C-175 Steering stops on front axle

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I got my tie rods from Lowell today (thanks Lowell and Joetta!) and while installing them I noticed something that hadn't previously caught my eye.

 

The front axle has 'stops' against which the spindle arms come to rest at full lock. 

 

I noticed that when at full RIGHT, the right hand spindle are stops against the stop that is cast into the axle.

 

However, at full LEFT, the spindle arm never reaches the stop, but instead, the sector gear on the lower steering shaft stops by hitting the chassis.

 

What the heck?  Looking for the reason why, I notice that the LEFT stop is SHORTER than the RIGHT stop!  By approximately the amount that would be needed to allow the spindle arm to hit the stop instead of allowing the sector gear to hit the chassis.

 

What gives?  Why would one stop be shorter than the other?  There just HAS to be some reason for this!

 

Anyone got any clues?

 

 

 

LEFT side with sector gear bottomed on chassis.

 

 

 

 

Right side against stop, Sector gear at the end of travel, but not hitting chassis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by Jeff-C175
captioned pics

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

Oval track racing?Haha.Actually I don't have a clue.I never really noticed this on any of my Horses.

[ebinmaine 67,711]

I've noticed this on ours but not til after someone else pointed it out. 

 

I read that maybe it was to do with certain implements.... Mower deck?

 

 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I've noticed this on ours but not til after someone else pointed it out. 

 

I read that maybe it was to do with certain implements.... Mower deck?

 

 

 Thinking the same, but i would estimate it is more on Snowplow or Snowblower.👍

[953 nut 55,344]

        Could be the left tie rod needs to be adjusted a bit longer and the right one shortened the same amount.

[ebinmaine 67,711]

10 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

        Could be the left tie rod needs to be adjusted a bit longer and the right one shortened the same amount.

But why would the bump stops be 2 different sizes?

[Racinbob 11,100]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I've noticed this on ours but not til after someone else pointed it out. 

 

I read that maybe it was to do with certain implements.... Mower deck?

 

 

 

That's pretty close. Years ago (decades) the tire would rub when it was turned all the way right. I don't remember what it would rub on but I'm thinking it was the old style PTO. Initially the bumps were the same until they discovered the rubbing issue so they fixed it by enlarging the right bump. I'm not sure if it remained an issue on the later styles but apparently they let it be as is. 

[Racinbob 11,100]

Thinking back some more it may have been the snow blade angle adjust rod. 

Edited December 12, 2020 by Racinbob

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I've noticed this on ours but not til after someone else pointed it out. 

 

I read that maybe it was to do with certain implements.... Mower deck?

 

 

 

Ya know, that could be it.

 

I wonder if it allows that little bit of extra clearance when sliding the mower deck under the tractor?

 

I bet it is...

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

9 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

 

That's pretty close. Years ago (decades) the tire would rub when it was turned all the way right. I don't remember what it would rub on but I'm thinking it was the old style PTO. Initially the bumps were the same until they discovered the rubbing issue so they fixed it by enlarging the right bump. I'm not sure if it remained an issue on the later styles but apparently they let it be as is. 

 

Interesting...  I've noticed that when turned full lock left that the tire could (probably would) rub the left frame rail of the plow frame.

 

Curious why they wouldn't just change both sides.  I like symmetry! 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

9 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Ya know, that could be it.

 

I wonder if it allows that little bit of extra clearance when sliding the mower deck under the tractor?

 

I bet it is...

 

I think you’re right.

When i think on my 212 inserting or removing the Mower deck, that could be definitely the reason. 👍

 

Each time i removed the deck i forgot firstly about that and fiddeling arround. 🤪

when i put steering to fully left it‘s easy to remove or insert.

[ebinmaine 67,711]

10 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Curious why they wouldn't just change both sides

My assumption there is that they wanted to leave one side as sharp as possible to facilitate easier removal of mid mount implements and also keep one direction turning as tight a circle as possible.  

[ebinmaine 67,711]

Tight left turn gives the ability to turn sharper around objects such as trees or whatever while mowing. 

[ebinmaine 67,711]

24 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

Thinking back some more it may have been the snow blade angle adjust rod. 

Agreed. 

Now that I think about it the oversized tires on Cinnamon hit harder on the right. 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

56 minutes ago, Tractorhead said:

easy to remove or insert.

 

I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this, and it's probably mentioned elsewhere, but I always keep two pieces of large corrugated cardboard on hand.  What I do is lay one on the floor and drive the machine over it.  A second smaller piece goes under the deck.  Lower the deck, detach, and slide it right out on the second piece of cardboard.  SOOOOO much easier than sliding the deck on concrete!

Edited December 12, 2020 by Jeff-C175

[Racinbob 11,100]

Turning the wheel to the left definitely does give a bit more clearance when putting a deck on or off but remember, they increased the size of the right stop. The left was always short. I have to think way back to the early 60's and that's not easy since I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. I do remember the wheel would even bind up a bit on a hard right. It sometimes took a little yank to free it up. 

 

I have the snow blade in my 2005 Classic and I just went out to look at it. The stops are still the same with the longer on the right. Full turn left and there's about 1 1/4" clearance to the plow frame. Full turn right and it clears the angle rod by about the same amount. Considering that, at that point, the rod is outside of the frame that makes sense. 

[Tractorhead 9,064]

 

It seems this was a decision for more than one option or addon.