350 steering issue

[IH Guy]

350 row crop that won?t steer. I have removed the shaft with the worm gear, and it appears the bolster steering shaft is frozen up. I removed the nut on the top of the bolster shaft so that I can remove the shaft. It won?t budge side to side or up and down. I have soaked with pb blaster, attempted to drive the shaft down but it won?t budge. Could it be locked with the thrust bearing? Any ideas or advice is welcome.

 

[Janicholson]

There is nothing "holding" it up but the sector gear you are trying to remove. If you jack up the tractor with the front tires just touching the ground, no load on them, the weight of the lower bolster/tires/upper bolster shaft will be pulling down. Heat the sector gear till hot enough to boil water, but not discolor. With the nut flush to the top of the shaft, a brass hammer or aluminum buffer and a big hammer will make it break loose. Jim

 

[IH Guy]

Thanks for your help. I have done everything you have suggested except the heat on the steering gear. That will be my next step. I have changed a couple of these in the past but never had one so tight that needed heat. Any ideas why it won?t turn? The bushings are brass and the there appears to be grease in the bolster assembly. Thanks again for your insight.
IH Guy

 

[Dugger]

(reply to post at 17:26:28 11/17/18)

Hey there IH guy
My brother works on those a lot for other folks
Some are frozen so bad they are hard to get lose
Even with the gear off they can be solid
The last one he soaked for a couple months but had to
Press it out using chains and a jack
Some are bent just enough to make things tight
Good luck
Dugger

 

[Janicholson]

There are two possible off the top of my head. One is that the lower bolster (4 bolts) attachment was done with the long bolt used to restrict left and right turn distance was put in the wrong hole. The other is the steel to steel ball thrust bearing just under the steering box near the top. If it has rustedtight it could do the deed. Jim