" x 7/8" spirol pin.

Some donuts are welded to the shifter.

 

Garry

[bizzo15 52]

Thanks for the replies I will check both those items next weekend when I do some maintenance on the old girl.  Speaking of which do any of you know what weight/quantity oil I should use when doing an oil change on the 12hp kohler command motor?

[stevasaurus 22,841]

How does your hi/low shifter feel???  If the fork for that is bent, it will cause problems shifting into gears.  Make sure it is all the way in gear.

[bizzo15 52]

I will check the hi/lo when I get out of work tonight.  I hardly ever use lo so it stays in hi 99% of the time but I will check and make sure.

[stevasaurus 22,841]

It can kind of slip half way out of gear once in a while when you do not use it.  I hardly ever use mine.  Make sure the horse is stationary when you shift it, but maybe try the lower gears and shift it a little to loosen it up.  Hope that is what is wrong...easy fix.  Run it in all gears for a little bit.

 

To be sure here...your transmission does not grind when you shift gears at a complete stop??

[953 nut 55,734]

Thanks for the replies I will check both those items next weekend when I do some maintenance on the old girl.  Speaking of which do any of you know what weight/quantity oil I should use when doing an oil change on the 12hp kohler command motor?

 

You should use 10 W 30 for winter and 30 in the summer time.

 

 

[bizzo15 52]

 

Thanks for the replies I will check both those items next weekend when I do some maintenance on the old girl.  Speaking of which do any of you know what weight/quantity oil I should use when doing an oil change on the 12hp kohler command motor?

 

You should use 10 W 30 for winter and 30 in the summer time.

 

 

 

Do you know how many quarts the kohler command 12hp takes?  I can't find the manual on here.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,090]

Kohler CH operator manual

 

Kohler CH service manual

 

Wheel Horse lubrication charts

 

Garry

[leeave96 487]

Thanks for the replies I will check both those items next weekend when I do some maintenance on the old girl. Speaking of which do any of you know what weight/quantity oil I should use when doing an oil change on the 12hp kohler command motor?

You should use 10 W 30 for winter and 30 in the summer time.

Don't slap me down...

But a Kohler Command usually has hydraulic lifters, so you want to use 10W-30 year round.

[bizzo15 52]

It can kind of slip half way out of gear once in a while when you do not use it.  I hardly ever use mine.  Make sure the horse is stationary when you shift it, but maybe try the lower gears and shift it a little to loosen it up.  Hope that is what is wrong...easy fix.  Run it in all gears for a little bit.

 

To be sure here...your transmission does not grind when you shift gears at a complete stop??

Correct, no grinding when shifting from a dead stop.  Just sometimes it's hard to get the shifter into the gear I want(mostly 3rd).

[bizzo15 52]

Kohler CH operator manual

 

Kohler CH service manual

 

Wheel Horse lubrication charts

 

Garry

Thanks Garry!!! These are a life saver I looked a few times but couldn't locate these.  Thanks again!!

[wrightorchid 261]

I too am having the same issue, on a 312-8. It will not always go into gear.  I can sometime clear it, by going into another gear, and then back to the one I want, usually hi 2, or 3.  I don't really use the low much.  I'm sure I'm due to rebuild it, but that is lower on the priority list.  Maybe this winter.  No snow to push in Florida.

[stevasaurus 22,841]

Sounds to me like you guys just need to either rock your horse a little, or let the clutch out a touch and then push back in to line up the gear.  Remember, there are no synchronized gears in these transmissions.  You sometimes have to like double clutch.    Just try not to grind the gears.

[KATO 115]

[Don1977 604]

Even when completely stopped if you are shifting fast from one gear to another they will grind.  If you give the transmission some time between taking it out of gear and into another it usually works with out grinding. I find my self shifting too fast if I'm in a hurry.

[tunahead72 2,428]

Ditto to what Steve, KATO and Don just said.

[wrightorchid 261]

It is just worse than it used to be.  Yes, sometimes double clutching does work, and I am certainly stopped when shifting.  Sometimes, if I let the clutch out some, I can get it to go in.  My wife runs the tractor for mowing, and it can be difficult for her.  I'll see about the adjustment on the shifter.  The gears don't tend to grind, but just doesn't shift.

Edited October 17, 2013 by wrightorchid

[stevasaurus 22,841]

Wrightorchid...how does the oil look in your trans??  Sometimes a flush with diesel and new oil will help loosen things up.  Also, make sure the shifter itself is not sloppy by adjusting the dogpoint setscrew.  Let us know.

[Alrashid2 287]

On 10/15/2013 at 11:04 AM, stevasaurus said:

Sounds to me like you guys just need to either rock your horse a little, or let the clutch out a touch and then push back in to line up the gear.  Remember, there are no synchronized gears in these transmissions.  You sometimes have to like double clutch.    Just try not to grind the gears.

This is a very old post but I'm having the same problem. Checked everything else mentioned.

 

As mentioned above, is it safe to say that it's normal to have to rock the tractor back and forth sometimes  for a second to get it to sync and go into gear?