Here s the story of me changing my MF202 over to a modern set up for power steering. I tried putting new seals in the column. I even tried twice using speedy sleeves that didn t last that long. I finally gave up and just pulled the drive gear off the power steering pump and used it with manual steering which was a real bear.
Then I heard on the forum about guys that had changed their whole steering column and valve to a modern set up. I got the information on the parts and a lot of help from BIG1RED9 and decided to tackle the job myself.
The whole thing with parts cost me $647.16. I m approaching 73 years old so for me it was a lot of tiring work but well worth it in the end.
For those interested in doing the job yourself, I ll give you a run down of what tools I would hope you have.
Set of small tubing wrenches
A cheap Harbor Freight cut off tool and 3" cut off discs.
A set or midget wrenchs
A set of stubby wrenches.
A step drill for relocating the push button starter switch and the key switch
A good socket set with various extensions and a universal joint
Now a bit about doing the job. The first thing you ll need to do is raise the front wheels off the ground with jack stands. Then you ll need to remove the dash. No explanation needed on that, it s just a PIA to do. Then you ll proceed to remove the three nuts holding the outer column on. Once you get that off, you ll remove the large nut holding everything else on. Once you get the valve loose, be careful when pulling it up over the shaft or all the springs and stuff will fall out of the bottom of it. They are all matched to the valve and should you ever decide to use it again, you ll need them in the right holes. Now that you ve gotten down that far, you ll need to remove the steering column.
At this point, I removed the drag links from the pitman arms. Once the drag links are separated, you can move the pitman arms enough to pull the shaft out. I also removed the air cleaner. That just makes things much easier to get at. Next you ll need to remove the battery tray to get to the hose splitter fittings that go to the small hoses on the wheel cylinders. You ll need to remove the screws that hold the voltage regulator and the solenoid to the side of the battery tray. You ll see the two bolts that hold the gas tank to the battery tray. You ll need to remove them. Once they are removed, you can lift the back of the gas tank a little and put something like a wood block on the engine to keep the gas tank elevated a little to facilitate removing the battery tray. The bolts holding the battery tray are a bit difficult to get at but a socket with a long extension and universal joint can get at the rear screws on it. Once you get the battery tray removed, you will be able to get at the splitter tee fittings. What I did at this point was to remove the old metal lines going to the splitter tees and I removed the two wheel cylinder hoses from one of the splitter tees only. Mark the hoses so you know which hoses go to the correct sides of that splitter tee.
I took that splitter to a hydraulic shop and he fixed me up with the fittings and 90 degree angle fittings to accept the new 24" hoses with the JIC6 female fittings. Install those fittings on the tees and connect the two 24" hoses to them.
At that point you should have your adapter to hold the new spool valve and column installed in place of the old column assembly. I used blue RTV gasket maker under the new adapter. There will be no pressure in that old steering gear so the RTV is sufficient for the job.
You can now start putting things back together. First, install the battery tray and bolt the gas tank back down to it. Next replace the voltage regulator and solenoid on the side of the battery tray. Then reinstall your air cleaner.
Next you want to install the two four foot hoses going from the spool valve to your power steering pump. As you can see in my pictures, I used the brass fittings to move the pump connections further away from the pump to allow for room to get at the oil dipstick.
At this point, take a look and make sure you have everything connected right and put your battery back in the tractor. You will need to fill your pump reservoir with oil. Since I put all new lines on my system, I filled it once then started the tractor and turned the steering wheel to move the wheels all the way right and all the way left. The steering will work sporadically at this point because you don t have enough oil in the system.
I had to fill the reservoir two and a half times. So, now your steering should be working correctly. If, as in what happened to me, you turn the steering wheel left and your wheels turn right, do not worry. All you need to do it switch the two front hoses on the valve. It s marked "L" and "R" on the valve. That s about it. I don t think there is anything else I can add, only that you will be very happy with your new steering that works like steering a Cadillac. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
I forgot to say, the new hoses I purchased were 3/8" X 2 foot (two hoses) and 3/8" X 4 foot (two hoses). All of them with JIC6 female ends on them. You can purchase these at SurplusCenter.com.
You'll need two fittings at your pump to accept the JIC6 fittings. You'll also need four 45 degree swivel type fittings with JIC6 male ends to go into the spool valve.
Here is the parts list
24" hose
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...Hydraulic-Hose-Assembly-5000-PSI-930-2224.axd
48" hose
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...Hydraulic-Hose-Assembly-5000-PSI-930-2248.axd
Orbital Valve and Steering Column
https://www.rockwelloffroad.com/index.php
Phone 708 762-9355
I suggest you call to order. When ordering orbital valve, order the 45 degree swivel JIC6 fittings to go with it.
6.10CI-100ML orbital valve $274.99
9" steering column $59.99
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you don t have a hydraulics shop near you, you can call the place where I got my fittings that were needed. They will ship.
Air & Hose Source, Inc. in Perris California 951 928-0011
TMP-6802-06-08 Male JIC x Male ORB 45 degree adapter. 4 pieces (order these only if rockwelloffroad doesn t have them when you order the orbital valve from them).
TMP-2404-06-04 Male JIC x Male NPT Str. Adapter 2 pieces.
These next items are for the connections to the TEE s
HPP-G0662-7-6 Male AN x 5/8"-18 Male Inverted Flare Adapter (steel) 2 pieces
TMP-6500-06 Male JIC x Fem.JIC 90 degree Swivel 2 pieces
The only other items you ll need are 8 pieces Socket Head Cap Screws 3/8-16 X 1" You ll need lock washers to go with them. I got these at TSC. You ll also need a tube of blue RTV gasket maker.
You ll need to have the adapter made by someone or some shop near you. I have the drawings for this piece. At your request, I can email these drawings to you.
Here s some pics of the job. Click on the link.
steeringbuild
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Then I heard on the forum about guys that had changed their whole steering column and valve to a modern set up. I got the information on the parts and a lot of help from BIG1RED9 and decided to tackle the job myself.
The whole thing with parts cost me $647.16. I m approaching 73 years old so for me it was a lot of tiring work but well worth it in the end.
For those interested in doing the job yourself, I ll give you a run down of what tools I would hope you have.
Set of small tubing wrenches
A cheap Harbor Freight cut off tool and 3" cut off discs.
A set or midget wrenchs
A set of stubby wrenches.
A step drill for relocating the push button starter switch and the key switch
A good socket set with various extensions and a universal joint
Now a bit about doing the job. The first thing you ll need to do is raise the front wheels off the ground with jack stands. Then you ll need to remove the dash. No explanation needed on that, it s just a PIA to do. Then you ll proceed to remove the three nuts holding the outer column on. Once you get that off, you ll remove the large nut holding everything else on. Once you get the valve loose, be careful when pulling it up over the shaft or all the springs and stuff will fall out of the bottom of it. They are all matched to the valve and should you ever decide to use it again, you ll need them in the right holes. Now that you ve gotten down that far, you ll need to remove the steering column.
At this point, I removed the drag links from the pitman arms. Once the drag links are separated, you can move the pitman arms enough to pull the shaft out. I also removed the air cleaner. That just makes things much easier to get at. Next you ll need to remove the battery tray to get to the hose splitter fittings that go to the small hoses on the wheel cylinders. You ll need to remove the screws that hold the voltage regulator and the solenoid to the side of the battery tray. You ll see the two bolts that hold the gas tank to the battery tray. You ll need to remove them. Once they are removed, you can lift the back of the gas tank a little and put something like a wood block on the engine to keep the gas tank elevated a little to facilitate removing the battery tray. The bolts holding the battery tray are a bit difficult to get at but a socket with a long extension and universal joint can get at the rear screws on it. Once you get the battery tray removed, you will be able to get at the splitter tee fittings. What I did at this point was to remove the old metal lines going to the splitter tees and I removed the two wheel cylinder hoses from one of the splitter tees only. Mark the hoses so you know which hoses go to the correct sides of that splitter tee.
I took that splitter to a hydraulic shop and he fixed me up with the fittings and 90 degree angle fittings to accept the new 24" hoses with the JIC6 female fittings. Install those fittings on the tees and connect the two 24" hoses to them.
At that point you should have your adapter to hold the new spool valve and column installed in place of the old column assembly. I used blue RTV gasket maker under the new adapter. There will be no pressure in that old steering gear so the RTV is sufficient for the job.
You can now start putting things back together. First, install the battery tray and bolt the gas tank back down to it. Next replace the voltage regulator and solenoid on the side of the battery tray. Then reinstall your air cleaner.
Next you want to install the two four foot hoses going from the spool valve to your power steering pump. As you can see in my pictures, I used the brass fittings to move the pump connections further away from the pump to allow for room to get at the oil dipstick.
At this point, take a look and make sure you have everything connected right and put your battery back in the tractor. You will need to fill your pump reservoir with oil. Since I put all new lines on my system, I filled it once then started the tractor and turned the steering wheel to move the wheels all the way right and all the way left. The steering will work sporadically at this point because you don t have enough oil in the system.
I had to fill the reservoir two and a half times. So, now your steering should be working correctly. If, as in what happened to me, you turn the steering wheel left and your wheels turn right, do not worry. All you need to do it switch the two front hoses on the valve. It s marked "L" and "R" on the valve. That s about it. I don t think there is anything else I can add, only that you will be very happy with your new steering that works like steering a Cadillac. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.
I forgot to say, the new hoses I purchased were 3/8" X 2 foot (two hoses) and 3/8" X 4 foot (two hoses). All of them with JIC6 female ends on them. You can purchase these at SurplusCenter.com.
You'll need two fittings at your pump to accept the JIC6 fittings. You'll also need four 45 degree swivel type fittings with JIC6 male ends to go into the spool valve.
Here is the parts list
24" hose
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...Hydraulic-Hose-Assembly-5000-PSI-930-2224.axd
48" hose
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydra...Hydraulic-Hose-Assembly-5000-PSI-930-2248.axd
Orbital Valve and Steering Column
https://www.rockwelloffroad.com/index.php
Phone 708 762-9355
I suggest you call to order. When ordering orbital valve, order the 45 degree swivel JIC6 fittings to go with it.
6.10CI-100ML orbital valve $274.99
9" steering column $59.99
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you don t have a hydraulics shop near you, you can call the place where I got my fittings that were needed. They will ship.
Air & Hose Source, Inc. in Perris California 951 928-0011
TMP-6802-06-08 Male JIC x Male ORB 45 degree adapter. 4 pieces (order these only if rockwelloffroad doesn t have them when you order the orbital valve from them).
TMP-2404-06-04 Male JIC x Male NPT Str. Adapter 2 pieces.
These next items are for the connections to the TEE s
HPP-G0662-7-6 Male AN x 5/8"-18 Male Inverted Flare Adapter (steel) 2 pieces
TMP-6500-06 Male JIC x Fem.JIC 90 degree Swivel 2 pieces
The only other items you ll need are 8 pieces Socket Head Cap Screws 3/8-16 X 1" You ll need lock washers to go with them. I got these at TSC. You ll also need a tube of blue RTV gasket maker.
You ll need to have the adapter made by someone or some shop near you. I have the drawings for this piece. At your request, I can email these drawings to you.
Here s some pics of the job. Click on the link.
steeringbuild
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Share
Reply Quot
