Accidentally pulled off Steering Wheel Shaft - as simple as it seems to reinstall?

[Alrashid2 171]

Hey guys, thanks for the help. I got tinkering and went too far... woops.

 

Noticed that my steering wheel had a lot of play. I don't mean in the fan gear, or the wheel itself, but in the shaft. I can wiggle it around. 

 

I got looking at it, and at the parts diagram, and saw there was a set screw (# 27) and realized that maybe the pieces holding the steering rack to the frame (#s 26 and 36) were just loose and needed tightened up.

 

Well, I loosened and accidentally pulled the entire shaft off the tractor! 

 

Looking at it, it appears the shaft's gear just sits in that hole that lets it contact the fan gear. I figured if I pulled it off that easy, it was just as easy to reinstall. I set the shaft back into the circular hole, so the gears were contacting each other, and then tightened up parts 26 and 36 together against the frame and tightened the set set #27. 

 

Did I screw up? Or am I back to business? She seems to steer fine, but it did sound like when turning back and forth there was a clicking... but maybe it was like that before and I just didn't notice...

 

On the plus side, it bothered me that my steering wheel was never centered when driving straight. By pure accident, when I reinstalled the shaft, I noticed I must have set it in slightly turned, as the steering wheel is perfectly centered now with the wheels aimed straight!

 

The shaft itself still wobbles but only side to side now, now pulling in and out, thanks to tightening up those components. It looks like the metal frame hole it sits in is just wallowed out, and that is what causes the side to side play. 

Edited November 19 by Alrashid2
Added photo

[Racinbob 11,115]

You're good to go. You figured out yourself how to reposition the steering wheel so it's straight. The shaft wobble is typical and not really hurting anything. You might minimize it with a new nylon bushing #24. I have replaced it with a flanged brass bushing on a couple of mine. I only do that when I have the tractor apart for other reasons. You have to remove the steering wheel to do that. If I go that far I replace the shaft collar #26 with a split collar to make future removal easier. 

[Pullstart 62,945]

Simple as that!  Like most everything Wheel Horse… simple, and tough!

[Alrashid2 171]

Thanks guys, wow I love these things! I wish my other engines and mechanical devices were this simple to work on...

[oliver2-44 9,787]

 

18 hours ago, Alrashid2 said:

Well, I loosened and accidentally pulled the entire shaft off the tractor! 

 

Did I screw up? Or am I back to business? 

For most of us steering wheel, rear hubs and other roll pin removal remove is a right of passage. They can require much effort, verbal coaxing, head banging, etc. You’re on a roll!

Go buy a lottery ticket