new to wheel horse

[Gilford wh 21]

I folks, I recently came home with a 1992 314-8. It is in good shape and runs mint with 600 hrs. Right now I am having buyers regret as my yard has some hills and the tractor free wheels going down the two hills in any gear but climbs them with no trouble. Is there any thing to look for adjustments or is this the nature of the beast of the gear drive on a wheel horse .I also own a power king 1614 (all gear drive) that does not  free wheel down the hill but is to big for my yard and I don't have a deck on it any way's. The drive belt looks good and seems to have good tension on it. May be I should have bought a hydro.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,360]

Welcome to Red Square. I have three geared  and have never noticed any of them free wheeling down my hills. Wonder if the clutch  is acting up and not keeping pressure on the drive belt . Have you tried pushing the brake pedal to slow the slow transmission?

[Searcher60 209]

My 312-8 holds a steady speed going down steep hills. What gear you going down these hills in?

[jay bee 912]

15 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

Wonder if the clutch  is acting up and not keeping pressure on the drive belt

I too would suspect a clutch to drive pulley problem.  If you put your toe under the clutch pedal and pull up on it you could test this theory.  Something may be binding up and not letting the drive belt engage fully.

And  to   We're glad you're here 

Jim

[SylvanLakeWH 27,733]

 and ...Should not have a free wheeling experience - Least not with my 8 speed...

 

[Lee1977 7,056]

Is the gas spring cylinder still installed. They were there to keep the clutch from engaging too fast. It may be your problem, by not letting the clutch engage fully. You can remove it. Just be easy letting out the clutch Wheel Horses have been known to rear up.

[Gilford wh 21]

The clutch pedal comes back all the way, I have tried 2nd high first high and low third . All gears same result aboat half way down she breaks loose and when I put the breaks on it feels like its  fighting the gears . If i push the clutch in and  put the break on it skids.

[Ed Kennell 40,689]

Are you sure one wheel isn't sliding or actually turning backwards when you descend the steep hill?

14 minutes ago, Gilford wh said:

. If i push the clutch in and  put the break on it skids.

 

[Searcher60 209]

What happens if you shut the engine off, put it in gear, let the clutch out, then try to push it forward or backward?

[KC9KAS 4,744]

@Gilford wh  to 

[953 nut 58,295]

      The problem sounds very familiar to me. I have some very steep inclines and have found that adding wheel weights to the rear wheels is the only solution. Your rear wheels are loosing traction and the differential is applying the braking force to the wheel with the least traction. There are a few points in my yard that I will only mow going up hill, too much of a hazard going down.

Also, your Kohler engine is splash lubricated and should not be operated on slopes of 25* or more.

[Gilford wh 21]

 

10 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Are you sure one wheel isn't sliding or actually turning backwards when you descend the steep hill?

 

It only skids when I put the clutch in and put the brakes on

[Gilford wh 21]

3 hours ago, 953 nut said:

      The problem sounds very familiar to me. I have some very steep inclines and have found that adding wheel weights to the rear wheels is the only solution. Your rear wheels are loosing traction and the differential is applying the braking force to the wheel with the least traction. There are a few points in my yard that I will only mow going up hill, too much of a hazard going down.

Also, your Kohler engine is splash lubricated and should not be operated on slopes of 25* or more.

Both slopes are under 25*  .

[Racinbob 11,788]

I believe your tractor utilizes the gas strut that pushes the idler arm and doesn't have the clutch spring on the left side. prior models used only a spring. Later models used a spring with a damper on the right. Try what's been suggested and see what happens. I'm betting the strut is causing the problem assuming your drive belt is good. Get yourself a 108035 spring, install it on the left side and remove the strut. You'll then have the setup that worked great for decades.

 

I had the damper with the spring setup on my 2005 and I hated it. When I first got it I had a flat yard. Now I have very steep hills that must be mowed up and down. I would imagine if I hadn't switch to the old school way I would be terrified going downhill.

9 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

Is the gas spring cylinder still installed. They were there to keep the clutch from engaging too fast. It may be your problem, by not letting the clutch engage fully. You can remove it. Just be easy letting out the clutch Wheel Horses have been known to rear up.

I believe they used only the strut at that time. It was later when they used the damper with the spring He'll need to install a spring to make it work but I think you hit the nail on the head.

[Racinbob 11,788]

9 hours ago, Gilford wh said:

The clutch pedal comes back all the way, I have tried 2nd high first high and low third . All gears same result aboat half way down she breaks loose and when I put the breaks on it feels like its  fighting the gears . If i push the clutch in and  put the break on it skids.

I think what you're feeling as 'fighting the gears' is the belt playing games. Going down some of my hills if I only hit the brake I can lock up the rear wheels but the skid may make me speed up. Depressing the clutch only and it's hold on for dear life.

[Gilford wh 21]

5 hours ago, Racinbob said:

I believe your tractor utilizes the gas strut that pushes the idler arm and doesn't have the clutch spring on the left side. prior models used only a spring. Later models used a spring with a damper on the right. Try what's been suggested and see what happens. I'm betting the strut is causing the problem assuming your drive belt is good. Get yourself a 108035 spring, install it on the left side and remove the strut. You'll then have the setup that worked great for decades.

 

I had the damper with the spring setup on my 2005 and I hated it. When I first got it I had a flat yard. Now I have very steep hills that must be mowed up and down. I would imagine if I hadn't switch to the old school way I would be terrified going downhill.

I believe they used only the strut at that time. It was later when they used the damper with the spring He'll need to install a spring to make it work but I think you hit the nail on the head.

I will look for the strut this weekend on the tractor. Thanks. I am also eyeing a 416 hydro

[Gilford wh 21]

Well for the hell of it today I replaced the drive belt. That solved the free wheeling but now she skids down the hill. So now  thinking different/wider tire's. What do you guys think

 

[ericj 1,578]

wheel weights and ag tires

 

 

 

 

eric j

[Skipper 1,789]

Yep Heavy tires with "do not slip" pattern. You can have them loaded also along with the weights.

[Ed Kennell 40,689]

If it's that steep that you are sliding, I would go to 2 link VEE bar chains.

 

http://www.tirechain.com/Garden-Tractor-V-BAR-Chains.htm

[Sarge 3,464]

I've had the same issue with my hydro tractors on the steep ditches here when mowing - especially in the spring/fall when it's wet . The little Deere lawn tractor won't climb those hills at all when the ground is less than bone dry - it just spins the turf tires despite having a 50lb hunk of iron bolted to the rear frame . Never had an issue with the Horses that I run the loaded tires/weghts/ags/chains and they do not tear up the lawn like you'd expect .

 

 

At 145lbs each in those rear Carlisle tires - it will also climb snow piles to the point of trying to flip over backwards . I still need to fix the rear frame plate (replace it) and rebuild it's engine as it's seriously tired but just refuses to die - the old girl deserves the upgrades with all the service it's put in over the 50 year lifespan so far . Should last another 30+yrs easily...

 

Sarge

[Gilford wh 21]

11 hours ago, Sarge said:

I've had the same issue with my hydro tractors on the steep ditches here when mowing - especially in the spring/fall when it's wet . The little Deere lawn tractor won't climb those hills at all when the ground is less than bone dry - it just spins the turf tires despite having a 50lb hunk of iron bolted to the rear frame . Never had an issue with the Horses that I run the loaded tires/weghts/ags/chains and they do not tear up the lawn like you'd expect .

 

 

At 145lbs each in those rear Carlisle tires - it will also climb snow piles to the point of trying to flip over backwards . I still need to fix the rear frame plate (replace it) and rebuild it's engine as it's seriously tired but just refuses to die - the old girl deserves the upgrades with all the service it's put in over the 50 year lifespan so far . Should last another 30+yrs easily...

 

Sarge

Very cool tractor . I will be buying chains and weights as my tractor came with a plow. Again my 314 has no trouble going up the hills, it's coming down.

 

[953 nut 58,295]

18 minutes ago, Gilford wh said:

no trouble going up the hills, it's coming down.

My neighbor's yard has a few areas that I avoided going down for that reason, mow going up and move over to another area to come down. After adding 50 pounds of wheel weights to each side I found I could mow up and down with mo problem.

[Gilford wh 21]

Do I need wider rims to put 10.5s on or can I get away with using the same rims that 8.5s are on

 

[ebinmaine 71,062]

On 9/18/2017 at 12:08 PM, Skipper said:

You can have them loaded

I'll put in another voted for being loaded... the tires I mean !

I had mine filled with rimguard for a great price and LOVE it.

1 hour ago, Gilford wh said:

Do I need wider rims to put 10.5s on or can I get away with using the same rims that 8.5s are on

 

Totally depends on the brand you use to replace... Tire sizes vary A LOT from what the listed size on the tire is.