Adding power steering to a 400

[hydro70guy]

A friend just bought a 400 with narrow front and an older westendorf loader. It has no power steering and he thinks he would like it. Can it be added to this tractor? If so what do I look for as far as parts and cost? I would have the shop and equip to do it.
Thanks,
Joe

 

[MikeinKy]

There are a lot of farmalls being parted out with power steering. Anything from an old M with after market power to a 450. Find either a behlin or charlynn steering motor and a pump. I don't know where you are. I have a 400 you could look at. I am in north central Ky. I think Steiner has most of what is needed new.

 

[DeltaRed]

All new parts from Stiener ,etc.will be 1500 to 2000. Hireing labor to install will cost another 500.Find a 'junk' tractor to rob for parts. I just bought a (parts) 400 with balen ps.Had a good engine and bad rear end.Pd 900.Putting the PS on a SuperM,still need to come up with a PS pump.

 

[Elton Fancher]

I have the big unit, behlen I guess, I think off a 450, but no pump, I don't need it, and think I gave $100 for it. But if you look around, some one will have enough stuff to convert it.

 

[steve_in_mo]

Power steering pump from a 70's or 80's Chevy or Jeep will work well.

 

[Happyfeet]

A Char Lynn PS unit complete can be purchased for a price well below a thousand bucks and retrofitted to your friend's 400. I saw more than one complete set up for sale at the Red Power round up in Des Moines Iowa a couple years back that four or five crisp one hundred dollar bills would have bought. Just be patient and shop around. The Behlen motor will still require a pump and reservoir. The Char Lynn will be a much simpler add on IMO.

 

[rustyfarmall]

The 400 already has the live hydraulic pump. All you need is the torque generator (Behlen), and maybe a priority valve.

 

[Happyfeet]

Again, just my opinion, but I would leave your factory hydraulic system out of the equation, especially when running a loader. Your Westendorf loader likely has four separate cylinders to operate. Your factory hydraulic reservoir holds 3.5 gal of fluid. You may need all of that capacity for your loader. Your live hydraulic pump on your 400 will have enough work in operating the loader without adding power steering to its workload. A Char Lynn will be a separate and self contained system, drawing a bit of engine power to run itself via belt pulley off the water pump.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 09:25:45 04/01/18) Again, just my opinion, but I would leave your factory hydraulic system out of the equation, especially when running a loader. Your Westendorf loader likely has four separate cylinders to operate. Your factory hydraulic reservoir holds 3.5 gal of fluid. You may need all of that capacity for your loader. Your live hydraulic pump on your 400 will have enough work in operating the loader without adding power steering to its workload. A Char Lynn will be a separate and self contained system, drawing a bit of engine power to run itself via belt pulley off the water pump.

If the reservoir runs out before the loader is all the way up, simply add more fluid. The hydraulic hoses alone will probably hold one gallon. The standard live hydraulic pump has more than enough capacity to run the power steering AND the loader.

 

[cuby]

I will go along on the GM p.steering. Have put many of those on Farmall Ms'

 

[SodBuster87]

(quoted from post at 12:07:59 04/01/18)

(quoted from post at 09:25:45 04/01/18) Again, just my opinion, but I would leave your factory hydraulic system out of the equation, especially when running a loader. Your Westendorf loader likely has four separate cylinders to operate. Your factory hydraulic reservoir holds 3.5 gal of fluid. You may need all of that capacity for your loader. Your live hydraulic pump on your 400 will have enough work in operating the loader without adding power steering to its workload. A Char Lynn will be a separate and self contained system, drawing a bit of engine power to run itself via belt pulley off the water pump.

If the reservoir runs out before the loader is all the way up, simply add more fluid. The hydraulic hoses alone will probably hold one gallon. The standard live hydraulic pump has more than enough capacity to run the power steering AND the loader.

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT try this. Dad had an H years ago with a jd 45 loader (with 2way hyd) filled it with hydraulic fluid with the loader up. When he lowered the loader BOOM!!! Blew a fist sized hole through the belly pump casting. A hydraulic cylinder is not the same capacity on both sides. While the difference is small it is enough to cause big problems should the stars align.

Sod Buster.

 

[resden]

(quoted from post at 18:39:42 03/31/18)
A friend just bought a 400 with narrow front and an older westendorf loader. It has no power steering and he thinks he would like it. Can it be added to this tractor? If so what do I look for as far as parts and cost? I would have the shop and equip to do it.
Thanks,
Joe

Farm Show magazine had an article where a guy added PS to a farmall by going to a car junk yard and getting an electric PS unit off of a Saturn Vue car and cutting it into the steering shaft of the farmall. Guys name was Ken Hall in Purdy, MO phone no 417-442-3843. It struck me that was a neat way to go - no pump needed, no hoses, etc - just a wire from the tractor 12 volt electrical system

 

[Happyfeet]

You are correct, Sodbuster. Fill the hydraulic system reservoir to its full mark with no implements attached. hydro70guy, have your buddy take his time and find a $500 solution that WILL NOT effect your factory hydraulic system. SOOO much simpler

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

If you don't have enough hydraulic capacity to lift an implement to its highest level without stopping and "topping off," even if the hoses and cylinders are dry, you do not have enough fluid capacity to be running that implement, period.

Six quarts just isn't enough to run more than a single 4x8 cylinder. Really these tractors should have an additional 3-5 gallons available.

 

[dhermesc]

This sounds like the way to go. I've messed with these electric PS systems another GM vehicles - they seem to simple to work but they do. Mush easier than plumbing hydraulic systems.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 15:39:58 04/01/18)

(quoted from post at 12:07:59 04/01/18)

(quoted from post at 09:25:45 04/01/18) Again, just my opinion, but I would leave your factory hydraulic system out of the equation, especially when running a loader. Your Westendorf loader likely has four separate cylinders to operate. Your factory hydraulic reservoir holds 3.5 gal of fluid. You may need all of that capacity for your loader. Your live hydraulic pump on your 400 will have enough work in operating the loader without adding power steering to its workload. A Char Lynn will be a separate and self contained system, drawing a bit of engine power to run itself via belt pulley off the water pump.

If the reservoir runs out before the loader is all the way up, simply add more fluid. The hydraulic hoses alone will probably hold one gallon. The standard live hydraulic pump has more than enough capacity to run the power steering AND the loader.

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT try this. Dad had an H years ago with a jd 45 loader (with 2way hyd) filled it with hydraulic fluid with the loader up. When he lowered the loader BOOM!!! Blew a fist sized hole through the belly pump casting. A hydraulic cylinder is not the same capacity on both sides. While the difference is small it is enough to cause big problems should the stars align.

Sod Buster.

Something else was wrong. With 2 way cylinders, the excess fluid SHOULD have just gone into the other side of the hydraulic cylinders. Also, the loader MAY have been equipped with 2 way cylinders, but unless an accessory 2 way valve was added to the Farmall H, it will not accomodate 2 way cylinders.

 

[PretendFarmer]

I think that live pump is 1200 psi and 12 gpm. It is definitely strong enough to run power steering and a loader as I did that with my Super M before I decided to move that loader to my H.

I could raise the loader all the way up, and still steer fine.

My SM had the char-lynn torque motor.

If your loader has bigger cylinders than mine, its a beastly thing as my loader was strong enough to pick up things you shouldn't ever pick up with a row crop tractor.

In the unlikely event you raise the loader to full height and find you don't have enough fluid capacity, you can ad an external reservoir. The prior comment about blowing a hole in the pump is the result of dead-heading the system....meaning that there was no appropriate vent in place for the excess fluid.
Having a large enough vent in place for when you drop that loader down is important. Once the loader is operational, if you hear a hissing noise when you lower the loader that means the vent is too small.