Sprocket 48 #1 Posted July 8, 2015 So there's a lot of slop in the steering and I'd like to tighten things up. The slop ads up to about 5 degrees of turn without moving the wheels.I think the biggest offender is at the rack & pinion gears. The tie rods seem to bee OK but there is play at the outside. The steering wheel shaft has some play up and down and I don't think there are any bushings at the dashboard, not sure about the bottom end. The rack shaft has play side to side but seems OK up and down.Are there any options besides new tie rods for getting things tighter? I think even bushings would keep the shafts from slopping around the mounts would help.Any suggestions are welcome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slammer302 2,154 #2 Posted July 8, 2015 the shaft that the fan gear is connected to you can add a shim to it and it will push the gears closer together and take up sum slop. What model wheel horse you have? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,043 #3 Posted July 8, 2015 Yea, model will help us a lot. Steering changed a bit over the years.To be honest, 5° of slop isnt too bad... you might not be able to work that out unless you replace most of the steering joints and bushing/shim everything you can.When I bought my 854 I had more than 30° of steering slop! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,230 #4 Posted July 8, 2015 I know some threads exist on this topic if you do a search...not only search here in "Tractors" but search in the "Restorations" section also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,159 #5 Posted July 8, 2015 Yeah, really need a model ----And I agree that 5 degrees isnt much at all, I kinda doubt that that would be attainable. I just finished 2 C models with the fan gear and I tinkered with both of them a good bit replacing bushings, tie rods and adding the shims like mentioned, and about the best I could get was about 20-25 +/- degrees - which was a great improvement over what they were!The shimming and the bushings sounds like a good choice for you, since your tierods seem OK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian01 481 #6 Posted July 8, 2015 the shaft that the fan gear is connected to you can add a shim to it and it will push the gears closer together and take up sum slop. What model wheel horse you have? i agree, add a shim Hey looky there...I'm a Red Square supporter now! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sprocket 48 #7 Posted July 8, 2015 Sorry - forgot to include the model. It's a 607 with a few other problems I'm addressing as I can - the Teccy carb for one... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,043 #8 Posted July 8, 2015 Smokes man, if you have a 607 with only 5° of play I think you are doing better than factory!But yea, just make sure the fan gear is shimmed as close as possible to the pinion on the pivot point. Also check for ovaling of the spots where the pinion and the fan gear shaft rotate in. You can either replace the parts or get clever with bushings like some have on here. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,938 #9 Posted July 8, 2015 There is a service bulletin on replacing the roll pins at the spindles and steering shaft 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coadster32 793 #10 Posted July 9, 2015 See if there is a locking collar on the steering shaft. Sometimes you can adjust the position of it and take out some of the play/slop in it. Also what Squonk had mentioned is a very good point. The roll pin holes in the spindles can get played out over time. Drilling bigger with new pins took out a lot of slop on my tractor as well. (I drilled slightly bigger, and made custom pins for this). 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelHorse79 271 #11 Posted July 9, 2015 Yeah, the fan gear on my 854 had a lot of slop where it mounted on the steering shaft. The roll pin was the culprit. I took the fan gear and shaft to a welder and now there is no more slop! I do think a little slop may be desirable on non-power steering tractors to lessen kick-back and shock through the steering wheel when hitting bumps, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sprocket 48 #12 Posted July 9, 2015 I think I found part of the issue - see the attached pictures. The bottom locking collar looks to have some room, the set screw is stuck atm but I've hit it with PB and will try again later. Is there anything in there that heat would hurt? I could try heat & wax or just heat and hope it pops, at least it's not stripped.The top collar looks to have a large roll pin - is this correct? No allen wrenches fit and grab.The shaft with the fan gear has some wiggle room at the rear - might be a worn bushing, egged out hole or worn shaft. The front end seems to be snug overall.Thanks for the help and comments Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coadster32 793 #13 Posted July 11, 2015 Lock collars are typically set screws, but thru years of possible alterations, can't rule anything out. Sometimes et screws get so beat up, no allen wrench will work. As far as heat goes....watch the gas tank!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,938 #14 Posted July 11, 2015 If you can get that lower collar loose you will be able to pull the shaft up to get a bearing serarator behind the wheel. If that roll pin doesn't come out, you can shear that roll pin with a big honkin puller grabbing that separator. Not the wheel. from your description though it sounds like the lower steering support is shot. Getting that lock collar loose will allow you to change it without having to mess with the wheel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sprocket 48 #15 Posted July 11, 2015 Am I understanding this correctly?The loosening the bottom collar at the top end will let me replace the junk at the bottom end?Based on the bounce space at the dash, I'd like to install something there too - bronze or rubber, just something to stop the vibe noise and keep it centered... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,938 #16 Posted July 11, 2015 Yes. If you get that lower collar loose, you can pull the steering shaft up and get it out of the lower support.http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/57385-overkill/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPINJIM 1,978 #17 Posted August 24, 2015 Hey Mike,Once I get the steering shaft out of the lower support, what can be done to take the excess play out of the socket? Can a bushing be inserted, or is that lower support available from Toro? I'm not sure if the socket or the bottom of the steering shaft is more worn, but it looks like the socket is a softer metal. Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiman 1 #18 Posted November 1, 2023 My steering was extremely sloppy. No maintenance had been done to the steering since before I purchased the tractor used, 8 years ago. A friend stopped by yesterday and he started at the pump and tightened all the steering connections. Many were surprisingly loose. Made a huge improvement in the steering. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 59,733 #19 Posted November 1, 2023 @Chiman! Your profile says a DXi is your favorite model. Those are beasts! I found my front axle pivot to be VERY worn once I jacked up the tractor by the frame. Check out the link below for more details. The DXi with power steering may be a bit different, but the hard parts on the frame are the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
