860 Upper Steering Bearing

[Hemmjo]

I have my 860 steering apart. The upper bearing was dry no lubrication. Took it apart, cleaned things up. It will be serviceable since it is not a racing tractor. I have a couple of questions.

How is this lubricated? Just grease and the cup on the steering wheel keeps rain out of it?

I know there is a felt seal held in place by a spring above the bearing, but I am not sure what goes under the bearing. It did not look factory to me when I took it out. There is too much space between the bearing cup and the snap ring. I can fit a felt seal there, but that seems too tight. I do not see any parts breakdown for this. I only see it as a whole bearing assembly.

What is supposed to be there?

Thanks,

John

 

[shaun wallace]

It is assembled as pic with question mark.

 

[Hobo,NC]

It functions the same as a bushing no more no less. Ford went to a bushing on the thousand series it would be interesting if they would interchange.

When I had N's I would remove the steering wheel once a year and add a few drops of gear oil to the top of the steering column. It has the same set up as your 860.

 

[Hemmjo]

Is it correct to put felt where I have it?

 

[Hobo,NC]

8N3570 Years:1948-64 Felt Seal (Steering Tube Dust Seal)

It goes inside the steering wheel.

On this one I wrapped the tube with duct tape and poured a few oz of gear lube in, it took about 10min for the oil to soak past the upper bearing and hopefully to the top bearing in the steering gear.

 

[John P.]

Lubricating that periodically sounds like a really good idea!

 

[Hobo,NC]

Yes it is, the hard part pulling the steering wheel. About 20 years ago I made this puller out of a old steering wheel. It went M.I.A. I found it last November while cleaning up. It had fell off my tool box and went under it.

 

[John P.]

I'm constantly pulling things out from under the toolbox, it's like a magnet under there!

 

[tripper225]

I love that tool Hobo. Thanks for posting.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Thanks tripper, I believe I used a 2N steering wheel its a keyed wheel not a spline wheel. Its not one of my best HO-Made tools I thru it together in a rush I need to re-do it as the nut for the puller screw is a tad crooked. I used the screew/bolt out of one of my other pullers.

One thing to note on a N the steering shaft is hollow you need to drop a bolt into the hollow hole are you will damage the steering shaft. On others that use a "steal" spoke wheel with a solid shaft its mandatory to protect the threads on the steering shaft.

BTW I had a hard time figuring out where that dust seal went also so will give shaun wallace a pass as he's one that post great info.
If you look at the parts diagram and try and fit it into the tube it just wads up. It was luck I noticed it inside the bell of the steering wheel : ) that's were it fits and functions well.

 

[Hemmjo]

Hobo, Since you mentioned some later models have a bushing, I am working on an adapter to put a bronze bushing in place of the hokey bearing. I have it nearly completed. I am curious the function of the spring between under the wheel. The only two things I can imagine it would do is to preload the ball bearings or to press the felt seal up into the wheel. When I took mine apart the spring was pushing the felt down into the bearing.

I modeled the adapter after the original bearing, only adding length on the bottom to accommodate the longer bushing. I was thinking the recess in the top was for the felt seal, but I see now that the seal does make more sense in the wheel.

Do you think I still need the spring? DO the models yuo mentioned with the bushing have a spring?

Thanks,

John

 

[Hobo,NC]

Without studying on it I spec the spring is used to keep tension/preload on the upper so called oem bearing.

The bushing I referenced.

https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/Ford-3000_Steering-Shaft-Bushing_C5NN3517A.html

 

[Hemmjo]

Thanks, be good to know the dimensions of the bushing. Interesting they set it in rubber. I wonder if that is because there may be some runout in the steering shaft. The rubber would absorb that. Waiting for bushing for mine now.

 

[Hemmjo]

Just FYO if anyone is interested found the dimensions. Bore is too small for 800 etc series models. 800 steering shaft is 0.812

 

[Hobo,NC]

I don't have a new upper sleeve for a 3000 I did go thru my scrap and found a old one.

I.D. Of bushing .812 (worn bushing)
O.D of rubber sleeve 1.375 (used has been compressed but not that much as it came out hard)

I have a 600 box apart in storage would have to dig it out and see how close it is or how the 3000 bushing fits.

That being said, I what's the advantage of reinventing it.

 

[Hemmjo]

NO advantage other than the part you showed will not fit the 800 type tractors. I began my adapter when you mentioned the bushing because it just sounds like a good idea.

Now that I have studied this more I have to assume the original bearing was designed to allow some runout on the shaft. I chucked the worm section into a collet on my lathe. The run out at the top of the shaft is 0.010, total. A normal bearing will not like that. The spring allows the cone and shaft to move side to side in the race. Same as the rubber in the later model from the link you provided me allows the bushing to move with the runout while still allowing the shaft to be well supported at the top.

With this in mind I have made some changes to the design of my adapter to have it isolated from the steel tube. I enjoy making parts when I can make improvements to a design. I could purchase a new bearing for $45 but this is more fun. Will post a new thread with the completed design if anyone is interested.

I found the specifications for the bushing you showed. The rubber would fit into the tube, but the shaft will not fit the bushing.

 

[M-MAN]

Use cornhead grease in the box and pump it till it comes out the top of the steering shaft under the wheel.

 

[Hemmjo]

Thanks for that tip, but will cornhead grease get into the ball screw grooves on the worm gear? What was left of the grease in mine looked like about 90w. I do not have my manual here right now to look. The steering column tube on mine as a hole about 1/8 drilled on the front side about 4 down from the top, squirting that full of grease would make a mess for sure. Is that hole standard? I was thinking threading that for a plug. i don't see any need to vent the steering box. It is not like the top is actually sealed.

John

 

[John P.]

I bought about a dozen tubes of JD cornhead grease that I plan to pack my box with also.

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 16:14:22 07/26/23) Thanks for that tip, but will cornhead grease get into the ball screw grooves on the worm gear? What was left of the grease in mine looked like about 90w. I do not have my manual here right now to look. The steering column tube on mine as a hole about 1/8 drilled on the front side about 4 down from the top, squirting that full of grease would make a mess for sure. Is that hole standard? I was thinking threading that for a plug. i don't see any need to vent the steering box. It is not like the top is actually sealed.

John

The term cornhead grease NLGI #00 or "00" grease is a flowable grease like chocolate pudding. Yes it will flow back into place. I would install a grease fitting at the check plug in the box. Modify your plug are use a bushing to adapt a grease fitting. Use the column screw as a check point. If you pump the box full till it comes out the top it will always have a oily mess around the top of the tube so that's your call.

The issue with these box's is the top bearing in the box (not the bearing under the wheel) is above the oil level and runs semi dry starved for lube. Getting lube to it how ever you go at it greatly extends the life of that bearing. Once you overfill to accomplish this you are asking for a leak around the sector shaft seals and its worst with old seals.

Personally I can live with a leak are stain of a leak knowing the bearings in the box are lubed well.

You can get it from a JD dealer in a grease gun tube are from a lawn mower shop in a qt bottle. I have got it from a ag supply in a hand squeezable container.

Yes its considered a preferable up-grade.