What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[Lee1977 6,232]

6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

My "514-8" mutt had developed terribly sloppy steering lately. Since it had 520 tie rods and front axle, and the upper steering shaft bushing was tight, I knew it was the dreaded fan gear base. 

 

So I took out a spare, and added bushings top and bottom. I had to bore both to have thicker bushings, but it worked. 

 

And of course replacing it on a complete Classic machine is loads of fun... 

 

But, most of the slop is gone. No matter how many bearings, shims, and bushings you add, you never get it all out. Next I want to experiment with tightening up the gear lash. Short of replacing the fan gear with another pivot mechanism, that's the only place that slop exists. 

 

 

1 1/2 to 2" is about as good as you will get the steering wheel play.  Any tighter will make it steer hard.

[kpinnc 10,817]

5 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

What kind of machinery are you using? 

 

Old eyes, die grinder, micrometer. And alot of Ibuprofen... 

[kpinnc 10,817]

4 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

1 1/2 to 2" is about as good as you will get the steering wheel play.  Any tighter will make it steer hard.

 

I'm gonna find a way. If a Murray or Craftsman mower can have snug steering, so can a Wheel Horse. 

[Rick3478 375]

52 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

I'm gonna find a way. If a Murray or Craftsman mower can have snug steering, so can a Wheel Horse. 

 

You could maybe rig a way to adjust the depth of the pinion, moving the steering shaft up or down a bit, but the tooth profile of the pinion and fan weren't really designed to do that.  Or maybe some variety of a small worm-and-sector gearbox could be stuffed in there with suitable machining to adapt input and output.  Just tossing ideas around.

[squonk 38,980]

On 4/16/2024 at 10:06 PM, Handy Don said:

Working with help from a friend on the mount for the mid-blade so it’ll have lift, rotation, and roll (tilt).

He has a Hyster with long forks. It makes me nervous having it so high up there but dang is it convenient to get under to work on!

 

 

Upper and lower grader frame parts coming along. Tomorrow the main parts should be together and then onto final design and implementation of the controls.

I recognize that grader blade frame. I just pulled another of a 712 Hydro. 

[kpinnc 10,817]

10 minutes ago, Rick3478 said:

You could maybe rig a way to adjust the depth of the pinion, moving the steering shaft up or down a bit,

 

I think that would absolutely work on my 520 reduction steering setup. Those gears have a bit more bevel to the gears.

 

But on standard setups, you are correct. Too much slop cast into it. 

[ebinmaine 63,252]

4 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

slop cast

 

 

Inherent loose-ossity is why I was considering a swap to a different type of gear all together.

 

 

[kpinnc 10,817]

29 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Inherent loose-ossity is why I was considering a swap to a different type of gear all together.

 

Me too. Best I can tell, standard ratio is 5.2 to 1. 

[ebinmaine 63,252]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

 

Me too. Best I can tell, standard ratio is 5.2 to 1. 

 

How did you calculate that? I was thinking it was some over 10 to 1 for some reason.

[Bill D 1,619]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

 

Me too. Best I can tell, standard ratio is 5.2 to 1. 

Someone on here had a power steering setup from an xi series tractor.  I wanted to buy it but it cost too much to ship.  I'd personally love to have full hydraulic steering on one of my tractors.  I drove a friend's Ariens that had it, very nice indeed.

[ebinmaine 63,252]

27 minutes ago, Bill D said:

Someone on here had a power steering setup from an xi series tractor.  I wanted to buy it but it cost too much to ship.  I'd personally love to have full hydraulic steering on one of my tractors.  I drove a friend's Ariens that had it, very nice indeed.

 

I've read that an electric power steering setup from certain cars can be used as well. 

 

What I'd like is a TRUE MECHANICAL setup I could retrofit without the need of adding hydro to Gear drive tractor or adding another electric circuit. 

 

I don't mind turning the steering wheel twice as far to cut "work" in half. 

[kpinnc 10,817]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

How did you calculate that? I

 

It's called the BTCS. Backwoods teeth count summary...  

 

I counted 10 teeth on the upper shaft gear, and 14+ on the lower. The lower gear fan only represents around 90 of a possible 360 degrees of rotation. Approximately 56 teeth? When I posted earlier I had 52 on my tiny mind.

 

So actually 5.6 to 1? 

 

Also now I can see where all my slop came from with the "old" gear support. Nearly 100 thousandths wallowed out left to right...translated to almost 1/4 turn of the wheel. 

 

Also- the top shaft collar had slipped, allowing the upper shaft to raise up 1/4 inch under load. 

 

Edited April 18 by kpinnc

[kpinnc 10,817]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

What I'd like is a TRUE MECHANICAL setup I could retrofit without the need of adding hydro to Gear drive tractor or adding another electric circuit. 

 

Me too. 

[ebinmaine 63,252]

4 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

It's called the BTCS. Backwoods teeth count summary...  

 

I counted 10 teeth on the upper shaft gear, and 14+ on the lower. The lower gear fan only represents around 90 of a possible 360 degrees of rotation. Approximately 56 teeth? When I posted earlier I had 52 on my tiny mind.

 

So actually 5.6 to 1? 

 

Also now I can see where all my slop came from with the "old" gear support. Nearly 100 thousandths wallowed out left to right...translated to almost 1/4 turn of the wheel. 

 

Also- the top shaft collar had slipped, allowing the upper shaft to raise up 1/4 inch under load. 

 

 

 

Nice catch there. 

Should be a huge improvement. 

[953 nut 51,844]

I have wanted to make this post for the past ten months; today

I drove a Wheel Horse for the first time since my stroke!

My wife was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing and I wasn't even sure I could get on the 310-8;  but I did and it felt SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD

[ebinmaine 63,252]

Well done Richard!!!

[Ed Kennell 35,898]

16 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

I drove a Wheel Horse

We knew you would.     

[SylvanLakeWH 24,219]

[WH_cyber_nerd 16]

I am posting this late because my last snowfall was in February, but after a lot of work I was finally able to blow snow for the first time. Ran into issues this winter including a muffler that kept falling off and the driveshaft pin on the blower going missing. Now, after attempting my first mow of the season, the tie rod fell off every time I'd go downhill. Maintenance seems endless, but I'm learning and enjoying it.

 

[Pullstart 59,804]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

I have wanted to make this post for the past ten months; today

I drove a Wheel Horse for the first time since my stroke!

My wife was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing and I wasn't even sure I could get on the 310-8;  but I did and it felt SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD

 

[Pullstart 59,804]

Tossed a decent bid at this C-125 8 speed at the auction and was the winner.  The ice worms got the fender and deck, but otherwise it’s got hope.  I checked it out before placing a bid.  It’s filthy, but the transmission oil is topped right off and beautiful, the engine oil is a tad low but fairly clean.  It sure has had a critter in there and needs a battery.

 

 

[kpinnc 10,817]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

My wife was a bit apprehensive about the whole thing and I wasn't even sure I could get on the 310-8;  but I did and it felt SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD

 

Looks like you belong on that Wheel Horse to me sir! Well done! 

[Handy Don 10,651]

10 hours ago, squonk said:

I recognize that grader blade frame. I just pulled another of a 712 Hydro. 

Yep, I suspected you’d notice 😁 (and a tip ‘o the hat to you)

I was holding out for a “reversible” adaptation, but the “forward” end of the frame was just too unwieldy so I cut it off. I saved the parts, though, so it could go back together as an Allis/Simplicity with a bit of welding (as though THAT will ever happen).

 

Here is a progress shot with the frame nearly complete and the blade hung for checking alignment, tilt, and clearance. Turned out better than expected. Some more details to design and build and then a paint job. This one will be at the Big Show.

[19richie66 16,959]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Yep, I suspected you’d notice 😁 (and a tip ‘o the hat to you)

I was holding out for a “reversible” adaptation, but the “forward” end of the frame was just too unwieldy so I cut it off. I saved the parts, though, so it could go back together as an Allis/Simplicity with a bit of welding (as though THAT will ever happen).

 

 

Looks great. 

[Handy Don 10,651]

7 hours ago, kpinnc said:

It's called the BTCS. Backwoods teeth count summary...

I used the “Turn the Wheel” method.

With stock steering, 1 full turn lock-to-lock.

With reduction (on a late 500), 2 full turns lock to lock.