D15 D17 Power steering

(quoted from post at 12:32:07 11/01/20) I own a 1961 A/C D15 Industrial with the heavy duty front axle. It has a Henry Backhoe and loader. The front support which contains the gears for the power steering has a leak from a housing crack. There are four bolts that hold the axle support bracket to the bottom of the front support. The same bolts also hold the steering shaft retainer. My crack begins at one of these bolt holes.

There was a design change after serial # 6584. Both the front support and axle support numbers are different. The shaft retainer is also different #. The D17 uses the same parts as the D15 based on the serial #.

Does anyone know if the design change improved the strength of the front support? Because of the loader the strength of the front support is important. If the newer design is stronger can both the front support and steering support off the newer design be used on
a tractor with the earlier serial number. Are there any visible differences in the parts. One would assume if there was a change, they sure wouldn't have made it lighter/weaker. Visible differences?? Maybe you could see a difference and maybe not. Sometimes changes are a material change, like a better quality cast iron. If the casting number on the part is different, you can be sure there is something different.

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