Massey 253 steering has gone nuts!

[f350ctd]

I bought this tractor November of last year. It steered fine at the time. The steering cylinders were leaking so I replaced those with new ones I got off Ebay. Everything was going well until today. I had to make a 5 mile trip up the road to plow and disk a garden. Just as I started back home the front wheels started doing their own thing. Reaction to my input to the steering wheel was a crap shoot. Mostly it would veer to the right side and I would have to compensate by turning the steering wheel to the left. I stopped and checked the fluid level and added some, but it didn't make any difference. There was no abnormal sounds coming from the tractor - no pump whining. I am hoping someone will chime in and say oh yeah I had the exact same problem and it was this........ I did a search but found nothing.

 

[Harry in Ky]

Your description of the symptoms brings failed piston seals to mind. Just because they're new cylinders doesn't mean they're failure proof. Many replacement parts these days are very poor quality.

 

[stevieb49829]

Your description of the symptoms brings failed piston seals to mind. Just because they're new cylinders doesn't mean they're failure proof. Many replacement parts these days are very poor quality.

I bought this tractor November of last year. It steered fine at the time. The steering cylinders were leaking so I replaced those with new ones I got off Ebay. Everything was going well until today. I had to make a 5 mile trip up the road to plow and disk a garden. Just as I started back home the front wheels started doing their own thing. Reaction to my input to the steering wheel was a crap shoot. Mostly it would veer to the right side and I would have to compensate by turning the steering wheel to the left. I stopped and checked the fluid level and added some, but it didn't make any difference. There was no abnormal sounds coming from the tractor - no pump whining. I am hoping someone will chime in and say oh yeah I had the exact same problem and it was this........ I did a search but found nothing.

Along with a failed piston seal like Harry suggests, there's a chance something got into the system when you replaced the cylinders and is stuck in a piston seal or even in your orbital steering valve. Steve

 

[f350ctd]

Thanks for the replies. As I suspected I have much exploratory surgery to perform. I do tend to think the new cylinders are the most likely culprit. BTW Harry I'm in central Kentucky too. Boyle County.

 

[Harry in Ky]

I'm in Winchester. I don't quite make it into Boyle County but I do get calls from some people in the Harrodsburg and Lancaster areas. Not very far away.

I'm curious why you opted to replace the cylinders rather than repair what you have? I repair a lot of cylinders from all sorts of stuff. I get seals and such from Pneudraulics in Nicholasville. Been buying from them for years. They stock seals for just about any cylinder imaginable. I can't remember the last time I went there and they didn't have what I needed.

 

[f350ctd]

I'm in Winchester. I don't quite make it into Boyle County but I do get calls from some people in the Harrodsburg and Lancaster areas. Not very far away.

I'm curious why you opted to replace the cylinders rather than repair what you have? I repair a lot of cylinders from all sorts of stuff. I get seals and such from Pneudraulics in Nicholasville. Been buying from them for years. They stock seals for just about any cylinder imaginable. I can't remember the last time I went there and they didn't have what I needed.

I did attempt to reseal the original cylinders. I bought kits off Ebay and they just didn't match up perfectly with what remained of the original seals. I then bought a kit from AGCO and it was the same story. There are two different cylinders that came on these tractors according to the parts manual. I did order the correct kits. At that point I threw my hands up and ordered the new cylinders off of Ebay. I once bought some seals from a place in Nicholasville but I can't remember what the name of the place was. There is a place in Somerset that repairs hydraulic cylinders, perhaps that is an option at this point.

 

[Harry in Ky]

The place I go to doesn't work on anything. Strictly a parts outlet. I take the seals, piston and gland there, they measure and match the parts. I've had good luck with that.

 

[f350ctd]

The place I go to doesn't work on anything. Strictly a parts outlet. I take the seals, piston and gland there, they measure and match the parts. I've had good luck with that.

Pneudraulics must have been the place I bought seals from in the past as I recall they only sell seals {by the seashore)LOL. The place that rebuilds cylinders in Somerset is called Hydraulic Specialties.

 

[f350ctd]

I just got off the phone with Hydraulic Specialties in Somerset. The guy I talked to has experience with MF steering components. He said to use compressed air to check each steering cylinder independently for an internal leak. If those check good then the steering valve must be the culprit and it should be replaced (not repaired) with a new unit from Massey AGCO. I'll update as to what the tests indicate but it may be awhile, it's busy around here at present.

 

[Harry in Ky]

I'd put my money on piston seals. With that style steering valve not much (other than leaks) will go wrong that you won't feel when turning the wheel. Lots of precision fit parts in there. Anything out of place creates interference pretty quickly.

 

[Boss Hog]

Have you looked inside the front housing - In front of the radiator and under the air cleaner?

There's a steering arm on my 255 that broke. It was really odd until I figured out that was the problem. It's a long shot, but worth checking.

 

[f350ctd]

Have you looked inside the front housing - In front of the radiator and under the air cleaner?

There's a steering arm on my 255 that broke. It was really odd until I figured out that was the problem. It's a long shot, but worth checking.

I have looked over the mechanicals, nothing is visibly broken or sloppy. I wish it was that easy and cheap.