310-8 1987 drive clutch slipping

[Vinnie 10]

My son has a 310-8. The year is 1987. The main drive clutch works fine on flat ground but if you try to go up a hill, the tractor gets stuck. I was thinking the clutch plate is slipping. Do you think that is correct? An addition, would that just be tightening the drive clutch to prevent the slipping? If so, how do you do that? Thanks again for all your help. By the way my son is 11 and he loves his Wheelhorse Tractor.

[ineedanother 2,586]

No clutch plate on that. Drive belt could be slipping or it could be an axle hub which could be damaging the axle so you'll need to narrow down where the slippage is. Most likely a worn drive belt. Look to see if the pulley on the transaxle is turning when it happens. If that pulley isn't turning, it's the belt. If it's turning, look to see if one of the axles is spinning in the wheel hub.

[Ed Kennell 46,569]

Just to be clear, the PTO ( power take off ) clutch is only used to power the deck.      The tractor drive wheels are powered by a different belt that drives the tranasxle.  This drive belt is engaged by a spring loaded idler pulley that is disengaged when the clutch pedal is depressed.

As stated above, there are several problems that could cause this drive line to lose power.

I would connect the rear of the tractor to a tree or vehicle and then put the tractor in 3rd gear and gently engage the clutch while a second person watches the transmission pulley and belt. If the belt is moving and the input pulley is turning but the tractor wheels are not turning,  the input pully key or one of the wheel axle keys may be missing or damaged.

If the belt is not moving,  the belt may be worn or the idler pulley belt tensioner spring may be broken.

 

Read this thread to get a good understanding how the tractor drive train operates

.310-8 Clutch Problem - Transmissions and transaxles - RedSquare Wheel Horse Forum

 

 

 

 

[Vinnie 10]

Thanks so much. I was looking around the PTO and it appears to be a little bit of oil around there. I was wondering if maybe the oil is getting on the belt. These are all great ideas. I’ll take a look and see what I find out. Thanks for your help. I’ll let you know what I find out. 

[John c 197]

How long have y'all had this machine, have you ever seen climb this hill, is this stall/still something newly manifested.  Can you smell anything when it starts uphill and stalls, like maybe a burning rubber belt, or maybe a mix of oil and burning rubber belt if the leak you mentioned is severe enough ?