Steering sector shaft bushing

The Steering Sector Shaft Bushing on my International A is worn causing the steering arm to be very loose. The bushing is between the steering arm and the Vertical Steering Sector Shaft (part number 47676DR). I think the bushing is used on the Formal A, Super A, 100, 130, and 140.

Does anyone know if this bushing can be replaced just by reaching through the slot in front of the tractor or will I need to disassemble the steering box? The rest of the steering components seem to be pretty tight.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the feat you are
suggesting is impossible. In the linked diagram no. 21 is
the part number you gave. Look at the steering gear base
number 23. Inside the circular bolt pattern on top is a
raised boss, the bushing is press fit into that. And as you
mentioned the steering shaft no. 20 fits inside of that. To do
this job you need to unbolt or remove what ever you need
to for removal of number 23 from the tractor. I would
suggest you acquire a repair manual before attempting this
job, see 2nd link.
CNHI Farmall A steering diagram

YT Farmall A service IH manual

Thanks for the response. I sort of guessed that it couldn't be done. I'll need the tractor to finish grass cutting season so this job will have to wait until around the end of October.

It makes sense that the bushing is pressed on since the steering arm is clamped to the sector shaft (I guess it is actually clamped to this bushing). I have both the International Serviceman's Guide and the IT Shop Manual. In this case, the IT manual actually provides more detail than the International manual. And neither gives much detail, so that is why I asked the question.

The IT manual says that the steering gear can be overhauled by removing the steering wheel worm shaft and then by dropping the axle. Apparently you can then disassemble everything from underneath. This tractor is a 1946 International A. It has an axle similar to the AV and the steering gear housing base is the same as #35 in the diagram. Hopefully the same procedure will work for my tractor.

it would be well for you, if someone near you, could help with this.
uh, there is a bearing on top of the sector shaft, will need replacing also, most likely.

we removed and replaced the bearings and seems like we dropped the whole front axle and raised the front of the tractor. takes about one day.

good luck

Just to clarify the bushing press fit is against its outer
cylindrical surface inside the hole bored through the
casting. The steering shaft shaft then turns freely inside
that bushing, hopefully without the added clearance from
wear you are experiencing. The bushing is actually bigger
than the hole it is installed in but only the thickness of a
human hair or so. It deforms slightly when pressed or
driven in the bore of the casting. In most all cases when a
bushing is used in a tractor it is designed to be installed in
this manor. I am including a link to a simple cross section
drawing of an installation of a bushing.
Example drawing

Since your second post, it its clear you think the bushing is between the sector shaft and the steering arm. It is not. It is between the shaft and the lower housing. I assume your problem is slack between the shaft and arm, not a worn bushing. You could have a worn bushing too, but that is a separate problem.

If you still have the original style shaft and arm, the arm is clamped to the shaft with a bolt crosswise, as shown in the referenced diagrams. If it is loose, you typically see a notable up and down movement of the front of the arm as the steering wheel is moved through the free play. You may be able to reduce the free play by tightening the clamp bolt. More likely, you will need to replace both parts.

If the parts have previously been replaced, they may be the newer style. The shaft will be tapered and the arm will have a matching tapered hole. There will be a Woodruff key to keep the arm in position on the shaft. The arm will be held by a large nut on the bottom of the shaft. If the key is worn, a new key and tightening the nut may help. If necessary, you may be able to cut new keyways in another position or possilbly enlarge them for a bigger key.

You are both correct. I thought the bushing was between the shaft and the arm. I guess that it is in the housing just above the oil seal in the area between the red lines (see attached cross section). If that is the case, is this job doable working from underneath, or should I plan on removing the entire housing?

My steering arm (part 69438 which I think is the older style) does have notable up and down movement at the front of the arm and that is what I am trying to correct. I'll try to tighten the clamp bolt and see what happens, but since there is no bushing there, I suspect that more parts will be needed.

You have the correct location for the bushing. Try tightening the clamp bolt on the arm. You might get lucky. The real fix (really any other fix) is likely to require getting inside the steering gear box.

You should be able to tighten the bolt by cranking the steering completely to one side then reaching through the slot the arm sticks through with a socket on an extension. (I know this works with a Farmall A, not sure on the heavy duty axle.

If you need to go in deeper, you can remove parts from the bottom and leave the upper part of the steering housing attached to the tractor. Since you will be removing the front axle etc, you need to support the tractor at the bell housing. Be very careful with the blocking at the bell housing. You will be working under the tractor.

You nailed it Jim! I tried to tighten that bolt and found that it was stripped. I couldnt find a 2 1/4 fine thread replacement bolt, but did find a 2 1/2. For a couple of bucks I thought it was worth
a shot, although I was concerned because it is tight in there.

I was able to fit the bolt in and I tightened to what I thought was tight enough. The up and down play in the steering arm was nearly gone but there was still some. I looked up the recommended
torque for this size bolt and it was 55 lb-ft. So I torqued it to 55 lb-ft and it surprised me as to how much more I could tighten the bolt. When done, there is almost no up and down play in the
steering arm! I can feel some very slight wiggle in the shaft itself, so eventually I will need go in the box, but it is good for now.

Thanks again to everyone for their help