Steering gear adjustment

[Team70R 157]

How do you adjust the steering gear? My 606 will only turn right!? Can't turn left because it runs out of splines

-Wes 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,102]

Here is the manual with parts list.

 

Remove the cotter pin and shims from the rear of the lower steering shaft #34. See if you can push the lower shaft forward enough that the gear teeth will clear each other. You may need to loosen or remove the 2 bolts holding the support casting #28 to the frame so the gears will clear. Center the steering wheel and front wheels/tires and then mesh the gears back together. The fan gear should end up straight up so left and right turns are equal. Add enough shims at the rear of the lower shaft to pull it back so the gears are very close to tight through a full left to right turn. You need to end up with a few thousandths clearance between the gear teeth through the full travel so they don't break in use. Reinstal the cotter pin and add grease.

Check the bushing #29 in the cast support for excessive wear which may be causing some of your problem.

 

Garry

 

[Ed Kennell 38,687]

Garry, If I may, I would add to loosen the set screw in the thrust collar on the upper shaft and tap it up as you push down on the steering wheel, and then tighten the set screw.

I suspect wear in the upper bushing and tower parts may allow the gears to jump when turning hard.

[Team70R 157]

Then do i adjust the tie rods to set the wheel alignment?

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,102]

16 minutes ago, Team70R said:

Then do i adjust the tie rods to set the wheel alignment?

You can do that first if they are adjustable. Most are not. Give it a 1/16" - 1/8" toe-in which is the front closer than the rear of the tire.

 

Garry

[bmsgaffer 2,045]

I believe that I have read here that a batch of steering fan gear assemblies made it out of the factory not welded straight (the steering fan gear should be 180 degrees from the front steering triangle). If you just cannot get it adjusted, this may be your problem. If this is the case it can be cut and re-welded or obtain a new one.

 

Also, I dont know what years they started welding the fan gear to the lower shaft, but yours may be attached with a roll pin and if its wallowed out or someone re drilled it it could be way off center. 

[Team70R 157]

Okay yeah I slide the lower shaft forward to try and center the fan gear but when I did that the wheels are turned. So it looks like the fan gear isn't in the correct orientation on the lower shaft. I will try to get a pic tonight 

[clem 28]

My 1978 c161 has the same problem, fan gear not oriented properly before welding. It has more travel to the left than it does to the right.

[ericj 1,578]

most of the Wheel Horse tractors I have driven have had some difference between the left and right turn radius.just not enough to make a big difference or to worry about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

eric j 

[Team70R 157]

I think I'll just get used to it and deal with it!!

[953 nut 55,847]

3 hours ago, clem said:

It has more travel to the left than it does to the right.

Must be one of the NASCAR models, those stock car drivers are generally turning left!      

[JAinVA 4,623]

Are you sure it wasn't the Indy model?

[Team70R 157]

13 minutes ago, JAinVA said:

Are you sure it wasn't the Indy model?

Well we just bent the "tie rod"... which was a piece of 1/8" all thread the previous owner had cobbled together.. gives me a good reason to fix the problem now 

[cleat 6,363]

You mean 3/8" rod ?

 

I used that on my one 520 that has the non-swept axle.

 

So far it has not bent but I only use that machine for mowing and tilling.

 

[Team70R 157]

No its 1/4". The previous owner had no business even messing with it. I'll take a pic when I get home. It's a mangled mess 

[Team70R 157]

[cleat 6,363]

Yes, that is bad.

 

I guess it sort of works.

Likely some new MTD's come similar to that.

 

I did this. Could be made stronger but so far it works.

 

 

Hard part is finding fine thread rod.

 

Cleat

[Team70R 157]

I'm gonna do that! Found everything I need online for $27 plus shipping.

[Howie 892]

The tie rods on my 69 Raider twelve are like the ones above. Have been on there about 20 years. Probably be better if 

they were bigger diameter but has worked.