Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
DavidD

Help on ID'ing this one

Recommended Posts

DavidD

Been lurking around a while reading. This is really impressive. I am here to get some help on this one. It is my father in law's tractor, been down several years due to not going into gear. I resurrected it couple weeks ago. I got it running ok. Finally got the permanent neutral problem fixed. Pop's has lost the manual, and the id sticker is about completely gone. Place he bought from has gone out of business. So I am looking for help narrowing down the model and year.

It has a 42 in. rear discharge, 312-8, Toro and Wheel Horse Classic on the hood stickers. Engine is Kohler M12S. the transaxle has the 8 pinion differential. The hood paint started peeling off before the end of the first year. When I asked the dealer about it, the response was: "Yeah, thats a shame, a lot of them from that year did that, nothing we can do." What ever... It did the neutral trick once before, when it was 2 years old. Pops didn't tell me about it, just had them pick it up and fix it. He got it back 2 weeks later, $656.00, told him they had to pull trans axle out and replace something inside. They delivered it back to him, He mowed 1 and a half times, went back to neutral. Called them back, they told they would probably have to fix the transaxle again. he parked it down west in the back, and bought a Troybilt from another dealer. End result was only thing wrong was the shifter pin. The transaxle has never been pulled. I have been a mechanic a long time, I know when something of that nature has been done. It still runs and mows really well.

Any help on ID would be greatly appreciated, Thanks all,

DavidD

I will try to post pictures when I can figure out how.

06092011057.jpg

06092011058.jpg

06092011059.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
MikesRJ

312-8's were made between 1985-2001. The M12S Kohler engine, assuming it's the original engine, places it somewhere between 1987 to 1997. An engine spec number would narrow it down a little further.

Here's all of them in case you can read some of the serial/model tag:

21-12K801.......1985.......312-8 Garden Tractor

21-12K802.......1986.......312-8 Garden Tractor

21-12K803.......1986.......312-8 Garden Tractor

21-12K804.......1987.......312-8 Garden Tractor

21-12K805.......1988.......312-8 Garden Tractor

E1-12K801.......1988.......312-8 Garden Tractor

E1-12K802.......1989.......312-8 Garden Tractor

21-12K806.......1989.......312-8 Garden Tractor

R1-12K801.......1990.......312-8 Garden Tractor

R1-12K802.......1990.......312-8 Garden Tractor

31-12K801.......1990.......312-8 Garden Tractor

31-12K802.......1991.......312-8 Garden Tractor

31-12K804.......1992.......312-8 Garden Tractor

R1-12K804.......1992.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73380.......1993.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73380.......1994.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73362.......1994.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73362.......1995.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73362.......1996.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73363.......1996.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73363.......1997.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73428.......1998.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73428.......1998.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73429.......1999.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73429.......2000.......312-8 Garden Tractor

73429.......2001.......312-8 Garden Tractor

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

Thanks MikesRJ, I will go over in a little while, and see if I can read the rest of the engine sticker. Be back on later.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

How do you get pictures on with a post?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
 
DavidD

Thank you!!!

@MikeRJ....

The engine sticker has the following on it:

Kohler M12S

Model 171527

Serial 200310416

Also, on the far right hand side of the model serial sticker, just under the South bend Indiana part at the top has this number: 12858

This number is in the top white bar.

I can see the right edge of 2nd white bar, but no numbers or letters.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TT

I see what looks to be a 1990/1991 312-8

Sorry - can't get you any closer than that. :hide:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
312Hydro

That looks alot like my 1990 312H. Same decals. Yours looks in better shape. :hide:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
gwest_ca

Most likely a 1990 model 31-12K801 with a 12858 serial number similar to other 1990 serial numbers.

In 1991 the tractor serial numbers are 7 digits.

Where you have Model 171527 - the engine spec number is 471527.

A 1990 312-8 with serial 12788 has a Julian build date of 0038 = 38th day of 1990 = February 7, 1990.

Garry

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
boovuc

Hi David,

You stated that the "business" your Pop bought it from is out of business.

No doubt from doing things not all together honest.

Welcome to RedSquare. Sounds like you have a great handle on getting things done to a tractor!

BooVuc

Mill Hall, PA

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

:hide: :disgust::hide::WRS::)

Wicked!!! You guys are great. I have mowed with it twice since I got it running again 2 weeks ago. The other mower in the picture is the one he bought when the horse failed the second time. Troybilt GTX5400, The back acre or so goes well with it. The front of the house has a long bar ditch, fairly steep. The Troybilt keeps getting the deck hung up, That thing won't hadly pull itself out of the bar ditch.

I mowed the same place with the horse. I got re-educated on some thing that i forgot in the last 6 or 7 years. The horse digs in and will lift the front tires off the ground climbing out of the ditch. Just about scared the crap out of me. Extra reminder why I like that baby so much. Should have never left it sit all those years.

Thanks again, You all are great.

DavidD

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

I have figured out I like working on them. Quite a bit different than the other stuff I spent chunks of hours on. Lot of time working on sprint cars late 70's or so. Did some time on open wheel Formula Super V, then followed that one's change over to Formula Continental. That was my best buddy from high school owned that one. We ran about 5 years. He let it go for a 2 or 3 year trip playing with Formula Atlantic, that was some wild times there. Wrenched on a few Formula Fords. Scattered through out with a lot of 69 thru 86 street cars. Quite a bit of drag cars. Ran part time in a couple shops working on Ford- GM products, up to about 2002. Finally got tired of trying to keep up with operating system changes year to year.

For now, think I will just settle for accumulating what I need to clean this :hide: up and make it look a lot better. May even think about get another one.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
can whlvr

welcome and its good to see these machines fixed up and not scraped

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

can whlvr, thanks.

I see most everyone here has whole collections. Might be tough trying to catch up. I have seen enough pictures of blades I think i will start the engineering of transplanting the front blade off my 12 year old Craftman. I work in a tooling - stamping environment, figure I can make-modify what I need to make it look and work right.

My wife has been yankin my chain, telling me to fire up my desktop and start modelling that baby up in SolidWorks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
truckin88

that is a bad primer year, you see it most on 312-8 and H of that vintage. You need to blast / strip the metal to repaint.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

Yeah, almost looks like there was no primer used. Just means a little more work. I did notice the post on the guy with repro stickers and decals. I looked thru some of his stuff, very nice.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
kthack657

it is my experience with most horses that they didn't primer them before painting, everyone my hubbie and I have have either been repainted or need to be repainted. good luck with it and :hide: I have a feeling you wont have any trouble catching up to the collections, running out of space is another issue all together, we have them in two sheds, the garage and the toy hauler needless to say that we love them machines! :WRS:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
DavidD

It did not look like any primer was used. The metal itself is pretty rough. Especially at the foot pads, fender tops, and the hood. Some extra elbow grease, everything should come out ok. :hide:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...