JD 310A won't pull forward

[gvette85]

I am looking at a late 70's or early 80's 310A backhoe that won't pull forward.All the hydraulics work fine and seem strong and it backs up fine.The owner says it started slipping a while back and finally won't pull forward at all now.It is in amazingly good shape and you can tell its been well maintained.The former owner had it completely checked out at the local JD dealer before selling it to this owner .The paint is good,no dents,almost new tires,and all hoses,and instruments are in fine shape.I think it probably needs the forward clutch pack replaced.The price is $6000 as is delivered.Is this worth buying and repairing?I will use it as a farm backhoe.

 

[Burnout]

Sounds like the reverser unit is gone. My grandfather's was the same way just before it finally got parked. I have a soft spot in my heart for the 310-A's. I don't suppose you have any pics of this beauty do you?

As for the price that sounds like a good deal. I saw one not too long ago goin for 18 000. It was a 1979 2wd EROPS, with the 8spd with the park, extendahoe, Wain Roy coupler and only 6200hrs with good paint and new tires all around.

 

[gvette85]

I don't have any pics right now ,I'll try and post some tonight.I'm a pretty good mechanic and have a nice shop and have done a lot of work on tractors ,rebuilding engine,replacing clutch,rebuilding hydraulic cylinders,etc.How much is involved in replacing the reverser or possibly the forward clutch?I've already talked to John Deere and for them to do it all is about $4500.Is this something I shouldn't even try?.

 

[AtlasRob]

I've already talked to John Deere and for them to do it all is about $4500.

Have you priced the parts? It might give you an indication of how long they think it will take to do.
I'm sure somebody on here can give you an idea of dealers workshop/fitters rates.
Talk to a different dealer and ask them the same questions, do they think it is the ********* or have you told them what you think it is. ?

 

[gvette85]

No I talked to the shop manager and the parts man and told them the symtoms.They both said it sounded like the clutch pack.Shop flat rate labor was $2486.00 and total parts was $1874.00.But looking at the breakdown if the clutch drum and shaft were good that alone would knock off $1144.00.That would make parts $738.00.Don't know about the reverser plates and discs.

 

[AtlasRob]

No I talked to the shop manager and the parts man and told them the symtoms.They both said it sounded like the clutch pack.Shop flat rate labor was $2486.00 and total parts was $1874.00.But looking at the breakdown if the clutch drum and shaft were good that alone would knock off $1144.00.That would make parts $738.00.Don't know about the reverser plates and discs.

My next plan would be to price the reverser plates and discs and get an idea of availability, how many they know of being done, what the dealer would charge, also at what point do you find out which is the problem? when its apart or when its rebuilt :Banghead

Your dealer seems quite forthcoming, ask him the basics of whats involved if you DIY see if he nods or laughs then your more than halfway to having a plan :drinkup

 

[gvette85]

Yeah that sounds like good advice.Was hoping someone on here had done it so I would have some idea of whats involved.If I could do it myself I could save a lot of money.My only fear of taking it to the dealer is that they will replace every part of the assembly and not use any of the old parts that might still be usable.I'd want it done right but if I could save some money that would surely help.

 

[AtlasRob]

Was hoping someone on here had done it so I would have some idea of whats involved..

Yes I quite agree, give it a few hrs and a lot more with experience of these machines will be along. :drinkup

 

[bordercollie]

fairly simple to do that repair. make sure to park machine with front loader raised and supported by laying a piece of angle iron onthe lift cylinders. remove floor plates, disconnect throttle linkages and guages and electrical connections. have a floor jack and some jack stands, place jack under oil pan of engine,jack stands under loader frame. place blocking between front axle and frame to keep it from tipping after it is split.

remove all bolts around clutch housing, roll engine and front wheels away from rear of machine. now you must remove clutch shaft and throwout bearing. the fork is bolted to the cross shaft, remove bolts and slide each half outwards. If your machine has not had the cross shaft cut in two under the throwout bearing fork, you will have to do this with a die grinder and a cut off wheel. (yes, the service manual will tell you this) now you can remove the bolts that go around the clutch pack. remove cover and then remove clutch pack. inspect and repair. feel free to ask any questions you may have. good luck and have fun.

PS, before you do this, check the little rod that runs across the trans underneath, it is the one that moves when you go from fwd to rev, goes from left to right side of trans where the valve is, there is a roll pin that sometimes breaks wghere the shaft is pinned to the linkage, you will know what i am talking about if you get underneath and look up at the reverser shift linkage.

 

[gvette85]

Thanks for the info bordercollie,thats what I needed to know.I think I can do that,I've split my old Ford and replaced the clutch before so I know basicly what to do.I was unsure about getting the clutch out of this Deere though.What do you think of what I've posted? Do you think its the clutch pack or the reverser? The old hoe is in really nice shape and has been maintained well.Motor runs like a top and everything else seems to be fine.Backs up great,no slipping.It's the best for the money I've found around here if I can fix it for a couple of thousand.

 

[bordercollie]

reverser has a fwd clutch pack and a reverse clutch pack, i am betting the fwd clutch pack has failed. this is the most common. the tractor also has a conventional clutch and pressure plate, your clutch pedal should push down half way with relative ease then have resistance, the first part of the clutch pedal is opening a valve in the reverser portion of the trans and dumping pressure, thus placing the machine in neutral, pushing the pedal all the way down acts the same way as a truck or farm tractor, releasing the disc on the end of the flywheel.

 

[gvette85]

Ok I understand now,the reverser contains both the forward and the reverse clutch pack.Well that makes sense to me now,Thanks bordercollie,you've been a big help.

 

[chuck jacobs]

BORDERCOLLIE thanks for the info,my jd310c tlb acts the same way barely moves foreward but no problem in reverse. is the 410a pretty much the same as an early model 310c. i know they made alot of changes between early and late model of the 310cthanks again chuck jacobs

 

[melben]

Chuck, I believe your later series uses the Borg Warner reverser that can be removed as a seperate unit without a split, I work for a Case dealer and have done two of those and other than a shifter difference the units are identical internally to the reversers used in the 580 C's through early K's. Case sells kits, seal, gasket, plate and bearing kits and they are reasonably priced, The charge pump is the same as Case also. The Case kits use brass reverse plates instead of fibre but the brass work as good in the JD reverser as they do in Case. I did not check the Converter compatibility because of stall speed issues but the converter price for Deere was three times as much as the Case converter we stock. If I am correct and you have a Borg unit a knowledgable Case parts man can fix you right up. Mel

 

[bordercollie]

yes, what melben says is correct. The 310C uses a borg warner reverser unit. No need to split the tractor for removal of these units.

 

[chuck jacobs]

bordercollie my 310c is an early model, would it use the same borg warner reverser unit do you guys know the approximate price that case would want for the parts thanks chuck jacobs

 

[G Model]

you could also check the adjustment of the clutch linkage if you barely press down on the clutch pedal and it dissengages it could be out of adjustment causing the problem in forward only, I know this because on one I rebuilt it worked fine untill I install the floor panel that goes around the cluch pedal and it slightly depressed the cluch pedal and when I went to put it on the line the reverser slipped in forward. So i had to adjust the pedal to fix the problem. ( something abouth the fact it engages both packs in one direction and only one in the other was the difference between in affecting one direction and not the other.

it also depends on how long they tried to run it with it slipping so it might be too late.

 

[chuck jacobs]

bordercollie ,before i pull the reverser on my 310c i read from BURNOUT that if its a 4x4 your not gonna be a happy camper. well mine is a 4x4, what problem would BURNOUT be talking about. chuck jacobs

 

[bordercollie]

sent you a e-mail.

 

[red68racer]

john deere 310a wont move

I am looking at a late 70's or early 80's 310A backhoe that won't pull forward.All the hydraulics work fine and seem strong and it backs up fine.The owner says it started slipping a while back and finally won't pull forward at all now.It is in amazingly good shape and you can tell its been well maintained.The former owner had it completely checked out at the local JD dealer before selling it to this owner .The paint is good,no dents,almost new tires,and all hoses,and instruments are in fine shape.I think it probably needs the forward clutch pack replaced.The price is $6000 as is delivered.Is this worth buying and repairing?I will use it as a farm backhoe.

hello
just wondering how you fixed your 310a , mine is doing same , had the reverser rebuilt , new filters , new fluid ,hydraulics work ,back tires hardly move even with outriggers holding it up , also checked little pin in shaft and adjustment of clutch .
thanks