Steering Column Collar

[ANTPER 207]

Have a 1990 312 with the plastic steering column collar that sits below the steering wheel.  Trying to figure out What's missing to keep that collar fastened to the dash board. I don't have any holes that screws would be in to fasten or keep it in place. It moves around and doesn't stay in place. Thanks.

 

Anthony

[Moparfanforever 854]

There are plastic ribs inside the sleeve that fit tight to the column that wear down after years of use. The sleeve is supposed to fit close to the steering wheel to help keep it tight, all of mine has washers to help shim it. Not sure if it is still available from Toro. 

 

I read before someone used a piece of pvc pipe over the column, but it was small and didn't look right. 

 

I have some i need to fix, but haven't figured out a good way to do it. 

 

Anyone have a fix??

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,070]

https://www.partstree.com/models/31-12ke01-312-h-toro-garden-tractor-1990/front-axle-and-steering-3/

[ANTPER 207]

8 minutes ago, Moparfanforever said:

There are plastic ribs inside the sleeve that fit tight to the column that wear down after years of use. The sleeve is supposed to fit close to the steering wheel to help keep it tight, all of mine has washers to help shim it. Not sure if it is still available from Toro. 

 

I read before someone used a piece of pvc pipe over the column, but it was small and didn't look right. 

 

I have some i need to fix, but haven't figured out a good way to do it. 

 

Anyone have a fix??

So Sounds like I should take steering wheel off and add more shims to keep it tight against dash? Or buy a new collar 

[Moparfanforever 854]

Most of the trouble is with the plastic ribs in the sleeve wear down and they do not fit tight on the column. 

 

The sleeve just slips over the column. If you take your steering wheel off, you will see how it fits. 

 

If you figure out a fix, please let us know!!

[ANTPER 207]

1 hour ago, Moparfanforever said:

Most of the trouble is with the plastic ribs in the sleeve wear down and they do not fit tight on the column. 

 

The sleeve just slips over the column. If you take your steering wheel off, you will see how it fits. 

 

If you figure out a fix, please let us know!!

Taking the wheel off involves knocking drift pin out? And I'll need a puller for steering wheel?

[oliver2-44 9,787]

53 minutes ago, ANTPER said:

Taking the wheel off involves knocking drift pin out? And I'll need a puller for steering wheel?

Successfully removing a WH steering wheel is a badge of WH passage. Especially if you don’t go crazy doing it. 
To remove the roll pin soak it and the top center shaft multiple days, weeks with a good penetrant. Then brace the wheel with something solid to a solid wall or post. Use a quality roll pin punch towel to avoid flaring end of pin.  Sometimes I’ve had better luck drilling the roll pin out with a carbide masonry drill.  
The plastic wheel hub is not strong enough to pull on with a puller and the p

lower plastic collar prevents getting a bearing separator under the small steel collar. So your left with continuing to soak it with penetrant and hand pluming twisting the wheel. 
Some of us have decided that little rattling plastic collar isn’t that bad of a nuisance after all 

 

 

Edited November 1 by oliver2-44

[WHX?? 48,853]

Yes and most likely yes. Steering wheel removal can involve a bit of french and is a rite of passage. Start soaking it in your favorite penetrant. Even the roll pin can cause great pains. If you get lucky with both go buy a lotto ticket. 

Ollie's got faster fingers ...

Edited November 1 by WHX??

[Mickwhitt 4,647]

I don't recall how I got mine off now.

 

But it was no picnic, wrestling with it because you can't use a puller.

 

It had a hole drilled down through the centre boss so that penetrative oil could be pumped in and left to soak down into the steering shaft. 

 

I did have to turn the wheel in my largest lathe to true the rim and tidy up the boss. 

 

I then made an ornamental aluminium centre cap to keep the rain out.

 

There was no collar into the dash, just a thick walled tube to cover the top portion of the steering shaft. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Moparfanforever 854]

On the older tractors where the steering shaft goes all the way through the steering wheel and has the nut and the roll pin holding it on can be a real pain to get off the steering shaft. I think they had a nut on them?? Been awhile since I took one off.

 

On the newer tractors, the steering wheel is sealed up and there is no nut on the shaft. The steering shaft does not go all the way through the wheel and the only thing holding it to the shaft is the roll pin. 

 

On these newer tractors and steering wheels i have had good luck getting the roll pin out. The first few hard whacks with a heavy hammer and a good punch should knock it loose.

 

Once you get the roll pin out, there will probably be some rust on the shaft and the steering wheel, but moving the steering wheel back and forth and it should come off. The steering wheels i have taken off haven't been rusted so bad where they wouldn't come off.

 

Sorry for the long winded post!! 

[953 nut 55,393]

8 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Some of us have decided that little rattling plastic collar isn’t that bad of a nuisance after all

Doing that much work for a minor gain IF things go right on a task that has a high probability of failure is not my idea of fun.

[peter lena 8,653]

@ANTPER  have used PVC  PIPING , for that , also use similar to snug that up , added a 2 bolt pillow block bearing , back of dash  mount area , that back of dash area , is a great place to improve things , like pto lever start , grounding , cable start function , point . pete 

[ANTPER 207]

23 minutes ago, peter lena said:

 

Thanks for the input Gentlemen. You have all done a great job of talking me out of tackling this repair and ruining myself mentally and physically. Haha. Great info. I'm gonna evaluate the task at hand.

 

Anthony

[JCM 9,215]

Good Luck  @ANTPER

[pfrederi 17,743]

Easier Fix

 

Drill a couple holes just above the steering column hole. Hold the plastic sleeve in proper place run two sheet metal screws in to it.

 

 

[Lee1977 6,682]

Is it just the plastic cover on the steering  wheel are does the sterring wheel move back and forth?

There is a problem built in to the 300 and 400 series the bushing wears a larger hole in the hood stand and then the wheel isn't fixed in place.

This is what I did to my 312 I had a good used 6472 flang bearing that i bolted in place. Even if it is just the plastic sleeve I would fix this area while I had it appart.

[ANTPER 207]

4 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

Is it just the plastic cover on the steering  wheel are does the sterring wheel move back and forth?

There is a problem built in to the 300 and 400 series the bushing wears a larger hole in the hood stand and then the wheel isn't fixed in place.

This is what I did to my 312 I had a good used 6472 flang bearing that i bolted in place. Even if it is just the plastic sleeve I would fix this area while I had it appart.

It does move back and forth. But if that collar stayed in place it will greatly stop the excessive movement and the collar sliding down out of place.