312-8 Transaxle help needed

[lugger007 0]

Hey everyone, I'm new on here but have poked around before reading different topics.

I have a wheelhorse 312-8 that i tore the transaxle apart on as it froze up. I replaced the parts/gears that were chewed and the necessary bearings. I put her back on the tractor and all back together. She fired right up after being apart for over a year.

My issue is when I engage the transmission into gear the axle spins very slow on one side and only in low. If I shift to high gear, i get a small shaking and a noise almost like its banging. Not sure if I did something wrong or something is not engaging.

Any advice would be appreciated. Would like some pointers before I rip her back apart. Thanks for the help, advice.

Brian

[racinfool40 202]

Well to start.. Are you sure it is engaging in high range??..I would jack the tractor up and put on Jack stands..when you turn one wheel the other should spin in the opposite direction..Does it have 1'axles or 1-1/8 axles... do you have the mechanical Tranny manual?? should not be making the noise you explained..Try not to force the high-Low shifter, It could damage the shifter fork

http://www.mywheelho...nual_A-1392.pdf

let use know some more details and we will get you squared away..

MIKE

[Duff 206]

Hi, Brian, and welcome aboard!

A bunch of us have had these trannies apart and are willing to help you out, so as Mike says, give us some more details and we'll work with you!

Duff :thumbs:

[lugger007 0]

Duff and mike, thanks for the kind welcome.

Let's see if I can answer some of these questions.

I'm not sure if axle is engaging in high. Only the left axle spins in any gear. Currently tractor is jacked up, on cmu blocks with rear tires removed.

I'm Preety sure the transmission is the 5086 with 1" axles.

I've actually been using the same manual mike posted. Thanks for the link though mike. I'm gonna print out a clean copy, mine is covered in gease/dirt. Ha

Hope this info helps. I live in lower ct not sure where anyone else is located.

Thanks

Brian

[racinfool40 202]

well, I hate to say it but She's gonna have to come back apart..Did you take apart the differential?If so did you remove the pinions?the rear axle's should spin in opposite directions.if the pinions were installed wrong might explain why the axle's are not spinning in the opposite direction.they should be installed opposite each other one up and one down..As far as the high-low something is not right there also..did you get the high-low gear installed on the shifter fork correct? if the gear is not seated on the fork it woun't have enough travel room to engage the high gear..Hope this helps a little..

MIKE

[SAM58 30]

Welcome to Red Square!

Second, or third time is a charm...

:WRS:

[lugger007 0]

Oops, Preety sure I put the pinions in wrong then. I think their the same direction.

When I replaced parts I took out as little as possible. I may have shifted something on the high/low forks.

I took a vid of the sound last night not sure how to load or if it would help.

Guess I know what I'll be doing tonight. Remove transmission

Brian

[lugger007 0]

So I just ordered 2 new gasket seals and some other small parts for other fixes on the tractor. Hopefully tonight I'll rip her back apart and cross my fingers I didn't do any damage

[stevasaurus 22,231]

Brian...maybe take some pictures as you tear into it...that way we may be able to see what is wrong. The bolts that hold the differential case together have to be put in from the bottom up as it sits in the shallow side. In other words, when you have the shallow side in a vise when you take off the deep side, you should be looking at the nuts on those bolts. Take lots of pictures, worth a thousand words. :)

[lugger007 0]

Brian...maybe take some pictures as you tear into it...that way we may be able to see what is wrong. The bolts that hold the differential case together have to be put in from the bottom up as it sits in the shallow side. In other words, when you have the shallow side in a vise when you take off the deep side, you should be looking at the nuts on those bolts. Take lots of pictures, worth a thousand words.

Will do, I took pictures when I tore her apart originally, but not when I put it back Togethor last night.

I guess I got excited to finally finish and rushed a bit

[lugger007 0]

One question, I put on a new gasket seal, is there any way to save it or I presume it will get trashed in removal?

I ordered a new one and a spare today incase I can't.

[pfrederi 17,147]

One question, I put on a new gasket seal, is there any way to save it or I presume it will get trashed in removal?

I ordered a new one and a spare today incase I can't.

If you used any sealant/silicone probably not. If you put it in dry it may still be usable. Either way tap on the case to loosen it and try to work a putty knife under the gasket and work your way around.

[lugger007 0]

Alright guys. I finally had time to remove the transaxle and ripe her apart. Life and a thrown out back have a way of getting in the way of this project. I just found out I'll probably be relocated to Canada in April, so I need to get this done for my dad asap. All help is greatly appreciated.

Tomorrow I'll try to pull apart the differential. Link below is to photo bucket with pictures I took. If you need something else to help diagnose, let me know.

http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/ac310/lugger007_photo/wheelhorse%20312-8/

Brian

[pfrederi 17,147]

From the pictures it appears your reverse idler is in upside down. (If I follow your pictures correctly)

[lugger007 0]

From the pictures it appears your reverse idler is in upside down. (If I follow your pictures correctly)

Ok. Thank you. I just pulled the manual and it says "making sure the shoulder of gear goes down". I'm assuming the shoulder is the side with the lip.

Thanks pferederi. I'll check that tonight when I check the differential.

Anyone see if I made another mistakes?

[lugger007 0]

Anyone else. This afternoon I'm going to go through and see if anything else wrong.

Any expertise looking a the pictures and guidance is appreciated.

Brian

[racinfool40 202]

Only thing I seen was the reverse idler upside down ...But also check while you have it apart the High Low shifter fork make sure it is shifting and engaging while you have it apart..check to see that the high low gear is mesching up with the gears. and everything is spinning as it should.

MIKE

[lugger007 0]

Thanks mike. The guidance is appreciated. My fear is putting her all back together and not working.

[pfrederi 17,147]

You might want to bench test it. Don't put the gasket on and reassemble then spin the input shaft and shift her through the gears. Try the hi-lo etc. If it works then re-separate put in the gasket and you should be good.

[stevasaurus 22,231]

Sorry Lugger, been a little busy the last few days. Good advise above. The only thing I saw (other then the reverse gear) is in the picture that shows the end of the differential. It may be OK, but on the ones that I have taken apart, the pinion shafts have a dimple or a hole in one end only...I do not see those in yours. Leads me to believe the pinions gears are not alternated (one up then the next one down). If that is the case, you will only have one wheel drive. I did a video rebuild for the differential, do not know if you have seen it. It may help you a lot. Just click on the picture.

[lugger007 0]

stevasaurus, thanks for the video posts. I watched both ur videos from your other thread also. Very helpful. My pinions were upside Down.

All, thanks for the help so far. I checked the differential and the pinions were all in the same direction. I installed them opposite, and flipped the reverse idler gear. Bench tested the axle spins opposite directions.

The high/lower shifter doesn't shift smooth in low. (dorsnt seem to fully engage). I need to open it back up and take another look. I have some picks I'll put up in a few.

Thanks

Brian

[pfrederi 17,147]

The high low shifter forks are notorious for being bent by over aggressive operators.

[lugger007 0]

The high low shifter forks are notorious for being bent by over aggressive operators.

If they are bent it's more likely that I bent them while trying to fix the transaxle. As I can honestly say myself or my father who only used this changed from high/low less than a dozen times.

[pfrederi 17,147]

Well don't feel bad they are really a weak link