Ford 3000

I am looking at overhauling the steering on
my 3000 diesel. It has powersteering and i
believe it to be a 68 year model.

First question i have is the radius arm
supposed to have movement laterally front to
rear? Mine has this movement and wondering
if it should and if not should just the
radius arm cap be replaced or the cap and
the arm?

Second question is the ram cylinders, what
is the benefits between the 1/2 and 5/8 ram
cylinders? I am leaning towards the 5/8 as
based off the description it comes with the
male threaded balljoint end where the 1/2
ram does not. Be more cost effective.

Third question is on the steering hoses,
mine are short ones that loop around to the
hardline connection below the ram cylinder.
Can you still get theses or will i have to
go with the replacement and get rid of the
hardline?

Fourth question, sometimes i get a watery
black fluid that comes out from under the
steering wheel collar. Is this just water
getting in and washing grease away? I dont
want to fix hydraulic steering leaks if the
gearbos has one as well that doesnt leak all
the time.

I might have more questions latter but this
is what i am thinking of right now.

First.. yes replace both inner and outer cap to reduce movement. also check bolt at front for wear at the axle.

Used to be... the 5/8 was only used on industrials and only had a larger tie rod end that would not fit correctly on the all-purpose tractor. This may have changed...

Third.. dont know. maybe others will know what is currently being sold.

forth.. yes every now and then you will some accumulation of water and black color out of the top,,, especially after a rain... but this will not flow steadily or you have a bad seal in the column. My 3000s would occasionally expel a bit of moisture after setting out side but very little and only for a short period when first using.

(quoted from post at 13:52:17 02/13/16)
First.. yes replace both inner and outer cap to reduce movement. also check bolt at front for wear at the axle.

Used to be... the 5/8 was only used on industrials and only had a larger tie rod end that would not fit correctly on the all-purpose tractor. This may have changed...

Third.. dont know. maybe others will know what is currently being sold.

forth.. yes every now and then you will some accumulation of water and black color out of the top,,, especially after a rain... but this will not flow steadily or you have a bad seal in the column. My 3000s would occasionally expel a bit of moisture after setting out side but very little and only for a short period when first using.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

So first off the radius arm itself wouldn't wear at the ball end just the socket caps? That is good to know cause I was looking at replacing the radius arm and the caps not sure if the radius arm itself would wear down to cause the slop.

On the second point I am not sure, I didn't have a measure with me to measure mine but the balljoints are all worn out and sloppy and the boots have been missing. So I was going to replace the two draglinks the ball joint at the spindle and the ram cylinders along with the ball joint at each end. I thought of just popping the old seal out and install the new seals I have on the old unit but I hate to go to the trouble and the thing starts leaking in a few months or a year later.

Theres been once that it expelled quite a bit of this runny black liquid that I assumed to be water. But if I remember right we also had like a week worth of straight rain. Every time it has done this, it does it not right away every time but it does it very soon after actually starting to use the tractor and turning the wheel. It will do it spitting this black fluid out then it stops and wont do it again that day.

You can also shave the rad rod cap to take up slop, or peen a penny or electric box knockout slug and put in there

Its a challenge for a DIY'er to roll his own but doable.. Learning to double flare steel line with the correct tool will come in handy. We all had to start some were...

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=796787&highlight=lines

(quoted from post at 18:51:33 02/13/16)
Its a challenge for a DIY'er to roll his own but doable.. Learning to double flare steel line with the correct tool will come in handy. We all had to start some were...

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=796787&highlight=lines

Click to expand...

Correct we do. I can make hardlines, I just am not sure if I would want solid metal hardline from the gear box down to the ram especially considering the ram cylinders will be flexing some as the front suspension flexes. Being in the automotive field as a living rigid lines connecting to something that does flex a little is a hard pill for me to swallow which is why I was looking for proper flex lines to connect to my existing hardlines.

But if I had to make hard lines as shown in the link I can do that. I purchased this on sale for use at work.

http://www.eastwood.com/professional-brake-tubing-flaring-tool.html

I used it to make bubble flares on 1/4" hardline that I bent by hand as a vacuum line on a project I am working on at work.

Ford used those same hard lines for the steering cylinders from 1956 till 1983 and maybe beyond. I doubt you will have a problem if you make that wrap around the end like
they did originally.

(quoted from post at 19:34:23 02/13/16) Ford used those same hard lines for the steering cylinders from 1956 till 1983 and maybe beyond. I doubt you will have a problem if you make that wrap around the end like
they did originally.

Click to expand...

wait they originally didn't have a rubber hose inline?

I am confused cause I have the hardline, I just want to replace the rubber flex lines I currently have as they are soaked in paint and god knows what other chemicals.

COOL 8) Goferit that's the way they did it from the factory I don't see a problem with it. If one did break I can make it up FAST... I have not broke one YET...

I would not let the worn radius arm ball end socket caps bother me... You can shim'em up for what its worth but its not a fix. I tried to mill them but they are hard as ell and not worth the afford... A tool grinder would be the chit to fit them...

Every one of those rubber lines I have ran into leaked I will take the steel... You can make all the bends by hand it is nice to have a tool to 90 deg them at the steering box...

Tool grinder (surface grinder)

I have a bending tool and forming pliers as well I can make 90 to 180 and even 360 turns if need be. I just as I said come from the auto industry where you use rubber lines between two objects that might move at different rates such as between a block mounted fuel pump and the frame of the vehicle.

If it wouldn't be a problem to run all metal lines I can.

As far as the radius slop I was going to replace the caps as its about 1/2" movement in the socket itself and it does concern me when I hit bumps and see the front axle and radius arm moving that much forward and back.

Make'em up and discard the rubber... Rubber looks like chit and is chit... Hard wire it and move on with life....

(quoted from post at 20:05:41 02/13/16)
Make'em up and discard the rubber... Rubber looks like chit and is chit... Hard wire it and move on with life....

Click to expand...

Thanks I will do that.

Now I have another question, what about the fuel lines, I have rubber from the tank valve to the lift pump and a short piece from the lift pump to the tandem fuel filters. Is this how they were cause I don't believe so since only one hardline has a barb for a rubber hose.

I was thinking of bending a hardline from the tank to the lift pump.

Another question I have pertaining to the injection, pump, is it normal for them to fill up with fuel? Mine is leaking fuel out of the gasket and I checked the oil level and oil came pouring out fast. I changed the oil last year as it was real runny and black and now about a year later it is actually overfilled. I also lost some oil as I changed the gasket on the lift pump back around Aug/Sept. I am not sure if this is normal or a sign the pump is in need of going through. Guy I work for his brother in law has a Manitou fork lift with a Ford 3cyl diesel engine and the injection pump went bad and leaned one cylinder out and burned the engine up. Don't want to risk this on mine.

A rear diff, steering lots of movement.. A 1/2" is not gonna affect it... Until the last 10 years are so You never seen a flex hose till you got to a axle have you ever seen one break form the master to the frame. Its possible for the body/frame to flex. Hard wire it you can always go back to rubber....

I can not help you on the diesel tho I do own a diesel fuel can and one diesel tractor BUT the can and tractor are NEW the can is yellow and the tractor orange... In time after the warranty runs out I may could help on a diesel question... :roll:

I have 2 new old stock drag links for a 3000, the long ones that go from the front to the back. they are the power steering ones.
I would sell them as I do not have the tractor any more nor do I plan to get another 3 cyl ford. I will stick to the hundred and 01 series
Boss