Transmission Dipstick Position

[Bill D 1,599]

I have had and seen couple of 8 speeds with bent, scraped any broken dipsticks.  The broken ones look like they got cut off.  What are they hitting inside the tranny and how do I prevent it?  Thanks.  Bill

[ebinmaine 63,093]

[tom2p 2,393]

1 hour ago, Bill D said:

I have had and seen couple of 8 speeds with bent, scraped any broken dipsticks.  The broken ones look like they got cut off.  What are they hitting inside the tranny and how do I prevent it?  Thanks.  Bill

not sure of the exact issue you are referring to

 

but on some 300 series Wheel Horse tractors (and possibly 400+ series ?) with 8 speed that have seat springs attached to the seat frame - the spring on the right side (when sitting on tractor) can contact the top of the transmission dipstick handle (when seat is in down position and sat on) and then distort the dipstick and force the bottom portion into rotating mass 

 

 

not sure which part or parts the dipstick will contact - but it can chew up the bottom portion of the dipstick 

 

this issue and potential issue could have easily been avoided with a shorter transmission dipstick handle ... ? ... slightly raised platform where the springs contact when seat is down ... ? ... reduced seat spring diameter ... seat springs moved outwards slightly ... some of the above - all of the above - none of the above ... lol

 

this was a miss by the Wheel Horse engineers ... embarrassing miss actually 

 

how to avoid ?

 

if you have issue described above - ensure seat frame spring does not contact the top of the transmission dipstick 

 

sometimes can rotate dipstick slightly to ensure spring does not contact top of dipstick handle 

 

Edited July 8, 2020 by tom2p

[Bill D 1,599]

Thanks.

[johnnymag3 2,441]

I think this is a situation where the seat spring causes failure

 

[johnnymag3 2,441]

why u still up?

 

[horseyheaven 112]

Bill, I have a 416-8 with a bent dipstick and it is even scraped up down on the end.  I straightened it out and put it back.  So far, it has stayed straight.

[Ed Kennell 35,752]

Here's what happened to mine after it git bent and rubbed the axle.e.

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Ed Kennell

[tom2p 2,393]

11 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Here's what happened to mine after it git bent and rubbed the axle.

 

have one just like it 

 

lol

 

[tunahead72 2,338]

I hope you guys don't mind, I'd like to follow up on this conversation...

 

I just picked up an '88 310-8 with this same problem, it was one of the first things I noticed when I went to check it out.  The right side spring definitely interferes with the dipstick handle, and at first I couldn't even get the dipstick to seat properly in its tube.  I didn't notice if the bottom of the dipstick was damaged like some of you have mentioned, but I'll take another look tomorrow.  I was eventually able to get it to seat properly, and rotating it out of the way of the spring might help.  But it does look like a bad design, and I started wondering...

 

What do those springs actually do, and are they even necessary?  They don't seem very stiff, so if I were to remove them, would the rubber bumpers be enough to absorb uncomfortable bumps to my rear end?

 

I see two holes drilled into the bottom of the seat plate, further back and to the outside a bit.  I wonder if the rubber bumpers and springs could be moved there without causing any problems.

 

On a related topic, is the gas seat spring on these tractors really useful, or necessary?  The one on this "new" tractor doesn't seem to do much, it may be dead.  My '86 310-8 doesn't have the gas spring or the large springs, I'll have to check it tomorrow to see how the two tractors are different.

 

Any insights would be appreciated.

 

[lynnmor 6,770]

36 minutes ago, tunahead72 said:

 

 

What do those springs actually do, and are they even necessary? 

 

On a related topic, is the gas seat spring on these tractors really useful, or necessary? 

 

The springs lift the seat off the seat switch, a safety feature.

 

The gas spring holds the seat up while you fuel, check oil, etc.