One more steering box question. Steering shaft rises....

lastcowboy32 · Jun 28, 2015

I assembled the gearbox and bearings for a trial run. (I'm still unsure if the retainer on the bottom is the correct direction, see my other question, please).

Anyway, in order to put the steering column in, I started with gearbox timed so that the wheels would be turned all of the way to the right. All good.

I just set the steering wheel on top of the assembly, but didn't tighten it down.

I can easily turn the gearbox to go "left"...which pushes the ball nut down. However, when I go to turn back to the right, the steering wheel starts to rise...as if the shaft is threading out of the ball nut, when it should be lifting the ball nut.

Will this go away once I push the steering wheel all of the way on and tighten its nut (which loads the spring underneath it)???

I don't want to tighten everything down, until I know that everything is assembled correctly.

Thanks.

Jock(OR) · Jun 28, 2015

If you have the worm shaft bearings installed and adjusted properly, the shaft should not rise or
fall when you turn the steering wheel. There should be almost no end play in the worm shaft if you
pull up and down on the shaft (without the sector(s) installed. This is adjusted by the shim pack
between the steering tube and the main housing.

First, make sure that the bearings (and the races in the housings) are in good condition and
installed properly. Then remove shims to leave almost no end play. There should not be a lot of
friction drag when you turn the shaft (again, with no sectors installed), but there can be a little
if you have installed new bearings.

souNdguy · Jun 29, 2015

excessive thrust play... be carefull, you can crush and deforem the lower bearing cage when it screws up and then back down if out of alignment.

either way too many shims.. or worn races, or something installed wrong.

didn't use them darned plastic bearings did ya?

lastcowboy32 · Jun 29, 2015

I had the bearing retainer on upside down..which left too much play.

It didn't get crushed though; because I was careful not to test too hard.

But! If you look at the replies to my other questions here, the bearing, eye and retainer dropped during one of my shimming tests...so they did get crushed.

Wife said that I should have left it alone when it was together and steering with the shimming close.

Anyway...(another) new bearing, retainer and eye are in order. The eye will be locktited into place this time.

I'm becoming more of an expert that I care to be on this subject.

ZANE · Jun 29, 2015

Don't have the tie rods connected to the pitman arms when installing and timing or installing the ball nut/shaft assembly.

Zane

souNdguy · Jun 29, 2015

The retainer and rivit are un needed. A glop of axle grease will glue the bearing in the race while you install the worm, then it cannot move, meaning retainer is useless..

lastcowboy32 · Jun 30, 2015

(quoted from post at 16:08:19 06/29/15) Don't have the tie rods connected to the pitman arms when installing and timing or installing the ball nut/shaft assembly.

Zane

Right, I didn't install the tie rods to time the box. I marked both pitman arms and the gearbox with a chisel to show the location before I disconnected the tie rods. Right now, when I reassembled I ensured that the pitman arms line up with the marks when I installed the sector shafts. Everything is timed fine, and I won't connect the tie rods until I've completed installing the column and getting the shims right.

The trouble with timing happened on a previous gearbox rebuild, where I disconnected the whole box from the tractor and took it to the dealer. They rebuilt the box and put on the pitman arms. When I got it back, there was no way that I could get the tie rods to reconnect with the front wheels pointing sensibly. They either both pointed out or both pointed in. The gearbox and pitman arms were timed improperly.

lastcowboy32 · Jun 30, 2015

I wish that I knew about getting the shimming right before I installed the sectors. Would have made things MUCH easier to adjust the shimming.

As it is, the sectors are in. I don't want to go through the trouble of knocking them back out.

I've been able to get the worm gear in and out with the sector shafts in, but the end bearing didn't stay in place during the weaseling in and out.

Getting a new end bearing and going to make sure that sucker stays in place this time.

SoundGuy says axle grease. I say locktight or equivalent on the retaining eye (rivet). Mostly because I don't have axle grease.

Let you know how it goes.

One more steering box question. Steering shaft rises....

lastcowboy32

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Jock(OR)

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souNdguy

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lastcowboy32

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ZANE

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souNdguy

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lastcowboy32

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lastcowboy32

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