430 T with loose front end

[JimWA]

430 T serial number 160624 with power steering with a loose front end.
We have replaced the studs on the lever shaft assembly (it helped a little).
With the cover off the rack and pinion, we can see the play is in between the rack and pinion and the steering gear.
Is there any adjustments to be made?
How hard is it to get the steering arm off and what would we expect to find?
Also there is a plug near the steering arm. What is that for?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[NY 986]

Any chance of the steering gear being loose upon the shaft of which it is mounted to? On some tractors those gears are a taper fit meaning it might be possible to tighten the gear to the shaft.

 

[deeretails]

Shims were used behind the rack to adjust play. A pickle fork and sometimes some heat may be needed to get the steering arm off the shaft. Not sure about the plug, have a picture?

 

[Dave from Ohio]

Is your tractor a narrow front or wide front?

Tricycle tractors utilized a different steering bolster/front axle option due to how the narrow front bolted up -- I believe this carries over to the wide front option as well.

The steering arm (?) that connects to the tie rods should simply bolt into a large spindle at the bottom of the front axle casting. There two couplings between the steering box -- one between the steering box pinion (that you replaced the pins on?) and power steering pinion, and another between the power steering pinion and axle spindle. It may be worth checking the splines on the pinions/couplings to make sure there is minimal wear. As @deeretails mentioned shims were used behind the rack assembly to keep it meshed with the power steering pinion gear. If you are seeing looseness there it may be worth taking the front pedestal apart for a full inspection.

Another area that can cause loose steering is along your horizontal steering shaft -- between the steering wheel/universal and the steering box at the top of the power steering pedestal. There are pins/couplings between the connections at both sides of the flow divider valve and at the shaft/steering box junction that get worn. Check the pins/couplings at these areas for wear.

Also check the steering universal under the dash to see if it is worn too.

 

[JimWA]

Thanks for the replies.
Here is a picture of the 'plug' (I couldn't find it in the parts book but it looked like it could be an adjustment of some kind)
We have the wide front end.

 

[Dave from Ohio]

In my parts book that is simply labeled as a "plug" (p/n T12732T on S/N 157623 and up) with only an o-ring on the end -- I'm not sure it plays a part in any sort of adjustment. The parts book shows this plug is used on single front wheel and wide front tractors.

Tractors with dual front wheels used different sort of plug setup that sticks out a little farther -- again, not sure if it plays a part in loose steering adjustment.

I could be wrong though. . . remove it and see what happens!