[shantzonpoint]

I have a cabin about 3 hours north of my house and I've been in the market for a riding lawn mower to keep up there. I was willing to spend around $1000. I wanted to buy an older well built tractor instead of a thin metal newer MTD. My dad was heading up to drop off some cedar (we're remodeling inside) and saw a 314 sitting by the road. He stopped and took a couple pics (below).

When I went up over Easter weekend, I went and looked at it and immediately fell in love. The owner said his parents bought it new back in the early 80's. He bought the plow recently that's why it looks so well used compared to the tractor. It also came with a 38" mower deck that is practically brand new. I guess it was mainly used as a yard tractor to pull around a little trailer on his parents farm.

The tractor is in really good shape overall. It was easy to tell it was well maintained. It needs a little TLC as the steering has a fair bit of play in it. I've read that it could simply be an adjustment to fix this problem. Also the dash grommet has broken off. I can't seem to find a replacement online. Any ideas on this would be appreciated. Other than that, it's solid.

I plan on buying a service manual for it unless I can find one to download. I'm not a mechanical genius but I'm mechanically inclined I like to think. Anyway I wanted to introduce myself and I think I'll enjoy tinkering with this old girl for years to come.

 

[Auburn David]

Nice!!!!and Welcome!

 

[Mtypython]

Nice find, enjoy

 

[propane1]

Nice tractor and plow. That plow would fit my JD140H3

Noel.

 

[CRFarnsworth]

Now I'm jealous again!!!

Nice G.T.!! Rick

Oh yeah WELCOME

 

[Sawdust]

Welcome to GTtalk. Nice GT with a great story.

 

[Trav1s]

Very nice find. Have you figured out what year it is? I owned a late one for a while but sold it and have since replaced it with a 312 which was made before the 314. There are some things to watch out for including bad rubber motor mounts and steering play. As for the service manual, that is one of my best purchases. I have one for my 110, 120, and the early 300 series. Money well spent.

Is that a 2 blade deck or a three blade deck?

 

[shantzonpoint]

Very nice find. Have you figured out what year it is? I owned a late one for a while but sold it and have since replaced it with a 312 which was made before the 314. There are some things to watch out for including bad rubber motor mounts and steering play. As for the service manual, that is one of my best purchases. I have one for my 110, 120, and the early 300 series. Money well spent.

Is that a 2 blade deck or a three blade deck?

It's a 3 blade deck. The front mule is like new as well. I'm not positive on the year because the ID plate is missing. Are there other ways to determine the year? I was planning on leaving it in the shed up at my cabin but I like it so much I worry about rodents doing damage to it. I'm going to bring it home next time up to fix the steering. I think I'll just trailer it back and forth to mow up there. I'll also look at the motor mounts as well. I appreciate the welcome and "what to look for" ideas as well.

 

[KC9KAS]

Nice machine!

:welcometogttalk:

 

[Trav1s]

Three blade deck is a model 41 and has the 38" cut. I have two of them - one for my 312 and one on the 120. I will look at the service manual and see what I can find for you.

 

[JDBrian]

Congrats on the 314. I have an 83 which is the last year they made the 314. It overlapped that year with the first of the new style 300 series the 318. You could try using the engine ser. no. and looking up the year of production on the Kohler site. Does the blade or deck have a ser. no? One weak spot to look at is the drive shaft couplers. Check them for play. If it gets worn on the hydro end it can wear away at the input shaft and make the hydro unserviceable without a tear down and new shaft. This wear is made worse by bad motor mounts.

 

[jd.rasentrac]

Welcome to GTt and congrats. The 314 seems to be in good conditions!

 

[shantzonpoint]

Congrats on the 314. I have an 83 which is the last year they made the 314. It overlapped that year with the first of the new style 300 series the 318. You could try using the engine ser. no. and looking up the year of production on the Kohler site. Does the blade or deck have a ser. no? One weak spot to look at is the drive shaft couplers. Check them for play. If it gets worn on the hydro end it can wear away at the input shaft and make the hydro unserviceable without a tear down and new shaft. This wear is made worse by bad motor mounts.

I'll look for a serial number on the Kohler when I get it home next month. I'm curious to the year it was made. I'm glad I joined this community because I had no clue the motor mounts were a problem area. What's the common cause of failure? Dry rot, lose form, etc.?

I like how majority of parts are still readily available.

 

[Trav1s]

The Kohler singles are shakers, especially at low idle. If the idle is too low then it stresses the mounts. I actually have two 312s which are very close to the 314. One came with a bad engine and the other came with a broken input shaft on the hydro pump. Both of them had some broken mounts on them and I believe they were all the rear mounts. That being said, I am not afraid of them as they are solid and reliable machines if you watch the problem areas.

 

[easternharvest]

Very nice 314, I own an 82 model. Trav1s is right, when I bought mine it shook like a PO'D bull! Went and replaced the old mounts and made a big difference. They purr like a kitten at half throttle and up.

 

[Trav1s]

Also, make sure the idle is set in the proper range according to the service manual. That helps with shaking.