400 Steering Issues

super99

Well-known Member
I have a 400 with a Koyker Super K loader on it that is nearly impossible to steer with any load in the bucket. It has a add on power steering unit on it. Let the loader down and take weight off of the front end and it steers great. Local Farmall Guru says the bearing on the bottom of the steering bolster needs replaced. I've tried greasing the heck out of it and it helps some but still can't turn the wheels with a load. Looks fairly straight forward, take the loader off, jack up and block the front end enough to get the wide front off, remove the grill, open the top and remove the steering gear and drop the shaft out to get to the bearing. Anything that I am missing or need to know before I start this project? It's rained enough to stop fertilizer spreading for a few days so I just as well bite the bullet and start in on it. Thanks, Chris
 
I have a 400 with a Koyker Super K loader on it that is nearly impossible to steer with any load in the bucket. It has an add on power steering unit on it. Let the loader down and take weight off of the front end and it steers great. Local Farmall Guru says the bearing on the bottom of the steering bolster needs replaced. I've tried greasing the heck out of it and it helps some but still can't turn the wheels with a load. Looks fairly straight forward, take the loader off, jack up and block the front end enough to get the wide front off, remove the grill, open the top and remove the steering gear and drop the shaft out to get to the bearing. Anything that I am missing or need to know before I start this project? It's rained enough to stop fertilizer spreading for a few days so I just as well bite the bullet and start in on it. Thanks, Chris
Here’s a picture of the old girl
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Are there bearings at the bottom of the spindles?? These would be
much easier to check out than the other option. Is that a factory wide
front?

I'd come over & help out. Might cause more trouble than good.
Jim
 
Looks like a Schwartz front end, if it's ever been welded on the spindle area. knock the tierod from the steering arm and see if you can pivot the spindle. Had one once that you needed a 6 foot bar to make the spindle turn and this was on a running tractor, also check the bearings like Brownie450 mentioned.
 
When we replaced the bearings on the 1066, the thrust
bearings were all chewed up. Did the bushings top &
bottom also.
Jim
 
Local Farmall Guru says the bearing on the bottom of the steering bolster needs replaced.
He probably thought you had a tricycle/narrow front. Your issue would more likely comes from spindle thrust bearings as others have mentioned. Those add on power steerings aren’t known for cranking the wheels around easily when stopped, more of an assist.
 
I think u are expecting too much out of it. It’s a pretty normal situation there with a load hanging out front. My 560 ih is the same deal.
 
Are there bearings at the bottom of the spindles?? These would be
much easier to check out than the other option. Is that a factory wide
front?

I'd come over & help out. Might cause more trouble than good.
Jim
Jim, check your message box at the top left corner, the little envelope
 
Got to work on it this afternoon. Took the tie rod off and could turn the right spindle with the cheater pipe. Arm was welded to the spindle, so ground it off and dropped spindle out. Where the lower bushing rides is scored pretty bad, hard to see but the bushing is scored also.Where the lower bushing rides on the spindle looks worn down also. Doubt that a new bushing and emery the shaft smooth would help, it would be loose in the bushing. The thrust bearing seams good,I can turn it by hand. A new spindle, thrust bearing and 2 bushings would be close to $450 for one side. Don’t think I want to put that much in it. Have to go back to work tomorrow so I have time to think about what to do with it.
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Pretty well garfed up, Chris. Probably got greased too much.
Wondering if undersized bushings are available without breaking
the bank. Turning the spindles just enough to clean them up
a bit might get them serviceable. My brother has an American
lathe---believe it's something around 12" swing. Might be able
to fit it in.
Jim
 
What size are the spindles? 1 3/4" ---maybe 1 1/2"?
I'll call Franzens & Larrys later today & see if they
have something.
Jim
 
Abrahams up in Davenport used to build up worn shafts using spray welding.
Then they'd turn the shaft to original size. I shudder to think what they might
charge now to do this sort of thing. Don't even know if they're even there
yet.
Thought about something like speedi-sleeve, but that would require turning
the whole shaft of course.
Franzens & Larrys are looking.
Jim
 
Just weld it up and then grind it down to fit the new bushing after it is in the knee. I would just replace the whole thing at this time bushings and thrust bearing while it is apart then grease it heavily when done till you see it come out. Might even want to ad a second fitting near the bottom so you know it gets grease. I would also cool it slowly after welding to help anneal it some. Weld lengthwise on it as you go around to fill the gap. I would also look hard at that knee for wear through on the bushing looks like it might be through there. I usually use a file to help with keeping shafts round after grinding to fit them closer to the bushing size without flat spots on the shaft. Then with a scraper put a few grease tracks on the shaft just a few thousandths works.
 
Wild idea here, but is JB weld strong enough to hold up
in a situation such as this. Kind of doubt it. Would probably
gall out in the bushing.
Franzens don't have anything, & Larrys is still looking.
Double wall pipe with the correct ID would be a good bet for
making bushings.
Jim
 
Wild idea here, but is JB weld strong enough to hold up
in a situation such as this. Kind of doubt it. Would probably
gall out in the bushing.
Franzens don't have anything, & Larrys is still looking.
Double wall pipe with the correct ID would be a good bet for
making bushings.
Jim
The axle tube is 1 15/16", lower spindle is 1 3/4", wore part is 1 11/16". After closer inspection, the tube that the spindle goes into appears to have been broken and welded, not sure it's straight. The bottom of the spindle has weld on it like it was broken off, there are similiar wear marks on the spindle about halfway up on it. Looks like this one had a hard life before I got it. Both arms have been welded to the spindle. I'll post more pictures from my phone. The maintenence men at GPC always talked about using Devcon to build up worn shafts, don\t know where you can get it or how hard it would be to work it smooth if I could find some to put on it. you can call me, 5six3-two60-288three.
 
Devcon and other plastic fillers will not do that job. There is really only one best solution, a different good front axle assembly, or a rebuildable one that just needs bearings/bushings. Just replacing the spindles and bushings/bearings might do, but might be more expensive than a different assembly. Jim
 
Chris, here is a crazy thought……put a narrow front under it and put the tractor back in service until you figure out what to do with the wide front. narrow front can be had pretty cheap. there are several on ebay for +or - a hundred dollars.
 

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