Is this damper important?

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,326]

  Working on a tractor and came upon this damper thingy. 

  Are they important? My first time seeing one. Not even sure it works.

  I was tempted to just remove it but figured I would ask the experts.

  Installed a brand new clutch return spring on it last month so maybe this damper is unnessasary

[stevasaurus 22,764]

Not sure about this Mike.  It looks to keep the tension wheel from bouncing around...so maybe you will not lose slack going down an incline.  It also looks like it is not leaking, so it is still good.  I'd leave it, but maybe try it with it off. 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

I would keep it if it works, because i see a possible senseful Reason for this damper.

 

 It keep the tension stable, maybe for a smoother Clutchresponse while driving slow with heavier attachements.

This can be senseful imho, while tractor hops at different enginespeed and Belt wobbles because of heavier Load on the PTO.

 

or it was added to drop the Wear of the Belt itself if the Tractor needs often to be conduct in small Places.

 

[JAinVA 4,619]

If that is a 1999 then that is a gas spring.It was meant to take the place of the previous models coil tension spring.Parts Tree has them for over $100 dollars so the $7.00 coil spring is a no brainer as a replacement.

Edited June 30, 2019 by JAinVA

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,326]

So there is a regular old coil type spring on it just like my older machines. I think I’ll just leave both the spring and the damper in place for now. 

  I think the damper might have been to prevent “dumping the clutch” and flipping the machine. 

  Right now with the belt guard off I can watch what happens and if I side step the clutch pedal the belt slack is gone in a second ( think wheelies !) 

 So most likely this damper has lost its dampening ability.

[JAinVA 4,619]

If that is a 1999 that is not a dampner but a gas spring.If you are not the original owner then a PO put a coil spring on it when it leaked all it's gas out.

Edited June 30, 2019 by JAinVA

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,326]

16 minutes ago, JAinVA said:

If that is a 1999 that is not a dampner but a gas spring.If you are not the original owner then a PO put a coil spring on it when it leaked all it's gas out.

I’m not the original owner. No idea on age of this one...motor and fender pan have been swapped.

[JAinVA 4,619]

It won't hurt to leave on there but it won't keep you from doing wheelies.Just saying,Luck,Jim

[Tractorhead 9,064]

1 hour ago, JAinVA said:

If that is a 1999 that is not a dampner but a gas spring.If you are not the original owner then a PO put a coil spring on it when it leaked all it's gas out.

 

Hi Jim, 

 I’ll think both are right, it was shurely a Gas spring, but each Gas sping i‘ve seen until now,

had in expanding way a damping Function.

So maybe both functions was used, instead of simple spring coil.

Like the Flatbelt drive spanner on Car Engines it shall prevent additionally a wobble on the Belt.

 

[JAinVA 4,619]

While it may have some dampening effect when new,by extending at a controlled rate, the parts lists call it a spring so I would assume that is what it's primary function is.Once the gas is gone it's just along for the ride,if you pull the pedal back with your toe.

Edited June 30, 2019 by JAinVA

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

2 hours ago, Sparky said:

So there is a regular old coil type spring on it just like my older machines. I think I’ll just leave both the spring and the damper in place for now. 

  I think the damper might have been to prevent “dumping the clutch” and flipping the machine. 

  Right now with the belt guard off I can watch what happens and if I side step the clutch pedal the belt slack is gone in a second ( think wheelies !) 

 So most likely this damper has lost its dampening ability.

On the 315-8 I acquired last summer the clutch pedal has the gas spring/damper and yes it does keep it from "wheelieing" unlike the 312-8... And I'm sure if you took it off and got the dimensions of took it to NAPA or similar they could match you up a new one for WAY less than TORO.

[Firebug 267]

I had one on my 314-8 that had lost its tension. I took it off and replaced it with the older style spring at the end of the clutch rod like the one on my 310-8. Have an issue with the clutch pedal chattering at idle. Going to try a different option for a spring return. If it has even a little compression to it I would leave it and use it in conjunction with the spring. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,326]

21 minutes ago, Firebug said:

 If it has even a little compression to it I would leave it and use it in conjunction with the spring. 

That’s exactly what I have done. Left the damper in place (working or not), and I have the correct spring set up and installed like the older style “C” series. 

[Lee1977 6,664]

Take it off and throw it away and just use the spring the way Mr. pond designed it to be.

[littleredrider 409]

My 520-8 has one. Didn't even know it existed. Swapped foot boards for ones that have tread or wouldnt have known. Didn't pay attention if it has a spring too....

[Racinbob 11,088]

Wheel Horse used 4 different methods to control the clutch idler arm. A spring only, a damper connected to the idler arm and used with the spring, a strut  (as I call it) connected to the arm that did all the work without the spring, and a damper that 'caught' the idler arm just before full engagement. I've had all of them and in my opinion the best way is the old tried and true spring only. You have the strut only. I don't advocate removing safety items but my personal tractors have ultimately ended up with spring only operation. It worked fine for decades.

 

12 hours ago, Firebug said:

I had one on my 314-8 that had lost its tension. I took it off and replaced it with the older style spring at the end of the clutch rod like the one on my 310-8. Have an issue with the clutch pedal chattering at idle. Going to try a different option for a spring return. If it has even a little compression to it I would leave it and use it in conjunction with the spring. 

 

Get the proper spring that Mike posted. If it still chatters replace the belt even if it looks good. I had the same problem and that resolved it. 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

I had to replace one on a '98 314-8 once - it's definitely there for a reason.

[giddyap 1,569]

On 7/1/2019 at 8:53 AM, T-Mo said:

I had to replace one on a '98 314-8 once - it's definitely there for a reason.

 

Fast forward to Nov 2021. My new to me 314-8 wants to wheel stand every time the clutch is released. I thought if I have to find out why, why not make her faster at the same time. So when my 4" pulley arrived to replace the 6" on the tranny I saw this damper for the first time and removed it after finding a spring in the normal place at the end of the clutch rod. I now have a normal 2 pedal WH with a normal operating clutch with smooth belt engagement.   

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330]

Imo damper off and add return spring and done. 

[Cookie 0]

I have a 1994 WH 314-8 it has both the gas shock on the right side of the tractor and a spring on the left side that is hooked to the end of the clutch rod and my clutch pedal "chatters" when the tractor is running. I haven't checked the shock to see if the shock is worn out, but if it is and I remove it  will that stop my pedal from "chattering" or could the spring (#108035) be stretched out too ? If I just replaced the spring (#108035) will that stop my pedal from "chattering" ?

[Racinbob 11,088]

7 minutes ago, Cookie said:

I have a 1994 WH 314-8 it has both the gas shock on the right side of the tractor and a spring on the left side that is hooked to the end of the clutch rod and my clutch pedal "chatters" when the tractor is running. I haven't checked the shock to see if the shock is worn out, but if it is and I remove it  will that stop my pedal from "chattering" or could the spring (#108035) be stretched out too ? If I just replaced the spring (#108035) will that stop my pedal from "chattering" ?

In 2009 I purchased a 2005 Classic GT with only 100 hours on it. Having been on Wheel Horses since 1960 this was by far the newest machine I ever had. Right off the get go I noticed a slight lag in the clutch engagement and didn't like it. Looking in to it I discovered the hydraulic damper. Garbage. I removed it and then I had a slight chatter. Not wanting to put the damper back on I replaced the belt even though it looked good. Problem solved and I'm still running the same belt. The moral of the story is that these machines worked fine with just the spring for decades and they still will. 

[Cookie 0]

Which belt did you replace ?

[Racinbob 11,088]

1 minute ago, Cookie said:

Which belt did you replace ?

 

The drive belt. I had posted the problem here and someone suggested it to me. A bad belt may not look bad. I can only assume that the stupid damper harmed the belt after only 100 hours. 

[Cookie 0]

Alright, I'll try that, I really didn't want to spend all that money on the damper if I didn't have to. I just spoke to a WH dealer and he said it could be either the belt or the idler pulley. Thank you for your help.

[Racinbob 11,088]

1 hour ago, Cookie said:

Alright, I'll try that, I really didn't want to spend all that money on the damper if I didn't have to. I just spoke to a WH dealer and he said it could be either the belt or the idler pulley. Thank you for your help.

 

He could be right about the idler but I'm laying odds on simply the belt