3oo Utility steering tight

redjohn

Member
Have 2 neglected 300 Utilities with hard steering.
They both have power steering. One has steering so stiff, you can't turn it when the tractor is off.
The other one, I tried tightening up the adjuster screws on the steering box, to hopefully tighten up a lazy steering arm.
One side moves right away, the other not.
Since adjusting, I can turn right, and back to center (tractor running) but turning to the right, its very hard. The pump sounds like your car does when you hold the steering wheel all the way.
Now when I shut the tractor off, I cant turn the steering at all.
I loosened up the 3 adjuster screws on the steering box, but it won't loosen up.
What have I done?
Can someone give me some advice, on getting it to steer freely again.
Until I tried to tighten up the steering, it did turn both ways.
I'd appreciate any simple advice, as the manual I have on the tractor, is vague on how to adjust the steering.
Appreciate any and all ideas and answers.
 
A little about steering adjustment... The gears
are machined so that the tightest gear lash is
when the steering is in the straight ahead
position. Anything other than straight will be
slightly looser, so when adjusting, you want to
slowly turn the adjusters in as you rock the
steering back and forth, feeling for the "tight"
spot in the middle. Helps to jack the front wheels
off the ground so you can feel the gear box and
not the ground resistance.

So, go back and back the adjuster stud out to
about where it started. Then use a mallet or block
of wood on the opposite side of the gear box and
bump the pittman shaft back in, so it is up
against the adjuster stud.

The steering should now be free and able to turn
equally in both directions. The manual should tell
which side to adjust first, if it matters, depends
on the design of the steering gear.

Now, set the steering straight ahead. Turn the
adjuster stud slowly in until you feel slight
resistance on the stud. Rock the steering wheel
from side to side, engine off, front wheels off
the ground, feeling for the "tight spot". Keep
tightening until you just feel it tighten up in
the center position. Then do the other side.

Keep rocking the wheel back and forth, making
small adjustments until the slack is gone and
minimal binding. You don't want it hard to turn!
Then lock down the jam nuts.

This adjustment will only do so much for
tightening sloppy steering. If there is excessive
wear or something broken it won't do much good.
 
OK. Technically the Deere 300 is a yellow tractor
(industrial-utility sized). I've got two.

I claim total ignorance on an IH 300.
 

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