74 ford 3000 power steering.

[hotrod3000]

I have a 1974 ford 3000 diesel with power steering. Today it was below 30 degrees out and I was using my tractor. I noticed that it was heard to turn the steering wheel at times and at times it would work fine. I would have to pull hard and it would make a piping would and then work fine. It was like the steering was slow to react to input. Not sure if I have made my problem clear of not just ask. If anyone has any idea what is going on please tell me. Thanks in advance. Joe.

 

[Ultradog MN]

[i:654c4848f0]" I would have to pull hard and it would make a piping would and then work fine"[/i:654c4848f0]

I have no clue what this means.

Simple things first: Could the system just be low on oil?
Never force those systems. You will cause damage - break internal springs, etc.
How long has it been since you changed the oil and filter in your steering system?
What weight/type oil is in there now?
Does the tractor sit outside where rain and condensation could be a factor?
Maybe you have water in your ps system that has turned to ice in the cold temps.
My first thought would be to get the tractor inside somewhere and let it warm up overnight.
Then replace the filter in the ps pump if it hasn't been done in a while.
Refill the reservoir and add half a bottle of HEET to the reservoir and let it mix.
Then crack a couple of steering lines and puke out all the old oil/heet mix.
Add UTF or HyTrans that meets Ford 134D specs as needed.
If that doesn't work you will likely have to do some wrenching.

 

[BMAG]

A lot of these power steering systems will act like this when it is cold out, or at least until the fluid warms up. My 8000, and 9600 do the same thing in the cold, then when the fluid warms up it starts
working fine.

 

[hotrod3000]

I would have to pull hard and it would make a piping would and then work fine"

Sorry about the spell correction on my phone. It makes a popping noise and then it would turn fine.

 

[hotrod3000]

(quoted from post at 04:55:16 01/20/16) [i:8cc21766cf]" I would have to pull hard and it would make a piping would and then work fine"[/i:8cc21766cf]

I have no clue what this means.

Simple things first: Could the system just be low on oil?
Never force those systems. You will cause damage - break internal springs, etc.
How long has it been since you changed the oil and filter in your steering system?
What weight/type oil is in there now?
Does the tractor sit outside where rain and condensation could be a factor?
Maybe you have water in your ps system that has turned to ice in the cold temps.
My first thought would be to get the tractor inside somewhere and let it warm up overnight.
Then replace the filter in the ps pump if it hasn't been done in a while.
Refill the reservoir and add half a bottle of HEET to the reservoir and let it mix.
Then crack a couple of steering lines and puke out all the old oil/heet mix.
Add UTF or HyTrans that meets Ford 134D specs as needed.
If that doesn't work you will likely have to do some wrenching.

I changed the fluid and filter 2 years ago. It only has about 85 hours sense the change. I put premium hydraulic fluid from tractor supply in it. It still looks clean for the most part from what I can see.
What ever is going on is in the steering box at the bottom of the steering shaft. I can feel the pop in the wheel.
Thanks again joe

 

[Sean in PA]

Sounds like there may be water in the steering gearbox that is icing up on you. That box is separate from the power steering fluid circuit.

 

[hotrod3000]

 

[hotrod3000]

Ok. How do I go about fixing that problem? The tractor stays under a shelter but I know condensation can build up and do the same thing. Thanks.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Yeah it's possible to have water in the lower steering box.
You could get at it without disassembling too much.
Pull the steering arms off then remove the caps that house the sector gear shaft bushings.
Remove the sector gears.
Then you might get in there and clean out all of the old oil and water that's in there.
It will be a messy business - take a whole bundle of rags to wipe it out.
One disadvantage to just doing the bottom end like that is there is a needle bearing in the very bottom of the box that the steering shaft rides in.
Water, being heavier than oil tends to pool in that lowest point.
I have seen that bearing ruined from rust before.
But maybe you could blow out any water in there and get it clean.
Otherwise it's time to remove the complete steering column from the tractor and overhaul both the top and bottom.
That's not hard to do. Just some wrenching.

 

[hotrod3000]

(quoted from post at 17:45:39 01/20/16) Yeah it's possible to have water in the lower steering box.
You could get at it without disassembling too much.
Pull the steering arms off then remove the caps that house the sector gear shaft bushings.
Remove the sector gears.
Then you might get in there and clean out all of the old oil and water that's in there.
It will be a messy business - take a whole bundle of rags to wipe it out.
One disadvantage to just doing the bottom end like that is there is a needle bearing in the very bottom of the box that the steering shaft rides in.
Water, being heavier than oil tends to pool in that lowest point.
I have seen that bearing ruined from rust before.
But maybe you could blow out any water in there and get it clean.
Otherwise it's time to remove the complete steering column from the tractor and overhaul both the top and bottom.
That's not hard to do. Just some wrenching.

Thanks for the info!!!!!!!