steering play

[Lt.Mike]

Had a little time to think about the excessive front wheel wobble in my '46 "A" this evening. I checked the arm that bolts to the steering box and it appears tight. Moving the steering shaft while looking and feeling for movement where the arm clamps showed me that the slop is inside the box. The wheel has as much as a 1/3rd turn of free play.
Anyone have an idea of a good way to fix this?
Anyone have a tight steering box thy care to part with?
BTW this is an International A1 with the square axle. Not sure if there is a difference in the steering box.
Mike.
PS- this tractor is a huge help with hauling away the downed trees from the storm.
Not sure how I'd have got done what I did without it.

[ScottyD'sdad]

Is the steering box similar to a cub? if it is, you can rotate the steering gear, to expose unused teeth. (Only about 1/3 of the gear is actually used. Ed

[Lt.Mike]

Thats interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that, thanks.

[Boss Hog]

the steering gear is pie shaped you can not do it like a cub. most likely the key has worn, you can weld it up as the parts are about $450 to replace the shaft and gear

[raystractors]

Those steering boxes have bearings in the top side that do go bad. They are not easy to remove, but if it is as bad as you say then it may be easier. The bearing is attached to the shaft with a ring, which keeps the shaft from moveing up and down.

[Boss Hog]

The top bearing is held in place in the casting with 3 bolts. You would do well to get a manual
Boss

[raystractors]

I will attach a pic of the page where the steering gear, and other parts are located in the parts manual. I hope that this will help with your problem. I would also check the bearing on the steering worm shaft #10, they also can cause play in the steering. #17 is the one that I was refering to first post.

Attachments

[Lt.Mike]

Thanks for your responses. That gives me an idea of what I'm in for.
If the key is wiped out the gear it engages probably is too.
The wobble is only a problem when in 4th gear which isn't that often.
I'm going to hold off for now before tearing into it and maybe disabling the tractor for a time while I work on it.
Hurricane Sandy tore our property up pretty good and the "A" is really helping in hauling the downed trees.
I'm so glad I grabbed iy when I did. Its a work horse.
I'll make a search on ebay for a manual, maybe on disk or DVD.

[raystractors]

If you were not so far away, I would loan you the steering sector that I have laying in my shop. Good luck with the cleanup, I know that it is a bad job

[tractordad]

My super AV was pretty bad when I first got it. The was a little up and down play on the steering arm that attaches to the tie rods. I was able to pull the cotter pin, snug up the castled nut, and replace the cotter pin. All with out removing any parts. I turned the steering all the way to the right or left, Just can't remember which way. I did also jack the front wheels off the ground front and had it on a set of jack stands. It made a world of difference.

[Boss Hog]

With the free play in the steering he has the keyway is worn and the slot wallered out I bet and most likely the bearings are shot, there is a kit on e bay from time to time for about $70 with all the seals , bearings and gaskets, weld up the other or spend $400 plus more for the shaft and gear.
Boss

[tractordad]

With the free play in the steering he has the keyway is worn and the slot wallered out I bet and most likely the bearings are shot, there is a kit on e bay from time to time for about $70 with all the seals , bearings and gaskets, weld up the other or spend $400 plus more for the shaft and gear.
Boss

Boss,

I must agree that there is a high probability that the bearing may be shot. My steering arm was loose and was lucky enough the have an easy fix. I also believe the tapered steering shaft on my tractor help snug everything up.

Gary

[Lt.Mike]

With the free play in the steering he has the keyway is worn and the slot wallered out I bet and most likely the bearings are shot, there is a kit on e bay from time to time for about $70 with all the seals , bearings and gaskets, weld up the other or spend $400 plus more for the shaft and gear.
Boss

Thanks Boss, you wouldn't happen to know the Ebay item # by chance? I'll look for it when I get home later.
The only part about a job like this that worries me is losing time to snapped bolts. I wouldn't anticipate this taking very long if everything comes apart the way it should but this thing has been together for 66 years.

The clean up on my property will just take time. I'll have a few extra days off this week to get some of that done. Got to go over the Lo-Boy and make sure its ready for plowing. Already got caught unprepared with the noreaster that dumped a foot of snow on us last week.
At least with it being early the temps came back up and it melted pretty quickly.
The huricane and noreaster dropped a lot of big trees that I can't replace in my life time. The snow fell on trees that were still full of leaves and snapped most in half under the weight some 50' up. Alot of my dogwoods suffered that fate and a monster tulip tree flattened my Bayliner bowrider boat. Not sure if the homeowners will pick that up and I may have to eat that but I still consider myself very lucky.
The bottom line of it all is though my house may be a little roughed up ... I still have one.

Oh ya on a side note, that 12x20 shelter logic shed I got from tractor supply made it through the huricane ok. A tree fell catching the corner pipe kinking it and a couple sticks poked small holes in the roof which could have been fixed with duct tape. I had secured it down with ratchet straps hooked to the tractors. I was quite impressed to see how it made it through. We had winds hitting 120mph.
Then came the snow which was another story. I went out three times in that evening and bumped the snow off with a push broom from inside. That was a bit hair rasing as all the while I heard limbs cracking and snapping all around me.
I called it a night when the snow all but stopped, needed some sleep as I had to report into work the next morning.
The next day I found a hole in the roof big enough to drop a cat through and another split that gave way under the weight of the snow.
Oh well, harbor frieght sells tarps right.
Mike

[tractordad]

Bearings and bushings are EBAY Item # 110837583368 I believe you may need to check on your ser # for proper fit. Double check with the seller. This may fit both styles of steering but I am not sure. Depending on the wear and if your pin style and if the pin and it's junk, you'll need this: Item # 230625996637 or this: Item # 370513255873 Lastly, if the gear is toast, you'll need to look for one of these. Item # 221136659885. I AM NOT recommending you buy this particular gear from this seller or for that matter, any of these parts. This is just an example of what you may need.

See page 178 179 of this link for parts breakdown and reference

http://www.farmallcub.com/fcman/files/S ... rt%202.pdf

[Boss Hog]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110837583368?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1
That is the correct one I believe OOPS I thought you had a 140


Boss

Last edited by Boss Hog on Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.