Steering shaft end play

Quietwater

New User
I finally got the bearing race out of the steering box and thanks for all your help. Now I'm ready to reassemble everything. Reading in the FO-20 manual it says,"If the end play of the wormshaft is not within the desired limits of 0.006-0.010, adjust the end play by varying the thickness of the shim stack between the steering shaft tube and the steering gear housing." How and where do you measure the endplay?

PS: There were 12 shims between the shaft tube and gear housing when I took it apart. That seems like a bit too much. There were five .005, five .010, and two .020.
 
You measure the endplay at the end of the steering shaft- up where the nut goes that holds the steering wheel on. Good luck doing that. If there is no perceptible endplay and the shaft turns freely I call it good to go.
 
Thanks, I think I am finally understanding just what end play is. If I have it right it is the in-out movement of the wormgear shaft. It shouldn't move very much but has to have some play so it won't bind. Why couldn't the manual say something like that. It sure leaves a person guessing about a lot of things. It also says to remove the seals and bearings, but it doesn't say HOW to remove the items. Guessing wrong destroys some good pieces, not to mention the frustration of trying to figure what tools to use or a good procedure that works.
Thanks for explaining it for me.
 
ditto what texas! said.

as for the dseal removal..e tc.

the i&t manual seems to be written for those that hae basic mechanic skills, so they 'assume' you know how to use a seal puller, etc.. a nd common hand tool usage.
 
I suppose you are right. I probably shouldn't be messing with this, but there isn't anyone around here that knows anything about a tractor so I am left with trying to do it myself. I'm probably making a bigger project out of this than is warranted. After all, the Ford Tractor Shop Manual thinks this is such an easy project they don't even include manual steering repair in the book. It only shows power steering. I sure wish someone had taught me this back when I was growing up.
 
I got me a seal puller and went after the grease seals in the sector shafts. Replaced the seals and bushings and started reassembling the whole thing. I now have the whole steering assembly ready to reinstall in the tractor. While it was off I gave it a coat of Ford Red paint. I filled it with CornHead grease by pumping it through the hole in front of the steering shaft. Two tubes seemed to do the trick. Little by little I'm learning. Next time I could do this in a fraction of the time.
 
Quietwater
You are also about to learn that the two sector shafts only go in one way!
Also, center your steering by counting the turns, if you have everything correct, it will turn the same amount of turns in each direction.
If it is not right, do it again until it is!
"And", if you set the adjustment too tight you will have very hard to turn steering. Note, some play in the straight ahead position is normal in worn parts.
To get rid of that, the sector shafts and steering shaft assembly, have to be replaced.
Brian
 

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