3400 steering problems

mwalker

New User
Ok i'm new to forums. I've got a ford 3400 with steering problems. Looking to find out what is the right fluid for power steering system ?
 
Welcome to the Ford board.
Those are great small tractors.
You will find most of us here use a HyTrans or UTF that meets Ford 134D specs.
Same thing that is recommended in your transmission, rear end and loader if your tractor is so equipped.
What is wrong with the steering?
A good, knowledgeable bunch of guys here that can probably help you sort out what is wrong.
 


any "tractor" rated hydraulic fluid will work fine. Spec calls for m2c53a, a 1964 spec.... iirc. You can run more modern tractor rated hydraulic fluids, or power steering fluid and it will work fine. This means that you can run the same fluid as in the transmission and rear end as they are also the same spec.


If the front seal of the pump is leaking into the engine, your better off running engine rated oil in it till the pump is repaired or replaced, so you dont damage the engine, but make sure the oil pan level does not get too high. The power steering system has no wet clutches or wet brakes to worry about, so its more about heat, orings, and anti-foaming. There will be other opinions.....
 
Ok replace fluid seemed to help but will steer left but hard right with no hydraulic assist. Thanks for the information.
 
(quoted from post at 09:48:17 02/17/18) Ok replace fluid seemed to help but will steer left but hard right with no hydraulic assist. Thanks for the information.

What type or brand of steering cylinder does your 3400 have? My 3500 had a Anadolu cylinder on it. The pump was good but the cylinder gave me fits until I figured out how it was supposed to work. When you moved steering wheel slightly it put pressure on the cylinder valve to let fluid flow in the cylinder to assist in your steering.
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nashranch - The 3500 used a single sided steering system like most of the 4000 series of the time, so it had a single cylinder and the control valve was in the body of the cylinder just like your aftermarket Andalou system, but on the factory 3500 power steering the control valve was at the rearward end of the cylinder instead of at the forward end.

The 3400 used a double sided steering system similar to most of the 2000 and 3000 series of the time. Yes, it could have an aftermarket power steering system, but it is more likely to have factory power steering with two cylinders and a single control valve for both cylinders inside the steering column.

mwalker - when you turn the steering wheel from left to right and back, does the steering wheel rise slightly when turning in one direction and lower slightly when turning in the other direction. When working properly it should rise and fall, but only about 1/16" or so. It is that slight rising and falling of the steering column that opens and closes the individual ports on the control valve inside the steering column. If it is rising and falling more than that then either the upper thrust bearing is shot or the nut that is supposed to hold the spring washer at the top of the control valve has loosened, or both, either of which can make it hard to turn in one direction because the control valve itself can then rise with the steering column so the ports won't open as much (or possibly not at all) when turning in that direction.
 

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