Steering has 45 degrees freedom - 1948 Cub

[FarmallCubGal]

Hi All

The steering wheel has a good 45 degree play in it before the gears move the tie rods. Most of the time the wheels run straight, but when I run her at top speeds the wheels wobble badly. Is this a gears issue or a nut adjustment issue? I don't want to disassemble the steering box, etc, if there is another adjustment i could try first. Thanks!!

[Slim140]

Check the nuts on the bottom of the gear box. Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. If you can loosen the bolt, tighten the nut on the bottom then tighten the bolt that MAY help a lot.

[Urbish]

You can also pull the two bolts where the steering shaft enters the box, remove the steering shaft, and reinstall it clocked 180 degrees out. That MAY help. Some folks open up the steering box and do the same with the gear. Tractors are running straight ahead for 99% of their life thus the gears will wear in that position. Reclocking the gears puts new unworn faces in contact when driving straight ahead.

[Eugene]

Have someone sit in the operator's seat and slowly turn the steering wheel. Observer the entire steering mechanism to see where the "slop" is located. Could be several different locations.

One problem area on early Cub is the spindle and steering arm which is held together with a tapered pin. Frequently the pin breaks and wallows out the spindle.

[Bob McCarty]

I would start with the castellated nut shown above. Here's a link to a "how to" by Ralph that simplifies the process:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56212&p=463137&hilit=Steering#p463137

[FarmallCubGal]

Thanks all - for the suggestions!

Is the "castellated nut" the one with the cotter pin on top?

[Glen]

Hi,
Chipmaker's pic is of a Cub that was apart. The casting is upside down in his pic. The parts in the pic are under the Cub, where the arm comes out of the steering gear.

Here is a page from the Cub parts manual showing the steering gear. The arm is number 25 in the pic, the nut is number 29.
The nuts I have seen have castellations, so you can only put the cotter key in after turning it part of a turn. Chipmaker's nut in his pic is a regular nut, it looks like, it looks new, so he probably replaced it, not sure though.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/cub_ ... 005-02.jpg


One place that the first few years of Cubs can get steering play is the 2 steering arms at the right and left ends of the front axle. Originally, they are held on with setscrews to the spindle shafts.
The setscrews have tapered ends, and fit into tapered holes in the shafts. The tapered ends of the setscrews and the holes wear over time, because some of them were not kept tight.
The setscrews needed tightening to prevent wear.
Here are pics of it at TM Tractor, if you haven't seen them.

http://www.tmtractor.com/tm-tractor/gst ... lb_001.htm

They have new setscrews also. The 2nd one is fine thread, IH changed to fine thread in 1950 and 1951, it says in the listing.
After the serial number shown in the 2nd listing, they quit using the setscrews.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/st/563fp.htm

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/st/487fp.htm

Some front axles have been replaced, so check for coarse or fine threads before buying.

[Matt Kirsch]

"Castellated" meaning "looks like a castle." So yes, the nut with the cotter pin through it.

Once you remove the cotter pin, it looks like the top of a stereotypical medieval castle tower.

[BIGHOSS]

Don't forget, before trying to turn the castle nut the 3/8 bolt that shows in Chipmaster's pic has to be loosened. It acts as a clamp. If you skip this step, the castle nut will turn very little. Don't ask how I know this.
Also, if the castle nut needs to be tightened, the steering arm will have up and down slop.

[Glen]

Hi,
When adjusting the nut on the steering gear shaft, I would recommend jacking up the Cub in the center, under the front axle, so there is no weight on the front wheels, the tires just barely off the ground. Then you can turn the steering wheel easily from side to side, and check for binding.
When I adjusted that, it was easy to get the nut too tight, then the steering binds. I could not turn the nut down tight, it had to be loose slightly.

[FarmallCubGal]

Great suggestions! Thanks!