'58 320 Steering

[toddsmith23]

Hello all -
As part of other maintenance tasks, i pulled the steering cam cover off at the direction of Joe (Wa) to inspect the steering cam and cam posts.

All of you know more about this than i do, so i'll just point out the obvious and say that i'm lucky to have a 3 post steering. 2 of the posts are worn pretty good on two sides, and the 3rd is slightly worn but appears to be in good shape.

Thoughts on this? leave it for another 10 years? Options? Usage won't be too much, probably 16 hours a month at the most for 5 months out of the year.

Thanks!!
TS

 

[Tgrasher]

The pins can be punched out and turned to put te unworn side toward the gear, and of course take the least worn and put in place of the most worn and
vice versa. Doing this will take a bunch of the slop out of the steering. The last time I checked, new pins were $30 a pop.

 

[toddsmith23]

Question: what's the best way to remove the cam? I don't want to do any unintentional damage. I would think it should slide up off the splines... it's pretty rusty, i gave it a couple squirts of
penetrating oil.

Also, should i use a punch and drive the posts out, or would a press be better suited? Again, i don't want to damage anything..

Thanks
TS

 

[Tgrasher]

It does slide up off the shaft and I remember using a brass rod/punch to pop them out. Mine was leaking down the spindle too so good time to renew the seal there. Not a terrible job, worse part was getting everything cleaned up. I'm thinking the steering shaft seal is not available so look at the old and mimic it with new felt and black silicon. At the age of these tractors, what's not leaking, may soon be, especially after being disturbed. Sounds like I'm writing about myself. LOL

 

[Joe (Wa)]

You have more than 1/2 wear on 2 of the 3 studs. I would replace the 2. Assuming all 3 studs are the same hardness and time in service, the wear pattern indicates that lash is not an issue but the load is uneven. Due to the crescent shape of the lever the leading stud lash opens while making a turn and the 2 following studs assume the majority of the load and so the wear. This wear pattern is likely due to maladjusted/bent tie-rod(s) When you get everything assembled it can be checked out.

I tap studs out with an ERT & brass rod and back in with blue Locktite. Don't wire wheel or use abrasive cloth on stud shanks or bores as studs are only a light interference fit. If any of them is not tight in the bore you will need to find studs with over size shanks.

Mystery is where the oil went? Capacity is about 1-1/4 qt, factory lube is SAE 140 gear oil. Seems too much of a stretch that rain water entered through a faulty cover gasket and floated the oil out. Maybe unit was drained and forget to refill? Most likely water settled in the spindle lower shaft area and ruined the seal and maybe the bearing above it. You might be able to get an idea if damage here by disconnecting PS cylinder drag link at the nut on the ball stud. Fill the unit with water and jerk the drag link to see if slop in spindle shaft & any water leakage. There can also be leakage through the adjustment plug o-ring so check adjustment stud underneath bolster for drip. Personally, due to age & obvious lack of maintenance, I would replace the seal and really check out/replace the bushing.

When you pull the steering lever there is a roll pin in the side that you need to drive out. The roll pin that keeps the spindle shaft from dropping out the bottom so you should block it up (pic, Jack is not necessary just close and convenient, I always block up any loader also). Check the spindle shaft for roll pin holes, should be only one through hole. Look at the serial nr on the parts list below for the LEVER, is your serial nr higher that?

I'll scan and post SM cam assembly info later today or over the weekend.

Joe

 

[toddsmith23]

Should i be using 140w in this, or something else. My service manual doesn't show this component... hmmm

 

[Joe (Wa)]

(quoted from post at 23:21:23 03/26/21) Should i be using 140w in this, or something else. My service manual doesn't show this component... hmmm

140 gear oil is factory oil for all 300-300B-400B series tractors and including all X00B series that I have worked on with this lever & stud type steering (1956 through 1959.

Joe

 

[Joe (Wa)]

There are a couple more pages that cover seal & bushing replacement, usual stuff but I'll scan & post if you are going to do that. The bearing balls are not caged, if any get away and roll off the work bench onto a concrete floor the 2nd bounce will won't be in your present zip code.

Joe

 

[toddsmith23]

(quoted from post at 13:42:09 03/24/21) Hello all -
As part of other maintenance tasks, i pulled the steering cam cover off at the direction of Joe (Wa) to inspect the steering cam and cam posts.

All of you know more about this than i do, so i'll just point out the obvious and say that i'm lucky to have a 3 post steering. 2 of the posts are worn pretty good on two sides, and the 3rd is slightly worn but appears to be in good shape.

Thoughts on this? leave it for another 10 years? Options? Usage won't be too much, probably 16 hours a month at the most for 5 months out of the year.

Thanks!!
TS

The problem i'm having now is, i can't get the cam off the shaft. I've tried penetrating oil overnight, heat (not so much to risk damaging seal), 2 jaw puller and etc. Not budging at all. I'm starting to think i may need to pull the steering arm off the bottom then lift the entire assembly out and put it in a press, although skeptical as i don't want to damage anything.

Who carries the replacement posts? I've seen where Steiner carries a lot of parts for old tractors...

thanks for all the help
-TS

 

[Joe (Wa)]

If you have the roll pin out the only thing that is holding the steering lever is corrosion. Soak with a
penetrant like PB blaster until you can pry it off. These levers break surprisingly easy, take your time.

Call John Saeli (315) 585-9826 for studs. If he doesn't have them he'll have Don Livingston's phone nr another
possible source.

Joe.

 

[45cole]

Look at the seals where the steering shaft comes into the housing, I did my 320 steering gear service and put 140wt in the housing and then over the next 7 days the oil slowly leaked out, I found it was a bad seal at the steering shaft. No replacement that I found so you'll have to improvise. With the condition of your housing I'd guess that this seal is bad and you're already working on the system.

Have you posted a pic of your whole machine? They're neat to look at.

FYI Duplicolor Enegine enamel in chevy orange/red is a dead ringer for case flambeau orange.

 

[toddsmith23]

(quoted from post at 07:54:38 04/02/21) Look at the seals where the steering shaft comes into the housing, I did my 320 steering gear service and put 140wt in the housing and then over the next 7 days the oil slowly leaked out, I found it was a bad seal at the steering shaft. No replacement that I found so you'll have to improvise. With the condition of your housing I'd guess that this seal is bad and you're already working on the system.

Have you posted a pic of your whole machine? They're neat to look at.

FYI Duplicolor Enegine enamel in chevy orange/red is a dead ringer for case flambeau orange.

Not yet, but i will as soon as i get it all back together. Getting close

 

[Joe (Wa)]

Spindle shaft seal Case p/n O4240AB sub to A26777. In my old notes I have the 2 seals listed below as
suitable substitute for the original spindle shaft seal. Pull your seal and check size against those listed
on specs sheets at the websites. You will find almost all newer substitute seals are narrower than the
original seals but better quality and you position these newer seals away from a worn groove in a shaft.

SKF (Chicago Rawhide) p/n 13614 and National p/n 472287 (National seals are overall better than CR in my
opinion). You can buy either at auto parts stores.

Agree with Chevy red-orange DE1607 if your tractor paint isn't too old & faded, even so it blends in pretty
good. I use it for touchup.

Joe
https://drivcat.com/overlays/part detail.aspx?pNum 472287&partType Wheel 20Seal&brandId NW

http://www.skfextranet.com/Catalogs/457010/sealdetail.asp?s 13614