I have the M tore down to do the upper bolster and have a few questions for you guys. The reason for teardown is the steering was locking up from time to time. Kinda thot it was the char lynn ps but it definately isn't. It has a wide front and is currently a loader tractor with primary mission of snow removal. The gear on the vertical shaft is worn to the point of chipping. The worm is grooved also. Both will be new. The lower thrust bearing is toast and the bearing on the worm had the outer race split clean in 2. What I need to know is how much slop in the brass vertical bushings can I get away with and not screw up the new gears? I am not afraid to go back in later to do the bushings. Is there any shimming that can be done? I know that it needs bushed but there is no funds for them if there's any possible way. It doesn't have to hold oil when I get done as I am using cornhead grease. I have the shaft cleaned up and sitting in the bushings waiting for a rain out so I can see how bad it is. I have to stress I know it needs bushed, no money. Thanks for reading and the help. Fred

Red neck repair, do at own risk. Remove top bushing. Put on a round object and use a center punch on the OD, not hard enough to bulge the ID. Open split down bushing just a little. Spread a thin layer of JB weld on the ID. After cured sand down even. Put bushing back in. It's a balance job to estimate how wide to make split and add material on the OD. If split is to tight it will peal all the JB weld off. If split is narrowed to much it will be to tight on shaft and bushing will need honed. Most times shafts are worn so a new bushing doesn't help much. If you tighten bushing to worn shaft some OD may need removed from shaft above the bushing to pass through. Bottom bushing can also be helped if needed. Since the vertical steering shaft can wear more on the left side and if not using the keyway in the shaft for a implement, it can be turned 180 to help a little sometimes.

I am with Jim, often when two bushings are on opposite ends of a shaft you can cheat by flipping them, or rotating 90 degrees. Another trick I have used when a big bushing is/ was COMPLETELY shot is to smoke a shaft with a coal oil lamp wick set real high, then use the shaft as a mandrel to pour the gap in Babbitt. Only works when you have a really big gap, you often have to drill the bushing to retain the Babbitt, and the shaft and the busing have to be pretty warm. One of those things I did when I had no money and lots of time. Don't have any more money today, but have lots less time left. jeff

Taking the bushing out that is just under the box, and turning it 180 might take up the wear to a degree. Ask machine shops in your area if they can make a bushing from Oilite that duplicates the original! Jim

At least replace the oil seal for the upper bushing; corn head grease will still leak out.
There is no option for shimming to compensate for wear.

Thanks guys!! I knew there had to be a way. I forgot to add the new seals. It gets them too. Just no way to float the bushings and all now. If it wasnt tore down i would have left it alone. I will let you know how it turns out. Have ordered the gear and seals. Made up my mind to do the worm shaft next yr. I hate doing things this way but no way around it. Thanks again. Fred