518H Steering slippage

[muz123 1,182]

When turning the 518 to the extreme left, the steering wheel doesn't just stop, it will continue to turn and the small gear at the end of the steering column will slip against the larger flat steering gear. It makes a loud "click" noise as the gear teeth pushed the flat gear back slightly then slips against the flat gear teeth. Gear teeth look good on both sides. Turning extreme right is fine and the steering wheel stops.

 

Could it be the flat gear is slightly deformed on one side? Or is there an adjustment

 

Thanks,

Dave

[squonk 38,844]

Your steering support block is either worn (hole the shaft goes into) or is broken. There is a shim under the fan gear where the shaft to the front mounts. it's all held together with a cotter pin. You could try adding a thin shim to tighten the gear clearance if the hole in the support is wallowed out.

Edited October 1, 2017 by squonk

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Back when I owned my 1990 520-H, I had the same problem and the pictures show the old one while I was attempting to adjust it. That was the one year that had the swept front axle but not the steering reduction. The larger tires on the front probably added to the wear. It was only cured by replacing the steering block. A majority of original owners fail to grease this one zerk fitting due to the fact on some tractors it is really tucked away.and then the hole for the steering shaft gets wallowed out. Even though the steering shaft gear was worn, replacing the steering block was sufficient. Either drill the steering block to accept a sleeve bushing, or replace the block.

 

Instead of using the cotter pin, I used a 3/4" locking collar with a set screw. I could never get the slack out by using the cotter pin.

 

 

 

[squonk 38,844]

Speaking of greasing that block. I recently bumped the foundation of my house with a 520 frt. tire. Popped the gears all out of wack. Took it all apart and added a shim. Went to grease the block and let’s just say I got more grease on my hand than in the block. That’s with a new fitting in the block. I ended up taking the dash trim off my and applied grease directly on the gear teeth. What a difference It made with the steering effort. 

[muz123 1,182]

I replaced the washers with one thicker one and replaced the cotter pin and seems to work great.