Ford 9n steering problem

9njunkie

Member
Hi y'all... Long time reader first time posting. I'm currently working on restoring my second 9n ... Third farm tractor... So I do know a thing or two, but this has me stumped.

On the 9n I'm working on at the moment the steering sector arms have good clearance to the transmission housing. However the threaded end of the tie rod looks to be rubbing against the tranny housing?! The sector arms have almost no play in them at all. Another thing I've noticed is that on most 9ns the sector arms are angled slightly towards the rear of the tractor when wheels are straight... These are showing almost exactly straight up and down.

Now here is where I'm confused... The shop manual shows the linkage having threaded ball sockets held on the rod with a clamp on both ends... Both of my 9n tractors have that only on one end and the other is like a cast integral part of the rod with no way of adjusting that end.

Any advice greatly welcome.
Thanks all
 
48712.jpg
 
Do a search for 9N3304 and 9N3305. Look at the pictures.
Separate tie rod ends are both the same #.
 
(quoted from post at 10:35:22 05/09/17)
48712.jpg

Looks like someone may have done a good job at cutting off the old tie rod end and welded a new on one , then ground smooth the weld ? That is probably the only way you will change a tie rod end and make it look original on a 9N . The replacement tie rod end may have had longer threads . Do you have a lot of threads sticking past the nut ?

You could also have a bent arm . How much clearance and threads you you have one the other side ?
 
Part number 9n3304/5 is exactly pictured what is on the tractor so I can be sure I have the correct rods on. Also measured the distance between the tranny and center of the sector arm and came up with the same distance on both sides and also verified on another tractor. So I'm sure the arms are not bent.

What is the steering adjustment that is described in the shop manual all about. It's the first thing described in the chapter on steering... Will the adjustment they described doing walk the arms in or out?
 
9njunkie,A little heat with a oxy acetylene torch on the arm just below that indent where the arm goes down.Heat it red and pry out the arm with a crowbar /ect till it has 1/2" or so clearance from the housing.Then cool it down with a water hose quickly.
 
Problem solved!!!!

Gotta give credit where it's due... The wife actually figured out the problem... In about 5 seconds!!! D'oh


So she walks in the garage while I'm on a beer brake and asks what's going on.... So I explain. She takes one look at it and in about 5 seconds asks me, "hey is the threaded stud that comes out of the ball joint supposed to be bent?"

D'oh!!!!

I guess the last owner of this tractor must have had something run into the side or whacked it on something and of course the weakest link sacrificed itself and bent just enough that the castle nut now rubs on the side of the tranny.

So back into the shop tomorrow, take the darned thing off, it needs new rubber booties anyhow, and see if I can bend it back into straight.

Thanks all very much for the help and advice.

One last question for now....

Anyone out there have any tips or tricks on how to keep the stud from spinning while trying to take the castle but off?

Thanks again!!
 
Junkie..........sounds like a vice-grips and finetooth hacksaw blade problem. Grab the nutt with gripps and hacksaw a corner off. Then a punch (nail?) to break the threads and ya shuld be goot to goe. You may end-up witha file or die to clean the teeth. Don't worry iff'n yer hacksaw scratches the threads. Remember yer goal, REMOVE the NUTT........HTH, the amazed Dell
 

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