stpaul

Member
i BOUGHT A 1850 WAS TOLD HARD STEERING
When picked up wheel turns easily in circles, tires do not turn is this the pump under dash?
 
That's not a pump under the dash, it's a hydra motor. The power steering runs off the main hydraulic pump. Sounds like you've got a problem with the priority valve down by your left heel.

I put a new hose on mine once and couldn't steer it after that. The guy who made it had the crimper set too high and crushed the tube inside the fitting so the oil couldn't pass. I'd pull the plugs out of the ends of that priority valve though and make sure there's no debris in the seat and no broken springs.
 
Hang on now. I've had my coffee and I'm starting to try to decipher what you said. So the steering wheel spins around but the front wheels don't turn?

If that's the case, could be anything from low hydraulic oil level to a broken steering arm or broken shaft in the cylinder. Do the hydraulics work? Pull the hydraulic dipstick under the front of the seat and check it. If mine gets too low, the steering wheel will turn but the wheels won't when I first start it up.
 

Anytime I hear "hard steering" Oliver I think someone got the hydraulics hot and smoked all the o rings. I'm a glass of negativity, I know, and for your sake, I hope it's something simple.
 

Have someone turn the steering wheel while you look underneath the front end.

Look closely at the pitman shaft.

Is the pitman shaft turning, but the sector arm not turning?

If so...........you might have stripped splines on either the sector arm, or pitman shaft. It's a collar arrangement held by a pinch bolt. If the bolt comes loose over time,, it will ruin the splines.

You can replace the pitman shaft with the cylinder in the tractor. I did it about 20yrs ago. PITA, but very doable. I can't remember, but I'm pretty sure all it took was removing the radiator to give access to the top of the cylinder.
 
If the steering wheel spins easy and keeps going, I'm going to say that the splines stripped where the shaft goes that the steering wheel attaches to the steering motor. I had that happen on our 1750 several years ago. I was able to get back home by pulling up on the steering wheel and it pulled the unworn splines up enough to engage and make it the 1/2 mile back to the shop. If there is SOME resistance I would say its either not enough oil getting to the steering motor, or the steering motor itself. If the wheel turns say 4 revolutions and stops, then you probably have an issue with the splines on the pitman arm up front, but it doesn't sound like that.
 
(quoted from post at 07:08:22 11/09/22) If the steering wheel spins easy and keeps going, I'm going to say that the splines stripped where the shaft goes that the steering wheel attaches to the steering motor. I had that happen on our 1750 several years ago. I was able to get back home by pulling up on the steering wheel and it pulled the unworn splines up enough to engage and make it the 1/2 mile back to the shop. If there is SOME resistance I would say its either not enough oil getting to the steering motor, or the steering motor itself. If the wheel turns say 4 revolutions and stops, then you probably have an issue with the splines on the pitman arm up front, but it doesn't sound like that.

You might be right.

When my pitman shaft went, it turned a few turns before grabbing, then would turn the wheels. As it wore further, it ate the case hardening on the bolt, hogged the bolt out, and began to spin freely.

I'm certain that the notch in the shaft, that allows the bolt to pass through the collar, was the only thing holding it enough to make the wheels turn. When the bolt wore almost completely through, it no longer grabbed the notch.

Be interesting to hear what OP's "hard steering" was, prior to him buying the tractor.
 
There was a design change in the late tractors. This winter when you are checking your tractor over make sure that bolt is very tight! They had a design change and a kit but I only changed one of them and that as over 40 years ago!
 

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