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L185DT steering problem

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mcbake
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 6 vermont
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2008-12-20          158713

Would anyone know if it's possible to reseat the rack and pinion gear in a steering assembly on one of these tractors? I borrowed the tractor from the farmer up the road, and the steering wheel seemed like it jumped, and there is no resistance now at all, wheel just spins. Any insights or suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance

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L185DT steering problem

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-12-20          158715

I know nothing about your machine but the little research I googled, I would suspect the steering wheel has either a broken (sheared) woodruff or square key at where the steering wheel slides onto the steering column shaft. I would remove the steering center cover (if equipped), remove the retaining nut and turn the wheel---the wheel may just come off! Check if the shaft doesn't turn with the wheel. If it doesn't turn with the wheel, most likely the key is broken--pull the wheel off and inspect for a broken key, remove it and replace. If the keyway in either the shaft and/or the steering wheel is mangled or otherwise not in perfect condition be prepared to have it happen again---and sooner this time since the parts are badly worn. A new steering shaft on the Web is $170 and likely the same or less for a new steering wheel.

Safe to assume it has a front end loader? If so, and the key is broken, the loader is exerting too much resistance on the steering system and so the key shears--which is how it's designed so that somethingelse more expensive doesn't break.

Let us know what you find out. There a lot of Kubita guys here--known as Orange guys--I'm a Blue guy (New Holland) ....

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L185DT steering problem

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mcbake
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 6 vermont
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2008-12-20          158724

Thank you for the input. I actually did pull the steering wheel off, and it does have a key. I believe it is called a 'hoffman' key that holds the steering wheel in place. It required a 3way puller to pull the steering wheel off. Unfortunately, it isn't the wheel that is spinning, it's the entire shaft. I have the shaft opened up down to the steering box where the oil goes in, and can pull the shaft. I believe there is a square gear in there, not sure if that is the rack part of rack and pinion or not. The guy I borrowed it from said it freezes up, and usually takes about 30 minutes of run time before the wheel would turn. That may be because when I siphoned out the fluid, only water came out, no oil! So, it appears that some seals are bad, maybe just the main seal around the steering column since that had a big crack in it, which would allow water to drip into the steering column. Oddly, it had warmed up to about 60 degrees, and everything was working fine when I felt the wheel jump, and then there was no resistance at all. The entire shaft can be spun. I would guess if I can remove the entire steering assembly/column, there may be some way to reseat the gear, assuming none are broken. Which may or may not be the case. I think the ice caused pressure on the rack, and forced it to jump out of the gear. I believe I have to remove the gas tank and electrical/operator panel in order to remove the steering assembly, but I'm not really sure. Of course, since this happened, it hasn't stopped snowing, is ten degrees, and the tractor is stuck in the backyard with a large tarp over it. I though I would pick up the service manual, even though it's 75 bucks, and work on it, but now I'm a little worried since working on it in the heated garage is one thing, carrying tools and working in small spaces in the frigid cold is causing me extreme trepidation! ....

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L185DT steering problem

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2008-12-20          158726

I'm not sure this type of steering gear is correctly called a rack-and-pinion type. According to the picture I saw on the Web about the steering shaft it was called a "ball nut" on the end--the square thing you saw. I'm fairly confident it's called a recirculating ball-type steering gear. I forget how it works exactly--perhaps the number or flow of balls around the nut regulate the flow of oil--not sure. It may also be referred to as a Saginaw-type which relates to an automotive term where the steering gear is/was made in Saginaw, Michigan for GM and others.

That said, it may be possible that the balls have either rusted or fallen out, or the pump is shot or a host of other things happened related to water in the system. ....

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L185DT steering problem

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mcbake
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 6 vermont
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2008-12-20          158727

Thanks for the info. It is manual steering, so there is no pump associated. It only take 10oz of oil, just kind of fills a hole at the bottom where the gear sits. ....

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L185DT steering problem

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mcbake
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 6 vermont
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2008-12-20          158728

Yes, it seems to be called, 'recirculating ball nut steering' ....

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L185DT steering problem

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mcbake
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 6 vermont
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2008-12-20          158729

Oops, and the big nut looking thing with threads, I believe is called a worm gear ....

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L185DT steering problem

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dalewc
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2 mi
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2009-01-14          159436

turn the steering wheel slowly and see if the steering wheel rises slightly as it turns in one direction, and drops as you turn it in the other direction. IF it does, the botom of the casting that holds the steering gear mechanism is broken off and is laying in the bottom of the bellhousing behind the clutch and pressure plate. I recently fixed one just like this, had to remove the wheel, tank and the steering linkage, unbolt the steering gear assembly, fish out the busted casting and bearing then braze it all back together. After doing all that I found a site in western kentucky that has a whole yard full of Kubotas that they are parting out and I coulda bought a good used one there..... ....

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