312-8 clutch adjustment...

[Duff 206]

Hi, guys,

I noticed the main drive belt was starting to slip on my 312-8. The belt is fairly new (less than 50 hours), and the belt and the pulleys are all in good shape. First I tinkered with the clutch rod from the pedal back to the actuator (right term?) in case the pedal was hitting the foot rest and limiting clutch travel. Plenty of room, so that wasn't it. The next thing I checked was the damper cylinder that, I think, is supposed to slow down the rate of release on the clutch to prevent wheelies. When I was rebuilding the tractor I realized that spring in that unit was pretty weak, but I put it back in until I could better understand its function. Anyway, what I've found is the plate that contacts the damper cylinder when the clutch is released is bottoming out on the body of the damper and not allowing the clutch to take up full tension on the belt. Now I can easily see how to adjust the damper to increase the travel, but my question is what, if any, real useful purpose does this thing serve on an older tractor with a reasonably decent driver? I've got to pull a rear wheel to get at it to adjust it, so I'm tempted just to remove it altogether unless it is something I should have.

Advice from the group, please?

Thanks much!

Duff :omg:

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,403]

Take it off and toss it out Duff. It was put on there to satisfy goverment safety rules for consumer power equipment. I heard the 300 series were prone to wicked wheelies with a full bagger of grass and thats what prompted it.

Mike.........

PS....not to mention wheelies can be fun :omg:

[Duff 206]

Thanks, Sparky...that's what I was hoping to hear!

Duff

(...and the two 312's I'm working on rebuilding now won't get 'em put on, either!)

[can whlvr 993]

Neither of my tractors have this damper on them from the factory,so i would take sparkys advice and take it off and put it in the parts pile.

[Section8 0]

And also too a new "gas charged spring," as Toro calls it, costs $65 from the dealer (no, I'm not kidding). I replaced mine a coupla weeks ago, not so much to stop the wheelies but to preserve the front sheet metal on the hood, and to a lesser degree, the back of my p/u truck.

[Duff 206]

I replaced mine a coupla weeks ago, not so much to stop the wheelies but to preserve the front sheet metal on the hood, and to a lesser degree, the back of my p/u truck.

Yeah, I here you there, 8! I pulled the damper off the tractor then fired 'er up with full travel on the clutch. Fortunately I was on grass, not pavement, and there was nothing in front of me, 'cuz when I dumped the clutch the way I've been used to doing she took off like a slingshot dragster! Gonna have to get used to this new power now!

Duff :thumbs2:

[Mattbg79 1]

i wonder if thats why my 310 has no play in the clutch? The only way to take off smooth is throttle it down. That thing will give you whiplash at full throttle in 2nd or 3rd gear!! :thumbs2:

[kpinnc 12,371]

i wonder if thats why my 310 has no play in the clutch? The only way to take off smooth is throttle it down. That thing will give you whiplash at full throttle in 2nd or 3rd gear!!

You may wanna replace your belt. The intended belt type for the clutch application is a fabric covered one, so it will slip as much as possible until fully tensioned. If your belt is worn, or is the wrong type, it will grab early and cause wheelies. New paint on the drive pulleys will cause this as well. It gives the cloth something to grab.

There is also a belt guide under the drive belt guard and at the drive pulley on the engine that keeps the slack on the belt (when the clutch pedal is pushed in) from being lost to sag. If they were not re-installed after restoration, you'll have a very tough time with wheelies and changing gears with the tractor running. Here are pictures of both:

Just some thing to look at...

Kevin

[Duff 206]

Thanks, Gator!

Yeah, I've got both guides/guards in place and adjusted, and the belt is pretty new and is fabric covered. I think what happened was I was so used to just dumping the clutch without enough tension on it to really grab, that when I got rid of the damper and had proper clutch travel/tension, I dumped the clutch and she just jumped on me. Since then I've gotten back to letting the clutch out smoothly and no surprises!

Thanks again for the tips!

Duff

[EDIT: I just realized you were posting back to Matt, but I appreciate the pointers as well!]

[Mattbg79 1]

Thanks Kevin, i looked at my 310, and it appears that the lower channel type guide was bent a little and keeping some tension on the pully, a little finessing and its smooth as can be on the take offs now. Unbelievable what a little tweak can mess up sometimes!