Ford 640 steering problem w/pics

[Chrisco from TX]

Well, I got the second fender off and was trying to get the steering wheel off the column to remove the rest of the sheet metal. I left the nut on a few threads and tried to pry it off like suggested earlier. It wouldn't budge. Later on I moved the tractor and the steering malfunctioned. It seems to have lifted up a little. You can see in the pics where it is separated. Have I broken it? Or, does it need re-setting down below? It is loose and won't turn the wheels. Is this a big problem? I've never been into the steering box before. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[farmsjake]

It looks like you will have to go into the steering box. Not a very complicated thing. You should use a three jaw puller to remove that wheel. Very easy to do.

 

[36 Coupe]

Top bearing has broken up.Repair is not easy, you will have to fish the broken parts out of the bottom of the box.Getting the top bearing cup out of the steering column is hard going.

 

[souNdguy]

ditto what farmsjake said.. you will be going into the steering box. get a puller that centers on the acrorn nut and pull the steering wheel off, then you will need to remove the box top.

It's very likely that the upper thrust bearing is gone.. that means you will need to remove the remnants of the bearing cage and ALL the rollers, I'd replace the top race if it does not look brand new.

the 'quick and dirty' fix is to use a telescoping magnet to fis the dropped rollers out of the sector gears.. but the real fix is to pull the sector side covers and sector gears, renew the lower bering as well, and make sure no rollers seppled into the space under the lower thrust bearing when the wormshaft pulled up.

ford manual boxes on the ag models are ez to work on.. I've rebuilt most of mine.

get the good bearings.. not the wrong-angle ones or the nylon/plastic bearings.. or you will be going back in.

soundguy