cleat 6,728 #1 Posted April 6, 2016 I now have all of my 520's upgraded to ball bearings on the steering shafts. Steering effort is reduced and side to side and up and down play is virtually eliminated. I just enlarged the holes to 1-3/8 using a hole saw in a drill press then pressed the bearing into place. Bearing is simply a Wheel Horse front wheel bearing 1-3/8" OD by 3/4" ID. I use sealed bearings to keep out dust and dirt. I have enclosed pictures of both early and later style bearing holder designs. 11 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phatboy 565 #2 Posted April 6, 2016 You will have to come to my house and do mine also Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,648 #3 Posted April 6, 2016 How is the bearing secured in the holder? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleat 6,728 #4 Posted April 6, 2016 It is a press fit into the holder and is also held securely also by the collar on the steering shaft just like the original bushing. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
new horse 44 #5 Posted April 7, 2016 when your done doing Phatboy's, come on down to rural central ILLinois and do mine too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vixmith 25 #6 Posted April 9, 2016 Cleat, This is a great fix/upgrade. My earlier C-160 and C-175A had some grease fittings on these bushings that were impossible to reach. Non on my 520-H. The steering shaft has way too much play and I was gonna figger out how to fix it.. You have provided the fix. Did you do anything with the bearings further along the steering linkage? Thanx BuKu, VGS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleat 6,728 #7 Posted April 9, 2016 (edited) The only thing I have done is to drill out the steering block on the non reduction steering units and press in brass bushings drilled for grease to pass in from the fitting. The gear reduction tractor just go everything shimmed and adjusted the best I could. Front bushing on the front of the steering shaft between the front wheels I replaced with a new Toro unit but I suppose a pillow block bearing might be an upgrade there as well. Some play might also be noticed if front axle kingpin is worn. I made up new ones and the axles are now nice and tight. Front axle pin plans.pdf Heavy duty tie rods on the 520's seem to stay tight and other than cleaning and painting, nothing else has been done. Light duty tie rods on other Wheel Horses I make up my own using these ends and so far they have held up well. Edited April 11, 2016 by cleat 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peter lena 8,877 #8 Posted April 6, 2020 cleat , like your transformation , as you are aware ,anytime you want to improve something , you have to work on it , rarely is it a bolt in . having said that , in making a change it has always helped overall in the operation of the tractor , and as you have found out , that will get you to the next " improvement " , thanks for the feed back , pete Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
