520H Steering Wheel Off Center

[Larry Greene 6]

The attached picture shows that the steering wheel on my 520H is off center when the front wheels are centered.  While mowing I bumped hard into a railroad retaining wall with my left front wheel more than once.  As a result of that impact I think that the upper steering column bevel gear lugs jumped over some lugs on the lower steering column fan gear, resulting in the steering wheel being off center. I looked at the mount that is attached to the frame that holds the gears in place and it is not loose and all of the gear lugs are good.  Since the steering wheel off center does not affect the steering of the tractor, I have not attempted to return the steering wheel to center. However, I just listed the tractor for sale in the Red Horse classified ads and I might center the steering wheel if fairly easy to do so.  If my assumption is correct, that is, the gears jumped lugs, does anyone have a suggestion how the steering wheel can be brought back to center?

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

Loosen the set screw in the thrust ring under the upper bushing on the steering shaft.    Then you should be able to bump the shaft up out of the fan gear and realign the wheel.

 

I would first check that the fan gear is centered when the wheels are straight ahead.    If not, something may be bent in the horizontal steering shaft.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Ed Kennell

[Larry Greene 6]

Thanks for the advice.  Does the set screw in the thrust collar seat into a hole in the steering column or just tight against the column?  Does the tension ring under thrust collar keep the thrust collar from slipping down the steering column when I loosen the set screw?  There are fourteen fan fear lugs.  With the front wheel straight ahead, there are five fan gear lugs showing to the left of the bevel gear and six fan gear lugs showing to the right of the bevel gear with the remaining three lugs obstructed from view by the bevel gear.  Do you think this will be close enough to center of the fan gear?

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

26 minutes ago, Larry Greene said:

Thanks for the advice.  Does the set screw in the thrust collar seat into a hole in the steering column or just tight against the column?

No hole , just tight against the column.

  Does the tension ring under thrust collar keep the thrust collar from slipping down the steering column when I loosen the set screw?

  What is this tension ring?   Can you post a picture?   The thrust ring is locked to the steering column with the set screw.   During reassembly, the thrust ring must be forced up tight against the flanged thrust bushing as the steering column is forced down tightly into the fan gear.

  There are fourteen fan fear lugs.  With the front wheel straight ahead, there are five fan gear lugs showing to the left of the bevel gear and six fan gear lugs showing to the right of the bevel gear with the remaining three lugs obstructed from view by the bevel gear.  Do you think this will be close enough to center of the fan gear?

Yes, it should be OK. 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

Just a reminder, if there is excess end play in either shaft,  the bevel and fan gear can become disengaged and jump a tooth.

 

The thrust collar holds the upper shaft down into the bearing block  and there is a cotter pin and washers that hold the lower shaft to the rear into the bearing block. Both of these can be adjusted to help keep the gears engaged.  If the holes are worn in the bearing block, the clearance must be restored by boring and installing bushings.

[Larry Greene 6]

There is a grip ring beneath the thrust collar that holding the collar in place along with the set screw.  The grip ring is identified as part #36 page #8 of the Toro 520H parts catalog at this link https://www.toro.com/getpub/3700.   I loosened the set screw in the thrust  collar and tried to move it downward in order to raise the steering column, but the thrust collar and grip ring will not move.  May be rusted to the steering column.  I sprayed some penetrating oil on the collar, but still won't move.  I don't want to pry the grip ring off of the steering column as it would likely fly off be impossible to reinstall.  Is the thrust collar more accessible if I remove the battery and tray?

[Handy Don 12,244]

#36 need not be removed. It is there as a "keeper" for #26, is not in a groove in the steering shaft, and can be carefully slid on the steering shaft with firm even pressure on opposite sides.  Lubricate before doing this, of course, and move it only enough to let the #26 collar slide down as well so the steering shaft can lift out of the bearing box enough to reset its position against the fan gear.

I find that access is sufficient by removing the console panels--never tried through battery, but whatever works best for you.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Handy Don

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I have a 175 and it's a different setup, no intermediate shaft.  I had no trouble centering my wheel by loosening the collar but there's no grip ring on mine. Removing the battery was a big help in my case.

 

You can probably loosen nut 52 and slide the intermediate shaft out, center everything up, and push the intermediate shaft back in.  Grain of salt required as I've never worked on a 520.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

Larry, I did not realize you had the reduction steering .    To recenter the wheel, could you just remove the nut # 52 and pull off the gear #49.      Center the steering wheel with the tires centered and slid the gear back on in the new position.   

 

Make sure all the bolts #20 that hold the bearing blocks are tight and not broken.    This could have allowed the front gear #49 to jump a tooth    

Edited February 6, 2021 by Ed Kennell

[Handy Don 12,244]

3 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

You can probably loosen nut 52 and slide the intermediate shaft out, center everything up, and push the intermediate shaft back in.

A good idea, there.

Note that that shaft's nut is crenelated and held with a cotter pin. It may need tightening anyway, as when its loose it can introduce play into the steering.

 

Edited February 6, 2021 by Handy Don

[Handy Don 12,244]

2 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Larry, I did not realize you had the reduction steering .    To recenter the wheel, could you just remove the nut # 50 and pull off the gear #49.      Center the steering wheel with the tires centered and slid the gear back on in the new position.   

 

Make sure all the bolts #20 that hold the bearing blocks are tight and not broken.    This could have allowed the front gear #49 to jump a tooth    

Another good idea.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

play into the steering.

 

Thrust washers could well be worn also.

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

4 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

nut # 50

 

Do you mean 52 Ed?

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

1 minute ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Do you mean 52 Ed?

Yes, thanks Jeff.   I'll edit my post.

[Handy Don 12,244]

And so this is how an off-center steering wheel spirals into a full-on go-through of the steering!

You can see now @Larry Greene how quickly and deeply the folks here can drill into an issue.

[Larry Greene 6]

I was just now able to center the steering wheel by removing the three bolts that hold the bracket in place that holds the thrust collar.  Then was able to lift the upper steering column, bracket and collars together and reposition the upper steering column bevel gears onto the fan gears, thus centering the steering wheel.  Time will tell if the steering column gears stay engaged and don't jump gears.. This is the first time I have used this forum to ask for guidance and it has been helpful.  So helpful in fact that I am going to create another forum topic to hopefully get some guidance on the hydraulic system that lifts and lowers the mower deck.  Seems to me to be slow to pressurize shortly after starting  the mower.  Thanks to everyone that provided suggestions on centering the steering wheel.

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

Great....thanks for letting us know.         The short answer on the slow lift.     Some of the Eaton 1100 transmissions lift immediately and some take several minutes to lift when very cold.

I have four  1100s .  2 lift right away and 2 need to warm up.     All four are strong trannys.      Wheel Horse actually published a bulletin stating "to prevent damage, the 1100s must be warmed up 10 minutes before using".

[Larry Greene 6]

Thanks Ed.  Do I need to somehow terminate this forum topic?

[Ed Kennell 38,249]

Nope, your fine.

[Lee1977 6,673]

What model 520 do you have? Looks like a 1988 or 1989 to me from what I can see.