310A How to drive properly

[jubejube99]

This might sound stupid but I'm going to ask it.
I have a 1986 310a loader backhoe and love it. I am wondering how do you drive this thing on the road. Fast? So there are high gears and low gears. Do you just choose the high gear and use the shuttle shift to go? So if I want to go full blast down the road do I start in 8? Or do you use a clutch like a car and change gears? 5 to 6 to 7 to 8 and how does that work? I am having problems starting off in 8 and going up hills. The gears don't seem to want to go in with the clutch when moving. Do I turn the shuttle shifter to neutral and then clutch?
Please explain this to me. I know it sounds really stupid but no manuals explain this.

Thank you

 

[beenthere]

jube
Welcome to TBN
Think I would try a combination that works for you.
And others more familiar than I will likely chime in on how to get up to speed in the road gear that you are looking for.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Kinda depends on your terrain. In flatter areas I start off in 10th gear, adjust my rpm's to 2500 and then after reaching top of that speed move to 12th, that's as high as it goes on my tractor. If it were hillier I would start a lower gear. The tractor will tell you if you are starting out too high of a gear, it will stall down. TOo much stall down will cause it to cut off.

 

[jubejube99]

This might sound stupid but I'm going to ask it.
I have a 1986 310a loader backhoe and love it. I am wondering how do you drive this thing on the road. Fast? So there are high gears and low gears. Do you just choose the high gear and use the shuttle shift to go? So if I want to go full blast down the road do I start in 8? Or do you use a clutch like a car and change gears? 5 to 6 to 7 to 8 and how does that work? I am having problems starting off in 8 and going up hills. The gears don't seem to want to go in with the clutch when moving. Do I turn the shuttle shifter to neutral and then clutch?
Please explain this to me. I know it sounds really stupid but no manuals explain this.

Thank you

It just seems like the gears grind and wont go in if moving. I don't know if I should be turning the shuttle to neutral. By the time it goes into gear I'm almost stopped.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

That sounds like maybe your clutch needs adjustingr, or the synchronizer(s) may not be working. I have only heard of synchronizers and they assist in gear shifts. I am not sure if those are an adjustable thing or not.

If you tractor can take it, try a higher gear and higher rpm's. I wouldn't dump the clutch though, but I wouldn't release the clutch too slow either. Both can cause undo wear on the tractor/clutch/transmission.

There are different synchronizers on the different gears. DOes your tracotr have a L/M/H range? If so maybe trying the highest gear in medium range then changing to Hi range. That way the actual gears are already in place.

 

[jubejube99]

That sounds like maybe your clutch needs adjustingr, or the synchronizer(s) may not be working. I have only heard of synchronizers and they assist in gear shifts. I am not sure if those are an adjustable thing or not.

If you tractor can take it, try a higher gear and higher rpm's. I wouldn't dump the clutch though, but I wouldn't release the clutch too slow either. Both can cause undo wear on the tractor/clutch/transmission.

There are different synchronizers on the different gears. DOes your tracotr have a L/M/H range? If so maybe trying the highest gear in medium range then changing to Hi range. That way the actual gears are already in place.

Transmission is Park Low and High.
4 gears for Low and 4 gears for High. Low range is too slow for the road so I will be in High the whole time.
Do you leave the shuttle shifter in forward when clutching and changing gears?

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

I don't have your tractor, just to be clear. Mine is a Kioti and yes I leave the shuttle in forward. It still make benefit you to try starting off in low 4 and shifting to H4. Better than starting off on a dead stop into 4H.

 

[Tx Jim]

Transmission on a JD 310A does not have synchronizers therefore in was not designed to be changing gears while moving forward. One can carefully change gears but some gear grinding will be heard unless one is very good at shifting gears on a non-synchronized trans. 8th speed was designed for highway travel.

 

[jubejube99]

Transmission on a JD 310A does not have synchronizers therefore in was not designed to be changing gears while moving forward. One can carefully change gears but some gear grinding will be heard unless one is very good at shifting gears on a non-synchronized trans. 8th speed was designed for highway travel.

Thank you

 

[Sportsman762]

It is hard / impossible on most tractors of that vintage to shift the high / low range when moving. I would start off in high range 1st gear (5th) and then work my way up to High range 4th gear (8th). I would leave the shuttle in forward. A little gear grinding is common, dont force it in, let it fall into gear with slight pressure. Downshifting is tricky and requires floating gears (something I suck at). My Massey 20C of similar vintage is a 6x6 transmission (shuttle and hi/low and 1-3). I am always driving it down the road to different properties. At high range 3rd gear (6th) clipping along at 22 mph it can get places quick. I run a gear until the tractor will not go any faster before shifting, otherwise it bogs the engine down too much. Don't dump the clutch let it out at a moderate pace. Hills are your bane, tractors do not like to climb them, I have found on my Massy if I leave the throttle all the way forward, when I hit 1000 RPM's I downshift but pause a half second for the engine to rev up. This lets me climb hills the most efficently. Worse case you stop and downshift into low and creep up them.

On backhoes without clutches and only torque converter transmissions you need to shift into neutral to shift gears. It is a different sort of challenging.

Transmission on a JD 310A does not have synchronizers therefore in was not designed to be changing gears while moving forward. One can carefully change gears but some gear grinding will be heard unless one is very good at shifting gears on a non-synchronized trans. 8th speed was designed for highway travel.

@Tx Jim has good advise for on road shifting.

The JD 310A Hi/4 is 16.4 mph. Backhoes will bounce bad when they hit a bump and can become uncontrollable. I would take it slow if your not use to how they bounce down the road. If you have a boom lock for the backhoe it helps reduce the bounce. If there is no boom lock its like riding a bucking bronco. I would encourage putting a seat belt on if you have one, in case it starts bucking. Its a lot easier to get a tractor under control when your still in the seat. Remember when making right hand turns that the hoe likes to swing out in the left lane. Other than that stay safe!

I have roaded backhoes up to 15 miles at a time. Traffic will hate you, the damn backhoe will try to buck you off, and your rump will remind you the rest of the day. Farm tractors are much more enjoyable to road, way less bucking. Have fun, and let us know how it goes.