[AT] 318 Float

[Alan Nadeau]

I'm a little late to step in here but here's my input anyhow.

318-322-332 tractors share the same hydraulic plumbing setup.  The twin 
cylinder 316 only has a single control valve to operate the rockshaft and a 
single set of front remotes.  I have never been on one but I suspect there 
is no float on their rockshaft either.

The two control levers are to the left of the operators station.

The OUTER lever operates the rockshaft cylinder and the Left hand set of 
front remotes.  This is only up/down, move lever forward to lower the mower 
deck, rearward to raise it.

The INNER lever operates only the right hand front remotes.  This one is a 
three position valve, starting form the rear position, moving forward they 
are lift-hold-lower-float.  Float position is reached by pushing the lever 
through a detent at the extreme forward travel.  A normal operating valve 
will "snap" past the detent and remain there until it is manually pulled 
rearward, past the detent.  It is fairly common for the float detent to 
stick so badly that the lever will bend before the valve will snap past the 
detent.  Removing and cleaning the valve will probably cure the problem but 
it is a bear to get the valve out.  Been there/done that/got the tee shirt 
on a 332.

The float position allows a snowblower or front blade to ride on the ground 
and follow contours of the terrain.  There is no provision for a float 
function on the rockshaft cylinder, nor have I found any float function on 
the rockshafts of any of the Deere garden tractors.  That would cover the 
300 series, the 140s and 420-430.    The twin cylinder 316 only has a single 
control valve to operate the rockshaft and a single set of front remotes.  I 
have never been on one but I suspect there is no float on their rockshaft 
either.