pre 1963 round hood steering question

[JUSS10 250]

ok so i am getting a 603 ready to take to my brother in law down in NC. I used to alternate between that tractor and an 854 for mowing the lawn. it always seemed like the 854 had a tighter turning radius than the 603. is this due to the wider or axle, or is it due to the the steering arms on top of the spindles not being perpendicular to the front axle like the spindles on the 63 and 64 models had? one wheel turns tighter than the other on the 603. i know the later model front axle wont fit the frame on the 603 but i pulled the steering arms off a 64 model axle and was wondering if i swapped these on if it would help... maybe I'm crazy i just know i couldn't mow as tightly around trees with the 603 as i could with the 854...

thanks

Justin

[littleredrider 409]

I noticed the same thing on my 854 and the 63 ranger. It's in the spindle and stops I think. Ranger is tiny, the turning radius sucks, the 520 I think turns tighter...

[CasualObserver 3,411]

I don't know if it would all fit, but it requires more than just the tie rods and steering arms. The 603 "should" (if original) have only one tie rod, and a flat drag link going over to the opposite wheel. There's only one point to mount a tie rod to. If you were going to try changing it out, it would require also changing out at least the front end of the lower steering shaft so you would be able to place a tie rod going out to each side as well. Not sure if those parts are interchangeable... never looked. That tighter turning radius was one of the benefits of the continuously evolving tractors of the early 60s that came in 63 on the 633/653/753 models. The Lawn Ranger and 603 used the older style steering.

[JUSS10 250]

yes you are correct, but my intention was to replace the drag length with a new longer one (looks to just be a piece of 1/4" flat stock thats an inch wide) then take the arms off the spindles of a latter model. shouldn't have to change the one tie rod or steering shaft that way....

[CasualObserver 3,411]

You'd likely have to take the steering arms and the matching spindles if you wanted to try it. I think the roll pins in those two different styles were drilled at different angles.

Edit.... ooh... but then you run into the fact that the 603 spindles are straight up and down, and the later design is at an angle. Whatever... no harm in trying it. :hide: