RJ Steering Roll Pin Installation

[Lane Ranger 12,122]

I am in the process of selling/trading an RJ and four wheel wheel horse wagon to Ken McKendree in southern Indiana.   You Red Square/Wheel Horse Collector’s guys will remember Ken as the guy that sold many sets of wide rear wheels for  Wheel Horses that he brought to several Big Gettysburg  Shows when he lived in Evansville, Indiana.

 

 

Anyhow in prepping the RJ for trade i encountered a problem!   My RJ front steering fell apart!

 

 

yes the roll pin came out of the steering block snd i could not turn the front wheels!

 

 

Well i have replaced steering rods, blacks etc several times before but that was several years ago and I have slept a few times since.

 

I was under the RJ looking and trying to figure out how i was going to be able to get that 3/16. X 1 3/4  roll or tension pin in that block with only about two inches clearance between the RJ angle iron frame and yhe pin started in the block!

 

 

Well under the tractor which i lifted about 15 inches in front with a jack.  I thought about using channel locks and squeezing it into the block.  No go on that one.

 

My next move was to attempt to use a punch to move the pin in the block.   But no clearance due to position of the left tire and wheel.

 

Then it hit me,  I finally recalled how the tension pin could be installed fairly quickly and easily ( and must have been installed by Wheel Horses) !  You have to remove the left front tire ( left as sitting behind the steering wheel) !  You then move the front axle to far left ( sitting behind wheel) with your hands or with steering wheel if you were able to get the tension pin started in the steering block ( and you do have to align steering block hole with holes on the steering rod/column.  
 

 

 

THIS WORKS WELL:

 

 

With this alignment in front you have adequate space to place a punch ( several different kinds should work- I used a round end that was about 3/8 or more.   I had enough contact with the pin to hammer three tomes with a ball peen hammer.     My pics attached show some of the work.

 

 

 

 

 

[ri702bill 13,111]

IF you have access, using a drill bit about .010 smallet than the hole from the backside to align the block & shaft prior to having the pin engage the shaft takes the fishing part out easily... IF you have the room. Get the pin thru the first side of the block, into the shaft & pull the drill bit out...